Background Notes: Longsword Fighting Stances & Footwork

Long sword fighting terminology... hmm... certainly no foreshadowing here at all.

High Guard 

• aka Hawke Guard/"Posta de falcone" (Italian), 

• aka Haukse Bill (English)

• aka From the roof/"Vom Dach"/"Vom Tag" (German)

• Sometimes called Upper Guard/"Oberhut"

• Sword held at 45° above head or shoulder (usually right).

• Shoulder version used if armor prevents above-head movement, quicker and more deceptive, less range and strength in strike

Low Guard

•  aka The Fool's Stance Alber/Iron Gate/"Eiserne Pforte"(German),

• similar Iron Door (blade placed right or middle) or Boar's Tooth Guard (blade left)(Italian)

• Sword held point downwards in front, most commonly between the legs similar to (Middle Iron Gate/Mezzana Porta di Ferro).

Close Guard 

• aka Boar's Tooth Guard (Italian)

• transitional stance similar to Low and Middle Guards

• Knees down and sword low to hip, used for delivering low thrusts and parrying attacks to waist/hip region or to the sword's grip

Middle Guard 

• aka Close Guard, The Plow/"Pflug" (German)

• The foundation of many other stances as it covers the body and allows all attacks

• blade held at 45° angle from hip, pointed at the opponent's chest, throat, or face.

• Pulling hilt past the hip is the "long plow" for quick cuts from under and downward thrusts

• Closest Italian analogue is Middle Iron Door/"Porta di ferro mezana"

Front Guard

• aka Crown Guard "Posta di Corona"/Posta di Frontale"(Italian)

• "Kron"(Germany)

• Similar to Middle Guard, a high center position where the sword is held up with the cross-guard just below eye-level

• Uused to catch an incoming downward strike across the sword hilt

Back Guard

• aka Long Tail Guard"/"Posta di coda longa"/True/Complete Iron Gate "Tutta Porta di Ferro"/"Posta di coda longa"/Serpentino(Italian), 

• aka Near Guard/"Nebenhut"/"Schrankhut"/"Mittelhut" (German)

• Blade slanting 45° downwards and to the side with the tip pointing backwards

• Primarily a defensive guard that allows a strong rising cut with the long edge or a full upward cut with the short edge.

• Blade can be pulled back further to hide it from opponent and generate more power in the Extended Long Tail stance (Code Lunga)

Short Guard

• aka Posta Breve(Italian)

• Close-range posture with knees bent, blade held vertical, and hilt pulled in close.

• Used mostly while armored or looking for an opening in an opponent's stance

• Can parry, slice, thrust, or bind but has limited cutting movement and is vulnerable to thrusts & low/side parries.

Long Guard

• aka "Posta Longa"(Italian)

• aka Long Point/ "Langortt"/"Langer Ort"(German)

• Blade held horizontal with arms extended straight at opponent's face

• Rrisky transitional defensive thrusting position meant for probing guards, warding, stabbing, or stop-thrusts.

• Vulnerable to being trapped/deflected/getting caught in cross-blades + can't freely cut or recover/parry easily

Inside Guard 

• aka Window Guard, "Posta Finestra"(Italian)

• aka Ox/"Ochs (German)

• Blade held up and to the outside horizontal, hilt close to at the temple

• Can strike, cover, or oppose all the guards from this position; the best offensive move from this stance is a thrust

Hanging Guard 

• aka Woman's Guard/Queen's Guard/"Posta di donna"(Italian)

• aka Hanging Point/"Hangentorte"/Change/"Wechsel"/"Hengen" (German)

• Transitional pose, used for meeting an oncoming downward stroke or breaking a defender's stance with a powerful strike.

• Defensive sidestepping and lifting the sword, point down at a horizontal.

• Offensive Woman's Guard has sword pulled back over shoulder and behind head to generate as much power as possible. Slow movements, but hard to block.

Back Step: (aka Backsteppe) Simple back step with the trailing leg. Can be followed by matching backward step with the leading leg

Cock Step : (aka Cockstep, koc stappis, kocstep) Forward skipping step by the leading leg. Similar to modern day balestro fencing move.

Great Step : (aka Grete Steppe) Large double step (any direction)

Double Step : Side step where the back foot ends up in the lead position

Cross Step : Two steps circling steps around your opponent. Trailing foot steps in front of leading leg, former leading foot passes behind (vulnerable during moment when legs are crossing over)

Sliding Step : (aka Adjustment Step) Extending either lead or rear foot backwards similar to boxer's shuffle. Adjustment step forward is the acresare, backwards is the decresare.

Lunge : Sudden long step either forward or backwards

Pass : Simple step, the back leg goes in front of the leading leg as if sliding along train track

Triangle Step: Back foot brought parallel to leading leg, former leading foot shifts back to former trailing leg's position (basically switching guards)