Rot drills

Rot drills

Structure

• The club teaches five core skills that make great fencers; footwork, striking, master cuts, winding, and reading
• Each skill has three drills that teach the key parts of those skills
• These drills are practiced during the rot drills and are done three at a time. Footwork is used every practice then paired with two others for the first week and the other 2 for the second week
  • For example, the first week you might do footwork, striking and master cuts, and the second week you do footwork winding and reading
• The same drills are practiced for one month before switching to the second drill next month
  • For example, September you would do sledgehammer, buffalo and seven up, alternated with sledgehammer, thrusting and spyglass
  • For October you would do distance drill, parrying and Zwerch it, alternating with distance drill, twitch response, and fencer vision
• Every rot drill should end with the in response to the oberhau drill
• Games are to be employed each practice and serve to simulate the fight in some way; instructors should look to see if the skills that fencers have practiced are being used in competition
• Beginner drills are designed to teach the basics of fencing and should be used the first and second practice
• For pairs of new students, instructors can give feedback and ensure that it is properly implemented
• When giving feedback instructors/students should say one thing the other is doing well and give one concrete, actionable suggestion
  • “Hit harder to displace the blade” is vague and useless. “Twist your hips to engage your core as you strike to hit harder and displace the blade” is useful, give them something actionable that they can focus on and replicate.
  • A good sentence starter for positive feedback is “I really like it when…” a good sentence starter for corrections is “next time try…”

Footwork

Sledgehammer drill

• Fencer A and Fencer D star in Vom Tag
• Both are limited to only Oberhaus and neither can defend 
• The goal is to get in range, hit them, and get out without getting hit 
• This trains distance management and appropriate force 
• This can also be done with thrusts from Pflug
• The drill lasts for 1 minute, after that each fencer shares 1 thing the other did well, and gives 1 concrete actionable correction. Repeat the drill 3 more times focusing on implementing those corrections.
  • The purpose of this drill is to train voiding and reading the opponent while maintaining an awareness of zufechten and Kreig

 

Distance drill

• Fencer A and B start out of range
• Fencer A changes the distance by moving forward or backward
• Fencer D must keep the distance constant using whatever footwork they like
• If they get too close, Fencer A may tag them at which point the drill resets
• After 1 minute switch roles
  • Note: the goal is not to tag the other person, the goal is to maintain the distance between you. This drill is designed to train how to read the other person and improve quick footwork.

Minefield

• Fencer A and D stand in a small circle with a glove (mine) at the center
• Fencer A’s job is to either touch Fencer D or make them touch the glove
• If either of those happens Fencer D exits the circle and goes to the back of the line
• If Fencer A cant tag Fencer D or make them touch the glove in 10 seconds or less then they leave the circle and Fencer D stays in to tag or maneuver the next person in line
  • This drill trains how to maneuver and manipulate people with footwork

 

Striking

Buffalo drill 

• Fencer A and D stand in Vom Tag with helmets and gloves
• A strikes an Oberhau
• D defends with an Oberhau
• If the structure is good, then the blow will be blocked, and D will likely control the center
• If the structure is poor, then D’s arms will collapse, and A will hit them
• After each strike, both fencers must pause and say if they are strong or weak in the bind
• Do four right side Oberhaus, then four left side Oberhaus
• After eight strikes A tells D one thing they did well and one concrete, actionable correction
• Repeat the drill three more times focusing on implementing the correction
• Switch roles and repeat
  • This drill trains the most common opening move in tournaments, and teaches how to recognize strong and weak binds

 

Parrying drill

• Fencer A and D stand in zufechten
• Fencer A performs four Oberhaus 2 left, and two right, Fencer D parries the first 2 with a simple parry and the last two with Ochs (absetzen), thrusting or striking after each parry  
• Without breaking rhythm fencer A performs four unterhaus, Fencer D parries the first 2 in Plfug, and the last 2 with an Unterzwerch, thrusting or striking after each parry  
• After the eight strikes, Fencer A tells one thing D did well and provides one concrete, actionable correction to improve, feedback should take less than 10 seconds
• Repeat the drill three times with A attacking and D defending, incorporating the feedback
• Fencer D now attacks A with four Oberhaus and four unterhaus, A responds accordingly, after the sequence D gives feedback and they repeat the drill with A incorporating the feedback
  • The goal of this drill is to perfect the ability to parry and repost using both the four hangers and the zwerchhau

 

Turret defense  

• Fencer D stands with their back foot against a wall in langort Fencer A stands in zufechten
• Fencer A can make four attacks of their choosing with a triangle step; Fencer D must parry them without leaving Langort, they should be focusing on the opponent and relying on peripheral vision to parry
• After the four attacks fencer A gives one thing they did well and 1 actionable correction
• Repeat the drill three times focusing on incorporating that feedback
• After four total rounds switch roles
  • This drill is designed to perfect the ability to parry any attack and build confidence even when facing an aggressive opponent

Mater cuts

Zwerch it (in full kit)

• Fencer A and D stand in a guard of their choosing
• Fencer A performs eight zwerchhau targeting one of the four openings as they open up while B mirrors them to defend
• After eight strikes D tells A one thing they did well and one actionable, concrete correction
• Repeat the drill three more times focusing on implementing that correction
• Switch roles and repeat
  • The goal of this drill is to make the Zwerchhau muscle memory and to reflexively target openings as they appear

