Spanish Swordsmanship Videos Released!

[Ken Mondschein]

Posted on behalf of the Martinez Academy:

One of the world's best-known professional teachers of traditional fencing, Maestro Ramon Martinez is internationally recognized as the foremost authority on La Verdadera Destreza, the Spanish school of rapier fence. For several years, many interested parties have contacted Maestro Martinez, seeking information about this fascinating, but much-misunderstood, martial art. Now, in association with Palpable Hit Productions, the Martinez Academy of Arms is pleased to announce the release of "La Verdadera Destreza, the True Art and Skill of Spanish Swordsmanship," a basic introductory video course on Spanish rapier fencing.

The fruit of almost a quarter-century of research and practical experience, these two one-hour videos present fundamental techniques in a simple form comprehensible to the modern swordsman training without a master, and reveal to the public, for first time, the truth behind the erroneously termed "Magic Circle" in an easy, step-by-step manner. "The True Art and Skill" demonstrates the applied geometry on which the Spanish school is founded, the wisdom found within the treatises of Spanish masters Don Jeronimo Sanchez de Carranza and Don Luis Pacheco de Narvaez.

The contents of Volume 1 include instruction and drills covering:

· Weapon and Blade Selection
· Proper Grip
· Positions of the Hand
· Proper Stance
· Footwork
· Blade Actions and Oppositions
· Developing Sensitivity
· Building Your Own Circle

Building upon the foundation of skills presented in Volume 1, contents of Volume 2 include instruction and drills covering:

· Movemientos
· Cuts
· Thrusts
· Defensive Blade Actions
· Dagger Selection and Grip
· Attack and Defense with Rapier and Dagger

If ordered by June 15, Volume 1 and Volume 2 are available for only $34.95 per volume or $59.95 for the whole set in VHS or PAL format. After June 15, prices increase to $69.95 for the set. (All prices are U.S. dollars and do not include shipping and handling.)

To order your videos today, please visit <a href="http://www.martinez-destreza.com" target="_blank">http://www.martinez-destreza.com</a>

or write to:

Martinez Academy of Arms
P.O. Box 2484
Secaucus, New Jersey 07096

[ 06-06-2002: Message edited by: Ken Mondschein ]</p>

[HilandDoug]

THIS RULES!!!! I just dropped my check in the mail! I was pretty bummed that I couldn't make it out June 1 & 2 for the seminar, as was Sean Layow. We really wanted to participate with you and Chris ever since we were able to watch the two of you fence with rapier and dagger last June at the Italian Dueling Sabre Seminar. Now, maybe, we'll have a little background for the next seminar.

I'll be doing a lot of stage combat rapier this summer as well, so I'm hoping these videos will help with that.

If anyone wants me, I'll be out waiting by the mailbox.

[HilandDoug]

Ken, I forgot to ask: How did the Weekend of the Rapier turn out?

[Chris Umbs]

Hi Doug,

I thought the weekend went pretty well. The only non-Martinez students were two SCA fencers from Ct so we couldn't get quite as far as we would have liked. We did quite a lot on single rapier, but never really got to cuts or rapier and dagger. I'd say that Italian rapier is the most physically demanding of the rapier styles so it was pretty grueling for the two who weren't used to it. Maestro and I demonstrated a bit of the later 19th c. French rapier and dagger as well just to show the difference. At the end of the 2nd day, we did some coached bouts and the 2 Scadians were really starting to pull it together by that point. I had a really incredible series of rapier and dagger bouts with my classmate Jared (overall, I'd say it went his way) that was radically different from anything the SCA folks had seen.

Chris

[Ken Mondschein]

Chis fenced some really nice bouts with Jared. Also, I should say, it was hot. Damn hot.

[HilandDoug]

Was that the same Jared that was at the Italian Sabre seminar?

Also, I just noticed Maestro Martinez will be in Michigan in August. I'll be getting a few people together to participate in that seminar, so I'm really looking forward to it. Either of you guys coming out for it?

[Ken Mondschein]

[quote]Originally posted by HilandDoug:
<strong>Was that the same Jared that was at the Italian Sabre seminar?

Also, I just noticed Maestro Martinez will be in Michigan in August. I'll be getting a few people together to participate in that seminar, so I'm really looking forward to it. Either of you guys coming out for it?</strong><hr></blockquote>

I dont remember if Jared was at the saber seminar or not. I MIGHT be coming out to Lansing (Jared certainly is, and he wants me to); I don't know about Chris.

