Syllabus Form

The syllabus form is a set of applications strung together in a particular way.

The Syllabus Form Start with the sword in its scabbard, held in the left hand, feet parallel and shoulder width. (left handers should reverse all left/right instructions)

• I: Drawing the sword (defence against dagger fendente)

1. Lift the sword in its scabbard, stepping back with right foot, parry dagger strike, sottano roverso to fenestra, strike to face with scabbard.

2. Strike mandritto fendente with pass forwards (longa)

• II: Strike

3. Bring sword to donna sinestra

4. Roverso fendente with a meza volta to posta longa.

5. Volta stabile to posta di fenestra.

• III: Exchange of thrust

(Against a thrust to the face from fenestra destra)

7. Wind sword through frontale (with accressere) to fenestra (with a passo alla traversa)

8. Volta stabile to posta di donna sinestra.

• IV: Rompere di punta

(Against a thrust to the face from fenestra destra)

9. break the thrust with a roverso fendente, accompanied by an acressere and a volta stabile.

10. Follow through to tutta porta di ferro with a passo alla traversa.

• V: Rompere di punta

(Against a thrust to the belly from zenghiaro)

11. Parry with point high and hands low, accressere.

12. Flick blades down to mezana porta di ferro, follow through with passo alla traversa. (step on his blade)

13. False edge sottano roverso to the throat.

14. whip blade through, and roverso fendente to his head, passing to tutta porta di ferro.

• VI: Rebattere

(against a sword blow to the head)

15. Parry with frontale, accressere

16. drop point to bicorno, thrust (back foot follows).

• VII: Master of the sword in one hand

(against any blow to the head)

17. Lower sword to the guard of the sword in one hand, let go with pommel hand, look over your shoulder

18. rebattere with a true edge roverso sottano, accompanied by an acrescimento, and extending the left hand forward.

19. Pommel strike with a wrap, and pass. (If rebattere does not open attacker’s inside line, push elbow instead of wrap.)

20. Mandritto fendente to posta longa, with another pass, return pommel hand to grip.

21. Follow through with a tutta volta 135 degrees anti-clockwise to dente di zenghiaro.

• VIII: rebattere

(against any blow to the head)

22. Parry with false edge roverso sottano accompanied by an acressere.

23. Mandritto fendente to posta longa.

24. Volta stabile to posta di donna sinestra.

• IX: Through cut, thrust

25. Roverso fendente with pass to coda longa

26. Immediately thrust to bicorno, with pass.

27. Look over left shoulder, bring sword to tutta porta di ferro

• X: Punta falsa

(after crossing of second master: e.g. defence against mandritto fendente)

28. Parry with frontale. Strike ("show") a strong mezano to the face

29. (When he covers) Turn the sword to the other side of his blade, grab your blade with the left hand and thrust with an accrescere.

30. Pass with a half-sword pommel strike (assuming defender manages to parry the thrust).

31. Volta stabile to vera croce and move the front foot to adjust direction.

• XI: Half sword cover (first play of the sword in armour)

32. Half sword cover with a volta stabile.

33. Half sword thrust with a pass.

34. Look over right shoulder, bring sword to posta di donna sinestra.

• XII: Cut to hands

(against any blow)

34. Roverso fendente with tornare to tutta porta di ferro.

• XIII: Colpo di villano

(Against an over-committed mandritto fendente)

35. Cover with frontale, accressere.

36. Allow his sword to blow through (looks like a molinello) while passing,

37. Fendente roverso with another pass, to tutta porta di ferro.

The video shows the form done in the context of the Syllabus Form Applications Drill