Lesson 72 – Paschen Rapier Seminar Part 1

This past weekend, I had the privilege of teaching a rapier seminar at Provost Ryan Mank’s school, Red Sun Classical Fencing in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ryan’s school focuses on traditional Italian fencing, and each of his students begin with the foil. This meant that just about every student in the seminar had a solid foundation to work from, letting us focus on broad range of rapier techniques, especially those which emphasize the distinctive elements of the Rapier. I based the curriculum on Johann Georg Pascha’s 1661 rapier text. Pascha’s (also called Paschen) manual is divided into two parts, each consisting of number of lessons. The first part focuses on fencing with thrusts and the second part covers fencing with cuts. For the seminar, we worked on selections from the first eight lessons on fencing with the thrust. I tried to follow the text fairly closely throughout the seminar, mostly condensing the material to fit within the time period, or putting several techniques together to build a sequence.

We began Saturday morning by practicing a sequence which introduces all of the primary lines of attack in rapier. While Paschen uses opposition in either third, second, or first for attacks to the outside line, we used only opposition in second for this drill. Likewise, where Paschen uses first, second, or fourth hand positions for attacks under the blade, we used only second and fourth.

Starting from the partner’s engagement in fourth, as the partner changes to an invitation in third, the student makes a straight thrust to the inside high line in fourth, and recovers back to an engagement in fourth. Starting from the student’s engagement in fourth, the partner changes to an invitation in third. The student makes a straight thrust to the outside high line in second and recovers back to an engagement in third. The first two thrusts are now practiced in sequence. Starting from the student’s engagement in third, the partner pushes against the student’s blade as if attempting to make an engagement in third. The student yields to this pressure, rotates the hand to fourth position and hits on the outside line with the hand in fourth (blade contact is maintained throughout the action). The student then recovers back to an engagement in fourth. The first three thrusts are now practiced in sequence. Starting from the student’s engagement in fourth, the partner changes to a high invitation in fourth. The student makes a thrust in second below the blade and recovers back to third. The partner changes to a high invitation in third and the student makes a thrust in fourth below the blade and recovers back to fourth. Starting from the student’s engagement in fourth, the partner pushes against the student’s blade as if attempting to make an engagement in fourth The student yields to this pressure, rotates the hand to second position and hits on the inside line with the hand in second (blade contact is maintained throughout the action). The student then recovers back to an engagement in third. All six thrusts are now practiced in sequence. Starting from the student’s engagement in third, the partner attacks with a disengagement to the inside line. The student parries fourth and ripostes by flanconnade in fourth. This is the last piece of the sequence. All six thrusts as well as the final parry and riposte are practiced in sequence.

We practiced this sequence again on the second day, this time added an advance with each hit instead of a lunge except for the final riposte. This could also be done by having each hit be followed with a retreat.

Part Two

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