Warm up, conditioning, and solo drills

Warm up, conditioning, and solo drills

Solo drills

Footwork

Footwork rounds (abbreviated)

• Rounds for
  • simple step
  • Passing step
  • Offline gather steps
  • Offline passing steps
  • Gather steps
• Compass steps
• Direction changes

 

Sword solo drills

Infinity cuts

• Stand in right Vom Tag and perform a left-right oberhau with a triangle step
• Perform 2 left right unterhaus ending in right Ochs
• Perform 4 zwerchs to the 4 openings ending in right Vom tag, then drop to right Pflug
• Perform 2 thrusts from Pflug ending in right Alber
• Perform 2 false edged rising cuts ending in right Vom Tag
• Direction chance, so you face backward on the left side and repeat
  • This drill is a wonderful warm-up to go through the primary guards in a small space

Zwerch infinity cuts

• Start in Ochs on the right side and perform a Zwerchhau to any of the four openings
• Pick another opening and cut to it
• Cut to the third opening
• Cut to the last opening
• Without breaking tempo pick a different opening and do the drill again
• Do this till you run out of room, then direction change and come back on the other side

 

80 x 120

• Except for the static straight cuts perform a planted step with each cut, to protect the knees and condition the legs as well
  • 20 straight cuts with short edge rising cuts
  • 20 Oberhaus then short Unterhau on the left and right
  • 20 Unterhau then short Oberhau on the left and right
  • 20 Zwerchhau left right on the right side then 20 Zwerchhau left right on the left side
  • 20 Thrust from Pflug on the left and right
  • 20 Thrust from ochs on the left and right

 

Windmills

• Start in right Vom Tag
• Perform four Oberhaus forward and back on the right side accompanied by oblique gather steps
• Pause in right Vom Tag
• Perform four Oberhaus forward and back on the left side accompanied by oblique gather steps
• Pause in right Vom Tag
• Perform four Unterhaus forward and back on the right side accompanied by oblique gather steps
• Perform four Unterhaus forward and back on the left side accompanied by oblique gather steps
• Switch legs and repeat
  • This is a high-intensity drill that helps to practice multiple rapid cuts on the same side

 

Scorpion cuts

• Start in Nebenhut and cut a false edged Oberhau into right Ochs (like the tail of a scorpion)
• Circle around and cut a true edged Oberhau with a passing step, ending in Nebenhut on the left side, repeat to end back on the right side
• Do a false edged rising cut then a true edge rising cut with a step, ending up in left Ochs
• Do the same from left to right

 

Moulinette Cuts

• While these were originally designed for saber, they translate well to longsword
• Stand with the sword in the right hand with right foot forward
• Perform five diagonal number 1 saber cuts from right to left always returning to the right side
• Perform five diagonal number 2 saber cuts from left to right always returning to the left side
• String cuts 4 and 3 from left to right together to make a smooth flourish that goes from left to right then right to left starting and ending on the lower left side
• Switch hands, place the left foot forward and repeat

Guard rounds and master cut rounds (described in beginner drills)

Axel Petterson drills

Tom and I attended a workshop taught by Axel Petterson (you know the guy who designed the jackets we all wear). It was extraordinarily educational and I got some fantastic drills out of it. These are written for partner drilling but can be adapted for solo drilling as well.

Note: there are 7 cuts we use that number from 1 to 7 to make it easier to use in drills. odd numbers on the right side, even numbers are of the left. This is the same numbering pattern used for saber.

1. Oberhau from right to left
2. Oberhau from left to right
3. Unterhau from right to left
4. Unterhau from left to right
5. Zwerchhau from right to left
6. Zwerchhau from left to right
7. Thrust to the chest or face

 

Combinations

• Fencer A and D stand so A can hit D’s sword
• D calls out a combination, and A performs it to D’s outstretched sword
• The goal is not to hit the person but practice the combination against the sword
• Example: 1, 6, 2, 7, defend 1. This translates to an oberhau from right to left, zwerchhau from left to right, oberhau from left to right, thrust to the face, defend an oberhau from right to left
• Additionally, D can make them as complex or simple as they want, detailing when to step or not to step, if the cut uses the long or short edge, or if A has to defend an attack or use a particular cut. Cutting without a step or on the same side as your lead leg is very difficult at first but it’s good for you and D is encouraged to drill these moves

 

Sword focus mitts

• This is the same as combinations except more active, D can move forwards or back and it's up to A to keep the distance constant
• The combinations D calls are shorter and more complex
• Example: “1, 3, defend 7” while A performs the combination D parries with Ochs, Pflug, then attacks from Langort all while moving backward for the first strike then forward for the next 2
• This drill is fantastic for warming up and drilling comfort and confidence in thinking on your feet

 

Club warm up

• Warm up is supposed to gradually ease you into activity to reduce the risk of injury
• Start by warming up the legs, core, and arms without swords
  • Arms
    • Arm circles
    • Jumping jacks  
    • Shoulder touches
  • Core
    • Plank
    • Hollow holds
    • Bicycles
  • Legs
    • Lunges
    • Bounces
    • Tuck jumps   
• End with 80x120

Club Conditioning

Rot conditioning

Conditioning is done at the end of every practice in rots with 2 20 second sets to complete as many reps as possible. The highest number of reps are tallied at the end of each set and added up, whichever rot has the most reps for that set wins.  

• Arms
  • Push-ups
    • Knee (1 point per rep)
    • Regular (2 points per rep)
    • Clapping or other variation (3 points per rep
• Legs
  • Squats
    • Standard squats (1 point per rep)
    • Squat jump (2 points per rep)
    • Jumping split squat (3 points per rep)
• Core
  • Hollow holds
    • Both legs tucked (20 points)
    • One leg extended (30 points)
    • Both legs extended (40 points)

 

Additional exercises

Typewriters (swords)

• This is a punishing drill that tests endurance and is one of the best for preparing for tournaments
• A and D stand in a guard of their choosing with A’s back foot against a wall
• A launches a barrage of attacks against D who’s only job is to parry them, there should be variety in A’s strikes including thrusts and Zwerchs, and there should be no pause between strikes
• Once D’s foot hits the back wall, they become the attacker and launch their strikes at A
• This back and forth should be done in full kit or at least mask and gloves and can go on for however long the instructor wants, or until the students are exhausted
• If D is hit, then they must shake it off and do it all over again
  • the goal of this is to induce exhaustion and fatigue and force the fighter to keep functioning despite it. It exposes fighters to the kinds of physical stress experienced at tournaments. 

 

Rot relays

• Each Rot lines up and instructors mingle to make them even
• The first person in line runs with a sword the far end of the field to perform some action, the 7 cuts with a direction change, pell work, spar an instructor, etc.
• Then they run back and hand the sword off to the next person in line
• This continues until everyone has run
• The first Rot to finish with all its members wins