One of my previous posts detailed a “stepping into the guards” exercise I had created to teach the guards in Meyer’s dussack system. The inspiration for this was Giovanni dall’Agocchie’s passegiatta nelle guardia, and how learning this exercise made the Bolognese guards easy to remember (at least for me). Since that post I have altered the pattern to include a retreating portion; partially to be more in line with the inspirational form for this exercise, but also so that I wouldn’t have to keep telling students to turn around or back up to their original space.

1.) Start feet together, dussack in the left hand (like it was in a sheath).

2.) Grasp the dussack with the right hand, raise up so that the “quillons” are just below the eyes in a salute.

3.) Pass back with the right foot into Zornhut (Wrath guard), the figure on the right.

4.) Execute a Zornhauw while passing forward with the right into Wechsel (the Changer), figure on the right.

5.) Pass forward with the left, executing an Underhauw into Stier (Steer), figure on the left.

6.) Pass forward with the right foot, executing a Mittelhauw into Mittelhut, figure on the right.

7.) Pass forward with the left foot, executing a Zornhauw from the left into Eber (The Boar), figure on the left.

8.) Pass forward with the right and thrust into Langort (Longpoint), figure on the left.

9.) Retract the right foot so that the heels touch and go into Wacht (the Watch), figure on the right.

10.) Pass forward with the left, executing a Oberhauw from the left into the guard of Bastey (Bastion), no image.

11.) Pass with the right foot forward and execute an Underhauw into Bogen (the Bow), image on the left.

12.) Execute a Zornhauw and land in gerade Versatzung (Straight Parrying), with a gentle shuffle forward, image on the right.

13.) Retract the right foot so that the heels touch, raising the dussack into Stier on the left.

14.) Pass back with the right foot, cutting into Wechsel on the right.

15.) Pass back with the left foot, executing an Underhauw into left Zornhut.

16.) Pass back with the right foot, using a Zornhauw on the left to land in Eber.

17.) Pass back with the left foot, thrusting into Langort.

18.) Retract the right foot so that the heels touch, landing in Wacht.

19.) Salute and place the dussack in the left hand as if placing it in its sheath.