Fundamentals of Footwork & Stances

[Karen Rose]

I'm very new to this and am endeavoring to grasp what I can from Medieval Swordsmanship and by scouring the posts here. I need to start with the basics....footwork and stances.
I've seen many of the clips and have read lots of posts. The one below from Shawn C in 9/02 is very interesting, but I need someone to elaborate just a bit more. Thank you!



Basically take the cutting angles and place them down on the floor. By this I mean when you cut, there is a cross, and two diagonals going through the center of it. This represensts horizontal, vertical and diagonal cuts. Place this on the ground and step accordingly:
Left foot forward, forward on an angle, to the side, back on an angle, backwards...repeat with the right foot.

Do it in pairs, or make them pic a spot on the wall. Make them step through all the steps while keeping their torso facing their partner, or spot on the wall. This really helps get people out of the linear sport fencing mode, plus it ties in with the 8 basic cuts.

Then show them the 2 basic types of steps, the passing step where the back leg comes forward, and the fencing style step, where the front leg stays in front. Get them to move across the floor using both steps individually, and then mixing and alternating steps. Make sure throughout that knee's are bent, stances are deep and wide, and backs are straight. After you've run them through this show them a few basic guards, say like phlug, and have them practice moving and stepping while holding a proper phlug guard.

I find this gives most people a good primer to their footwork.

[Randall Pleasant]

Karen

Welcome to ARMA. <img src="/forum/images/icons/laugh.gif" alt="" />

To help you understand the basic longsword stances I would suggest that you read The Basic Guards of Medieval Longsword. In practicing footwork following the given example, remember that the connection point of all the lines is always directly under your body. Just practice stepping along the lines with passing steps and simple steps (don't cross you legs) - remembering that the connection point moves with you. Then mix practicing transition from one stance into another with the basic footwork along the lines. Also start thinking and moving in a full 360 degrees rather than in just a stright line.

Well, it is late into the night so I'm not sure if I made sense.<img src="/forum/images/icons/crazy.gif" alt="" /> If not maybe someone else will clear things up more. <img src="/forum/images/icons/smirk.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/icons/tongue.gif" alt="" />

[Craig Peters]

Karen,

As I am a beginner too, I cannot answer your question. However, if you have not already seen it, be sure to take a look at the essay on the primary stances for the longsword; they are "updated" from Medieval Swordsmanship.

http://www.thehaca.com/essays/StancesIntro.htm

[Karen Rose]

Randall and Craig,
Thanks so much for a speedy reply!
Randall, now I get what Shawn was talking about. Sometimes I just need it rephrased for me. Thanks for the tips on foot work. This may sound nutty, but to build quad and back strength, I actually spend time daily just moving around the house in a low-wide type stance. Going in and out of doorways forces me to square up and move my feet.
It isn't a normal position for the body to be in, so this is the way I take every opportunity to build strength and stamina.

Craig, I've printed out that article and refer to it pretty frequently as I'm trying to get the stances down. I now have an ARMA notebook!

Thanks for your help guys.

[Shane Smith]

Hi Karen,Welcome aboard <img src="/forum/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" /> It sure seems like we have quite a few folks in Wisconsin nowadays. Maybe you folks could get together for training from time to time to the benefit of you all.There's no substitute for training with other enthusiastic martial artists. "ARMA Wisconsin" has a certain ring to it <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Jared L. Cass]

Already in the works, Shane! <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" /> I've lined up a park that's sort of in the middle of all of us (at least those in the southern part of the state...I'll be driving a bit further, but it'll be worth it). Now we're just trying to hash out a date to meet.

Give it time and the "Badger Brigade" will be tearing things up <img src="/forum/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />

Jared L. Cass, ARMA Associate, Wisconsin

[Karen Rose]

Hmmmm, I wonder how cut tests will work on blocks of cheese?
You are right Shane. Practicing with others is the best way to go. I find it highly motivating and the best type of learning experience. <img src="/forum/images/icons/laugh.gif" alt="" />
I tend to teach myself mistakes <img src="/forum/images/icons/frown.gif" alt="" />
Jared is doing the leg work and getting us together. I am so looking forward to it. (Praying that we can all have a common date that works!)

[Ryan Ricks]

one thing i had my group do, is to line up on one side of parking lot, and step as they deliver a cut. over, and over, and over, from one side to the other and back.

you can also do this by stringing together combination attacks. once you put the stepping and attacking together, you'll see how after one attack, you end up in a position to immediately follow up with another one. it's pretty cool

ryan

[Stuart McDermid]

Hi Karen,

It is worth bearing in mind that fundamentals such as footwork, and favoured angles of attack and sometimes even how the feet actually contact the ground are different in every manual.

Of the more popular Medieval sources, Fiore has different methods of movement and posture to the "Lichtenauerians" who are different again to 1.33.
Even within the Lichtenauer tradition, later authors like Meyer and Sutor teach differently to earlier sources like Ringeck even on basic details like how to stand in guard.
If we look at the Italians, Vadi moves differently (indeed he even talks about his "new" footwork that differs from the old) from Fiore.
My advice is to choose a movement structure as a base and stick to it.
Cheers,
Stu.

[Karen Rose]

Hello Stuart,

What very sound advice. As I am so new to this I am going to be reading all I can get my hands on and try on for size what seems to work for my body type, center of gravity, etc.

This alone will probably take me a little time and effort!

Thanks for passing along some of your wisdom.

Karen

[Jared L. Cass]

Sounds like you've got it, Karen. Perhaps another way which might help to explain the basic lines/directions of movement would be to use a compass as an example. A compass has: North (in front of you), South (behind you), West (to your left), East (to your right), North West (to the front and left), North East (the the front and right), South West (behind and to the left), and South East (behind and to the right).

When we get together to do some training, these movements in conjunction with the basic strikes and guards will all click 100% for you. IMO, don't worry too much about the specifics of the different masters, yet. Just grasp the fundamental ways to move and cut...and you'll be well on your way to understanding/ being able to inturpret alot of the stuff in the manuals. <img src="/forum/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />

Jared L. Cass, ARMA Associate, Wisconsin

[Webmaster]

Ryan, you've definitely got the right idea here. When I'm working with beginners here in Houston, one of the things I see most is overrotation of the feet when doing cuts in place (meaning just stepping forward and back). As soon as I make them start advancing forward with each cut, however, that becomes very awkward and it forces them to straighten out in order to maintain balance. I start them out with simple diagonal cuts, downward right to left and rising false edge left to right, in concert with the feet like a pendulum, just to get the hang of timing your cuts with your feet and keep it simple. Once they're used to that then you can move on to X cuts, round strikes, simple steps, great steps, moving backward, etc. as you become comfortable. I find that throwing in traverses too early often tends to confuse people. Get used to moving straight forward and back while lining up your feet correctly, and suddenly traversing isn't a very big deal. One more thing - I suggested starting out using the sword like a pendulum, but don't keep it that way for long. As soon as you get used to the proper motion, begin putting more energy into your strikes.