Seven up

• Fencer A and D stand in vom tag
• Fencer A moves through the eight guards with D performing the correct master cut for each
• Fencer A then pauses in kron then assumes a guard of their choosing, as soon as D sees what guard it is they must perform the correct master cut as quickly as possible, preferably before A has settled in the guard
• After four guards, pausing in kron between each one A tells D one thing they did well and one concrete, actionable suggestion.
• Repeat the drill three more times focusing on implementing that feedback
• Switch roles and repeat
  • The purpose of this drill is to familiarize the fencer with which master cut goes to which guard and train them to attack while the opponent is transitioning between guards

Muster cuts Vs Oberhaus

• Fencer A and D stand in Vom Tag
• Fencer A performs four Oberhaus from each side
• Fencer D responds with zornhau, zwerchhau, krumphau and schielhau on the left and right, striking the opponent after each strike
• After 1 round fencer A tells fencer D one thing they did well and gives 1 actionable, concrete suggestion
• Repeat the drill three more times focusing on implementing that feedback
• Switch roles and repeat
  • The goal of this drill is to show how master cuts can be used against Oberhaus, the most common strike, and to drill using them effectively and efficiently

 

Winding

Twitch response drill

• Fencer A and D stand in Langort wit the last ¾ of their blades touching
• D closes their eyes and gently moves their sword along A’s length while A either becomes strong or weak in the bind
• As soon as D feels the shift, they should thrust if they are strong and duplieren if they are weak
• After four responses A tell D 1 thing they did well and one concrete, actionable suggestion
• Repeat the drill three more times focusing on implementing the feedback
• Switch roles and repeat
  • The goal of this drill is to hone their ability to detect if they are strong or weak through Fühlen (feeling) and respond as soon as they identify which it is
  • An advanced version is for A to vary the strength of a strong bind or weakness of a weak bind to prompt different responses from D

 

Thrusting drill

• Fencer A and D stand in Langort
• The only way to win is to thrust the opponent; A can only attack, D can only defend
• A performs four thrusts while D parries or counters
• After four thrusts D tells A 1 thing they did well and one concrete, actionable correction
• Repeat the drill three more times focusing on implementing the feedback
• Switch roles and repeat
  • The goal is to learn how to deal with ranged fighters and read the opponent for when and how they will thrust and how to respond

 

MADS defense drill

• A and B stand in a guard of their choosing; A strikes an oberhau and B binds
• If B is strong in the bind, then he can either thrust, Absetzen, or Mutieren
• If B is weak in the bind, he can either lift off, Schnappen, or duplieren
• After five binds on the right switch to 5 Oberhaus from the left
• After the ten strikes A tell D one thing they did well and one concrete, actionable correction
• Repeat the drill three more times focusing on implementing that correction
• Switch roles and repeat
  • This drill gives a simple decision tree for binding after an oberhau

 

Reading drills

Fencer vision

• Fencer A and D stand in a guard of their choosing
• Fencer A makes an attack and D defends, both fencers freeze
• Fencer A mimes attacking the available openings before returning to their original position and attacking one of the openings which D again defends
• After four rounds D tells A one thing they did well and one actionable, concrete correction
• Repeat the drill three more times focusing on implementing the correction
• Switch roles and repeat
  • The goal of this drill is to develop “fencer vision” the ability to see the opening and know what attacks would best exploit them, this can be done without helmet or gloves

Spyglass drill

• Fencer A and D stand in a guard of their choosing with O observing them
• A and D fight and spar until O calls a halt at which point the fighters freeze
• O asks both fighters: Who is in zufechten and who is in Kreig, who has the Vor and who has the Nach, and what each fencer plans to do
• After three halts rotate roles
• After all three students have held each role, they should each give the others one thing they did well and 1 actionable, concrete correction, at the end of the feedback each person should have two corrections to work on
• Repeat the drill focusing on each correction
  • The goal of this drill is to train students to be judges and watch a fight and see what happens. It also trains all of them to identify zucfechten, Kreig, vor and nach. Lastly, it provides a good way to give critique to fight styles

Gorillas and cavemen

• Fencer A and D stand in zufechten in a guard of their choosing
• The only way to win is to either thrust or grapple (pommel to the helmet)
• Both fencers can attack or defend as they wish
• Both should focus on looking for signs that indicate what their opponent is going to do like shifting focus, feet, hands, and body language
• After four exchanges pause and each fencer tells the other one thing they did well and one concrete, actionable correction
• Repeat the drill four more times focusing on implementing that feedback
  • The goal of this drill is to learn how to keep a charging attacker at bay, how to get past the point to grapple, and how to read the opponent and anticipate their actions

 

In response to the oberhau

• Fencer A and D stand in Vom Tag
• A performs two Oberhaus from the left and the right that D voids, using Nachreisen to strike A
• A performs two Oberhaus that D parries and counters
• A performs two Oberhaus that D parries with Ochs or a Zwerch (Absetzen), thrusting to the face
• A performs two Oberhaus and D performs a schielhau, thrusting A in the face
• A intentionally takes the center of the bind and D winds from the weak (Duplerin or schnapin or lifting off)
• A intentionally lets D take the center of the bind and D winds from the strong (wind to ochs, muterin, thrust to the chest)
• After 1 round A tells D one thing they did well and one concrete, actionable correction
• Repeat the drill three more times focusing on implementing the correction
• Switch roles and repeat
  • This is designed to efficiently and succinctly review and drill the “club recommendations” for how to deal with the oberhau