Strategies for teaching Saber

[big poppa]

Several of mine students are now interested in learing Saber( i showed them the Peter westbrook tv program) The problem is my knowledge is sorta limited in this weapon truth be told I like the footwork of Saber fencers anyway. So If you have any drills or ideas, please share them with me.

[bjacobs]

An easy drill that will help enormously is "the glove game," which can be found in the drills section of this site. Two students face each other, each holding a glove, and take turns making attacks with only an advance lunge. The defender can retreat as much as he wishes on his turn. Each student tries to make his opponent miss by as little as possible so he can catch him when it's his turn to attack. This game will help them get the back and forth movement of sabre and learn to control distance.

[jeff]

Some drills for blade mechanics and distance, simple attacks with or without blade taking:

- advance and retreat with the sabre held in parry 5 (head) position while the student keeps distance; then drop the hand to open the line and have the student make head cut with lunge. Works keeping distance properly, and works on the mechanics of the head cut (it aint like hammering a nail!). Change lines and initial guard to offer flank, chest, etc...

- Complicate the previous drill by parrying the attack and making riposte - student should counter parry and riposte. Repeat, and vary lines.

- Complicate the previous drills by having the student deceive the parry and cut to a different line: feint head, cut flank, etc. (eg: have them do a one-two) Combine with parry riposte sequences after they get that working

- Invite with your blade to draw a beat-cut to the head. Change lines to make it back-edge beat and cut cheek. Change lines to offer beat-cut to flank, chest, etc...

- Same as previous but add the parry-riposte sequences and the feint-cut.

All of these are simple drills of fundamentals, with progression of additional strokes added to a simple attack. Keep a close eye on their technique, and do them at half-speed until they get the technique right. It's a start, or at least part of one.