I really appreciate how detailed your discription of the footwork is, because it's really good to improve it not only at Speed, but at the techniques. (As an modern/olympic fencer I know how important it can be.)
I was hoping a series like this would pop up! Sadly enough under the current conditions. I want to start to do Hema for a while, without clubs nearby while I do not know anyone nearby nor am I in the position to start one myself... it makes it harder to start. Thank you for these online lessons and sessions which give me the possibility to learn in solo practice
Really good advice. Thankfully I'm fortunate enough to always in be contact with my instructor online if I have a question but this is going to be very helpful for anyone who isn't, especially as you have a large following. I totally agree that the footwork would suffer the most if one were to just stop practicing for 2 or 3 months. Mechanics are most certainly vital. Maybe this will result in more people dedicating more time to basic training, and perhaps create fencers with cleaner and stronger technique than before.
This one has helped so much, I've been doing the 6 cut cutting drill on and off for a year and can do it very quite well, but it's more of a "trick" It's just something my body can do. But I've not translated it into something useful... But by doing this I feel I get much better control, now I'm actually cutting and not just doing a showy trick. I get so much more force behind the cut 1 and 2 now. But I've done the 6 cut drill so much, I had problems stopping myself from going into cut 2 after cut 1 when I started this.
See this older video I did on the six cut drill, I think it will help you. I really exagerate the moves in that one, so draw some info from it, but then come back to the recent videos with less arm movement - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-C5gI7-ySkrU.html
Short question: is in the system „outward“ cuts included. For example the cut no.2 from outside guard into outside guard is a „inward“ circle so the blade is directed inside of the elbow. Now when I go from inside guard do the cut into outside guard do you circle again inside of the elbow or outside of the elbow. Both end nicely in the outside guard.
A better lunge (distance, speed and recovery) that is also more gentle on the ankle and also helps better align the knee straight, which it needs to be for the same reasons, a good lunge and knee health. Most people are also much more mobile with a forward facing front foot than the turn in which plants them.