Workshops And Levels
When it comes to Longsword, I organize the knowledge (theory) and the practice (drills), both for myself as well as for teaching others, into the following 3 levels (from easiest [1], to most complex [3]).
1. Beginner
2. Practitioner
3. Expert
Each of the levels can be "translated" as dealing with the following:
1. Beginner <=> Basic Biomechanics
2. Practitioner <=> Common Fencing
3. Expert <=> Liechtenauer Fencing
Each separate level has its own concepts (with their correlated drills), that I've organized into workshop themes.
The duration may vary.
3 hours is ideal and very comfy, but I can probably squeeze 80-90% of the themes into a 2 hour workshop.
Just be advised that a 1 hour workshop eliminates many of the themes as valid options, if we want people to actually assimilate something and get the chance to drill.
1 hour of theoretical presentation, that doesn't have any drills, just demonstrations, is of course, totally fine.
Here are all the workshops I can teach, for all 3 levels.
Beginner (Basic Biomechanics)
>> Posture, Grips and Basic Cutting Biomechanics (Oberhaus, Mittelhaus and Unterhaus in Triangle Mode)
>> The Biomechanics of Cutting Fully Extended
>> Basic Thrust Biomechanics ("The Central Thrust" // Ansetzen)
>> The Biomechanics of Short Edge Cuts
>> Stance and Footwork
>> The Loose Tense Principle and the Basic Parrying Biomechanic
Practitioner (Common Fencing)
>> Distance Management (Range, Action, The Four Distances and Threat)*
*[PRESENTATION]
>> Thrusts to All Four Openings (Die Vier Blossen)
>> Long Edge Combinations, Suppressing the Blade and Cutting Around (Umbschlagen)
>> Short Edge Long Edge Combinations and Suppressing the Blade
>> The Static Parries (Ort, Schilt and Kron Parry)
>> Dynamic Parries - Sweeping Parries
>> Dynamic Parries - The Hanging Parry
>> Basic Tactics 1 (Retreat With a Threat, Nachreisen, Ansetzen)
>> Basic Tactics 2 (Nachreisen, Uberlauffen)
>> Basic Tactics 3 (Vor/Nach Choice, Shortening Distance, Flow)
Expert (Liechtenauer Fencing)
>> Threat Analysis and Tactics to Minimize Risk
​
>> Timing Modes (Vor, Nach and Indes)
>> Focus and Fuhlen - Missed, Landed or Parried HOW? (Up, Down, To The Side or Towards Me?)*
*Minimal gear: just mask, gloves and steel feder.
>> Focus and Fuhlen - Changing the Attack (Schnappen, Durchwechseln, Zucken, Abnehmen, Umbschlagen, Duplieren and Mutieren)
>> Focus and Fuhlen - Binden, Wenden, Winden and Hengen
>> The Hengen and the Drei Wunder - Using "Half-Cuts" to Attack or Displace
>> Fighting Indes - Absetzen and Schiessen
>> Fighting Indes - Zornhau (Ort)
>> Fighting Indes - Zwerchhau
>> Fighting Indes - Schielhau
>> Fighting Indes - Krumphau
>> Ringen (including Durchlauffen)
​
>> Abschneiden and Hande Drucken
Required Gear
For each of the levels, here are the gear requirements:
1. Beginner <=> Basic Biomechanics:
- plastic LS simulator
- no protective gear requirements for most drills (Red Dragon Gloves + mask for some)
- pillow (for drills involving thrusting)
2. Practitioner <=> Common Fencing*:
- plastic LS simulator
- Red Dragon Gloves + mask (for most drills)
- plastic chest plastron (for some drills)
- gorget (for some drills)
- pillow (for drills involving thrusting)
* If all the participants at the workshop have full gear, all the drills are designed to work with full gear and steel feders as well. It's even better if we drill this way! And if only part of the participants have full gear, we can work mixed (some with steel, some with plastic).
3. Expert <=> Liechtenauer Fencing:
- steel feder or blunt longsword
- mask (at least 350N certified, ideally 1600N)
- occipital protection
- gorget
- chest protector (plastic, under the gambeson; or leather etc. over the gambeson)
- gambeson (350N certified or more)
- hard shell groin protection
- elbow and forearm protection
- HEAVY sparring gloves, specialized for HEMA (no Red Dragons or similar allowed)
- HEMA pants (350N certified or more)
- knee and shin protectors
* All of the protective gear items should be specialized for HEMA, from a known brand/maker, and that has been tested sufficiently in the community.