Rapier Syllabus
Capoferro’s Scherma
By completion of these seven levels the student will be deeply competent in our core style of 17th century rapier, familiar with the other major styles, and able to follow their own interests to direct their own future development. The Basic levels 1-4 covers everything from first steps to freeplay. The Advanced levels 5-7 complete the training in one system and adds familiarity with others. See also Guy's book The Duellist's Companion, https://guywindsor.net/book/the-duellists-companion/ and Guy's Rapier Workbook series: https://guywindsor.net/book/rapierpartone/
Level One
Mechanics and Conditioning:
Footwork:
lunge
steps forward and back
passing forward and back
Sword
Parts of the sword
4 guards
All footwork actions, with sword
disengage, counterdisengage, redisengage
stringering inside and outside
Hunt the debole
attack by disengage
attack on the disengage (parry-riposte in one tempo)
Parry riposte in two tempi
Plates 7 and 16 (first actions)
Level Two
Mechanics and Conditioning:
Forearm massage
Basic breathing exercises
Guard position analysis with pressure
Lunge against pressure
Footwork:
breathing steps
breathing turns
Scanso della vita
Scanso dell pie dritto
Sbassi (from plates 11 and 14)
Sword
Stringering game
Disengage to feint
Beat attack, with and without disengage
Plates 7 and 16 complete
Plates 8, 13 complete
Level Three
Mechanics and Conditioning:
Knee conditioning
Knee massage
Grip grounding (edges and point, with sword)
Footwork:
all actions and combinations
Sword:
Use of wall target, pell and mirror
Stringering game plus striking
Compound counter riposte drill
Plates 9,10,11,12,14
plates 6 and 15 (re stringering)
Level Four
Mechanics and Conditioning:
Perfect push-ups (shoulder stabilisation)
Perfect squats (hip, ankle, knee alignment)
Able to competently warm up
Sword:
Freeplay
Plates 17, 18, 19, 20
Sword and Dagger:
Dagger parrying game
Dagger parry and strike game
Feint against the dagger game
All 6 guards with sword and dagger
4 Dagger parries
plates 22, 23, 24, 25
Advanced Syllabus: a complete grounding in one system, and awareness of others.
Note that in the more advanced levels the organisation of new material is essentially arbitrary: study of Fabris is in no way less advanced than the use of the rotella shield. So students may expect to see this material in class out of order, and at these levels, students are expected to be actively involved in planning their own training, and so to request specific material from their instructor.
Level Five
Mechanics and Conditioning:
The Crane
Sword:
Cutting with sharps
Competitive drilling of familiar drills
Coaching drilling
Freeplay analysis
Sword and Dagger:
Freeplay
Plates 26-30
Giganti:
Familiarity with key plays (to be determined)
Level Six
Mechanics and Conditioning:
Breathing form
Sword:
Slow execution of set drills with sharps
Sword and Dagger:
Slow execution of set drills with sharps
Plates 31-35, 38-41
Sword and Cloak:
Wearing and releasing the cloak
Parrying with the cloak
Attacking with the cloak (throw onto sword or face)
Plates 36 and 37
Fabris:
Core mechanics
Counterguards
Key plays (to be determined)
Strengths and weaknesses of his approach
Theory: 800 word essay on agreed topic
Level Seven
Sword and Rotella:
Plates 42 and 43
Spanish Rapier:
Basic familiarity with the techniques and concepts: exact content to be determined
General:
Freeplay competence at sword, sword and dagger, sword and cloak, sword and shield, against any combination, in any style (Capoferro/Giganti, Fabris, Spanish)
Theory:
1500 word essay on agreed topic