[HilandDoug]

Well, if you make it out, we will definately show you a good time around Lansing! I used to go to school at Michigan State, so I'm pretty familiar with some of the best watering holes around there.

[Sildar]

Well, Jared successfully convinced me to come out to Lansing, so hopefully I'll see you guys there.

Does Jared do much Italian rapier? I thought he just did Spanish lately...

[Ken Mondschein]

[quote]Originally posted by Sildar:
<strong>Does Jared do much Italian rapier? I thought he just did Spanish lately...</strong><hr></blockquote>

You give him a sword, he fences...

[mleivey]

How does traditional rapier fencing differ from other forms of fencing? And what is the difference between Italian and Spanish styles?

Please excuse my ignorance, until very recently the most swordplay I'd seen was watching 'Zorro' and old Errol Flynn flicks when I was 4 or 5.

-ML

[HilandDoug]

I would suggest you check the AHFI.org website and read around there a bit. I'm sure Ken or Chris could answer this question very well, but they'd have to spend a while writing to give a thorough answer!

[Chris Umbs]

Sorry, been away for awhile + my crap system at home often makes this more trouble than it's worth. But since I've got access to a better line today...

As Doug said, this may take awhile...

We practice 3 forms of rapier fencing at the Academy. Spanish, Italian and French.

For info about the Spanish style, see - <a href="http://www.martinez-destreza.com/articles/" target="_blank">http://www.martinez-destreza.com/articles/</a>

The Italian style we practice is a mid 17th century style while the French style is a 19th century style therefore the blades themselves are somewhat different. When I’m doing Italian rapier, I use a 40” double-wide epee blade. When I’m doing French rapier, it’s a 35” epee blade (both on cup hilts). The Spanish blade is also 40”. I should mention that these blade lengths are for somebody of my height (5’11”). Somebody shorter would use a shorter blade.

The difference between the blades means that certain actions are more efficient for each style. The balance and weight of the 40” means that ‘two time’ (dui tempi) actions are more difficult to do. So, instead of doing a parry/riposte which is two actions (parry followed by a riposte) you would do a stop thrust with opposition which is a single time action (stesso tempo) that combines offense and defense in one action. With the 35” a dui tempi action like a parry riposte can be done in the same space of time that a stop thrust can be done so it uses far more dui tempi actions. Ken has written a good article on this subject at: <a href="http://www.ahfi.org/articles/art4.htm" target="_blank">http://www.ahfi.org/articles/art4.htm</a>

We practice all of these arts as ‘internal arts’ meaning that the breath and internal energy of the body is used as opposed to just muscular force. The 3 Chinese internal arts are taijiquan, xingyiquan, and baguazhang. Without pushing the similarities too far…

French – Taiji – soft, defensive – lure the opponent in until they over commit to an attack and can not get away from the riposte

Italian – Xingyi – hard, offensive and counter-offensive, if you have to parry that means that you have lost control of the flow of the bout and allowed the opponent to attack and was not able to respond with a stesso tempo counter.

Spanish – Bagua – circular, and I’ll turn to Maestro Martinez here… “The difference being that the Diestro secures his defensive position by moving away from an attack rather than attacking into an attack. It is similar to the manner in which a bullfighter deals with the attacking bull. As the animal attacks the bullfighter veers away at an angle, steps around from the onslaught, and thrusts the "banderillas" (long decorated darts) or "estoque" (sword) into the bull in one fluid sequence of movements that constitute this particular technique.”

Hope this has been of some help.

Chris

[HilandDoug]

as always, he's a font of information! Interesting difference between the styles. When is the Lansing Sword Symposium, BTW?

[Chris Umbs]

Doug,

it's August 2nd - 4th. I can't make it, but I'll be at WMA in Wisconsin in September (13-15).

Chris

[HilandDoug]

Thanksfor the info! I hope to make it if it doesn't interfere with my rehearsal schedule. I just got my videos in today's mail, and have just opened the box. They are well packaged! I'm going to watch them right now......

[HilandDoug]

watched'em for the first time last night: very good videos! I would recomend them to anyone with an interest, as they cover a lot and answer a lot of questions.

My cats thought it was strange that i was standing bent-kneed in front of the TV with my brass cup hilted rapier that Susan gave me for Christmas 3 years ago. However, it didn't stop them from jumping up to grab the tip of the blade, each taking turns! It was distracting, but added to the fun.

[shyHeidi]

Ah yeah, cats are great for that.
Good for working on reflexes, anyhow.