Finestra to Coda Longa Transition

[Karen Rose]

I'm trying to find the best way to transition from finestra to longa. It seems fastest to swing the blade back over the head and directly down. This can be done from finestra destra or sinestra. It also leaves my mug out there unprotected.
In finestra sinestra a drop to boar's tooth and then swing around, or finestra destra down and back both seem like
a waste of movement.
Thoughts? Suggestions?
Karen

[Jake_Norwood]

Karen-

That may be the most convenient way to transition the stances, yes, but I'm not sure if it's a good thing to do in a fight. It doesn't gain you anything other than simply changing guards and moving your weapon away from your opponent.

Try transitioning into breve from finestra by way of longa, then moving on to coda longa from there. That threatens your opponent, and is really an attack from finestra.

Jake

[Douglas S]

Why are you in finestra in the first place?

[Karen Rose]

Thanks Jake. I was trying to figure a way to use economy of motion....but without taking a fendente to the noodle.

Douglas...sometimes you just end up there, say after a ridoppio reverso from costa longa e distessa destra. I'm trying to practice every strike into every guard combo I can think of. The more uncomfortable and weird, the more important to unscramble it in my head and try and get some body memory going!

Thanks all.
Karne

[Webmaster]

Yes, taking a fendente to the al dente usually results in non compos mentis.

[Douglas S]

Its my understanding (via Schola St George) that Finestra is generally a short-range technique, whether it be used for defense or offense. Coda Longa is more of a long distance technique. So I would definitely tornare or decressare out of the first posta first, thus gaining space to switch poste. ?

[Karen Rose]

Excuse me....I must break in here to laugh heartily at Stacy's funny. Very good. <img src="/forum/images/icons/laugh.gif" alt="" />

[Karen Rose]

Just working some drills to strengthen the ridoppio cuts from both sides. It actually works out smoothly to just take the blade back to di donna..down to longa..back through the ridoppio..back up to finestra again...repeat.

This weekend I did watch a gentleman use finestra in a way I don't think is usually done, but he was demonstrating that it can be used as a guard the same way one would use breve. His skill at Fiore was finely honed, so this worked for him. I'll try and explain. (I'm a novice, so forgive any fumbling.)

He waited in finestra for any attack from above. He moved the tip of the blade ever so slightly towards his attacker. As the attacks came from fendente, squalembri he just them blow through his sword, then his blade came up smoothy through a sort of hanging guard...di donna...to attacker's neck.
It happened so fast it was hard to follow.

Karen

[Jake_Norwood]

Hi Karen-

If I understand what you're saying correctly, he could have just not moved his sword and the attacker would have missed, is that right? If so, then, uh...

Jake

[Karen Rose]

lol...I see what you mean. I didn't explain it very well. The fendente was coming right down on him. He was using the window in an unusual way.....ie: sitting and waiting on the attack from above so that the attack could be deflected in such a way that the attacker would have no recovery time.
Pardon my novice explanations and perceptions. At this point I am impressed by so little <img src="/forum/images/icons/crazy.gif" alt="" />
Karen

[Jake_Norwood]

OK, gotcha. Sounds like a pretty standard use for hengen, which isn't that far from fendente.

Jake