All cuts are named after the part of the adversary’s body you use as a target.

There are several kinds of molinelli: 1. Cuts to the head, directed to the top of the adversary’s skull 2. Cuts to the flank or to the abdomen. 3. Cuts to the right or the left sides of the face.

Molinelli, in other words, are oscillations of the blade in different directions, intended to develop precision of aim in the cuts.

The Molinelli not only may be considered as the foundation of the instruction in sabre fencing, but they should constitute a daily exercise for you even if you are no longer a beginner. By practicing these movements regularly, you will strengthen the muscles of your arm and develop hand control and assuranc.

In order to attain poise, speed and precision in handling the sabre, it will be necessary for you to pay close attention to the proper execution of the oscillatory movements.

17. Cut to the Head by Molinello coming from the Left In the beginning this molinello should be divided into three movements:

1. Place sabre in line with your hand in First Position (Fig. 7).





2. Lower the point of your blade and describe with it a circle passing at the left of your body (Fig. 9). Very important: This movement must be executed by the forearm, using the elbow as a pivot. There should be as little bending as possible at the wrist.

3. Continue the rotating movement of the point, keeping the blade in the same plane. The circumference will be completed when your hand, placed in the Third Position, brings the blade to strike the head of your adversary (Fig. 10).

18. Cut to the Head by Molinello Coming from the Right

There are also three movements in the execution of this molinello:

1. Place the arm in the Fourth Position (Fig. 8).

2. Lower the point to the right describing a circle by a retrograde movement, bringing into play the joint of the shoulder and drawing in the small of your back until the blade, by reason of the elevation of the elbow, is located behind the right side of your head. Your forearm at this moment should be parallel to the shoulders and the cutting edge of the blade should be in the rear (Fig. 9). 3. Finally, bring forward the sabre very rapidly using the elbow as a pivot.

19. Molinello to the Flank

This molinello is executed starting from the left and is divided into two movements:

1. Take the final position of the molinello to the head (Fig. 10).

and then describe backward with the point, half a circle, bending the arm at the elbow in such manner that your right hand will come near your left shoulder. The blade at this moment will have a horizontal position, cutting edge to the left (Fig. 11).

2. In order to finish the movement, bring the sabre forward, passing the blade in front of your legs until the cutting edge-now turned tot he right-strikes the flank of your adversary (Fig. 12).

20. Molinello to the Abdomen

This molinello is composed of two movements:

1. Starting from the final position of the molinello to the head (Fig. 10).



describe backwards with the point half a circle, until your forearm is in a horizontal position (Fig. 13).

2. Continue this movement, hollowing the small of your back, raising the elbow as much as possible, in order to describe forward with your blade another half a circle and deliver a horizontal cut to the abdomen of your opponent (Fig. 14).

21. Molinello to the Face

This molinello, except for the second movement, does not differ from the molinelli to the flank and to the abdomen.

(a) The molinello coming from the left must finish by a cut to the right cheek of the adversary (Figs. 15 &

Fig. 16).

(b) The molinello to the face, directed to the left cheek of the adversary, is executed in very much the same manner as the molinello to the abdomen (Figs. 13 &