Longsword! Part I - The Best Nachschlag 

Thank you very much, you're far too kind and I'm very happy the video is helpful! I am working on Part 6 now, hopefully finished soon!

Thank you very much Thayne! I'm really glad the videos were helpful. It's the very reason I do them and it's the motivation to do more. I have an outline of a video with some Fiore stuff, hope to produce it in a month or two :)

That's awesome Martin. I can't wait to see that Fiore video or any other. Cheers

Thank you, it really means a lot to me!

I have to underline this with some heavy strikes :) - Looking forward to the Fabian's seminar in Vienna!

Same here with rapier but to me it showed that the entry level is super low and you don't need a lot of training to reach a level where you can only improve what you already know

@@Sk0lzky I think that you'd be surprised. Fabian has only shown Fabris' first book, which is his unique version of the "standard" Italian style. Book two is incredibly nuanced and different, though Fabris himself says that it doesn't contradict anything that came before. Thibault will blow your mind if you really want to see some interesting rapier/sidesword, using a similar logic to Fabris' second book, but making the case for an upright posture and even more off-line movement, somewhat like the Spanish, but very dynamic and flowing, throwing away guards as we usually think of them to focus only on precisely applying the blade when and where it will contribute to suppressing and/or killing the opponent.

@@45calibermedic I've seen a lesson somewhere where I think students have been learning this off-line thing. They were meant not to approach the opponent directly but a bit to his right entering measure from his 3rd (hour, I mean, not guard :v)

@When two swordsmen engage in a bind, which refers to the situation where their swords are in contact with each other, certain principles and concepts can be applied to reason about the possible actions and outcomes. These principles are based on the nature of the bind and the physics of sword movement.

loyalsausages thanks for the kind words! I feel honoured

Hey thanks! My target is 10 so yes, there will be more :)

Super!

@@MartinFabian I can has more? 😻

Thank you very much!

John Doe If you're fighting Martin Fabian it definitely wouldn't 😂! Feders are pretty heavy but he can swing his so fast it's difficult to keep up with

And whats worse is that dying lasts longer than you fought, imagine the agony

Glad it helped! Thanks for watching!

Thanks Csabi, much appreciated :)

Thank you! Greetings from Slovakia :)

Thank you!

Thank you very much! I'm glad you like it!

Thank you very much!

Thank you James!

Dakujem :)

Hello Adam, thanks a million for the kind words. It really makes me both glad and motivated if people find these videos helpful! The optimal routine... Hm, when I started fencing, I was so obsessed I used to practice 7 times a week, for a time even more:) But really, it depends on what someone seeks and wants to achieve with their practice. Whether it is the best warrior or most technically skilled guy there are some common rules: 1. The more you grow, the more you should revisit basics. With every new level you will perceive things differently 2. Fencing happens a lot in your mind. Think about what you do and how to do it better. 3. I see no reason to practice something without the intention of trying to do it better every time. When I say better I mean faster, stronger, more precise etc. 4. Basics are still 80% of what you need. Take the footwork seriously 5. Fitness is also muy importante. HIIT, cardio, regular exercise, running, swimming, cycling. It helps you (not just) in fencing 6. Read and educate yourself. Some of the fencing masters are a wonderful companion in every stage of your HEMA career. Not everyone is into technical details, but tactical advices are good for everyone. 7. Spar a lot but not more than you practice regular techniques. If you concentrate too much on sparring, you'll start going in circles. 8. Try different approaches and weapons. Longsword and rapier and great complementary weapons. 9. Think. All the best, mf

Thank you so much, Martin! Invaluable insight, especially if one takes to heart that common sense is not usually common practice! Focus on the basics and improve all perceived faults focusing on one at a time, and all the good stuff you have mentioned, no need to go as far as to start quoting a reply in a reply of a reply! Oh and here is a little medal for structuring your general training insight into these nine concise points ... (awards glorious medal) I thought that was great! It is important as, for myself doubly sure, as sometimes one can't be certain if what one is doing is correct or most optimal way to go about things until you get to see the results or get affirmation, encouragement, and some guideline from someone going at it better and longer than you! So thank you again Martin Best regards And stay awesome! Adam

All the best Adam and good luck with your HEMA endeavours ;)

I will!

Thank you for watching! Baby Huey FTW

Thank you Andreas!

Thanks for watching and the kind words! See you at DLC ;)

Thank you very much Raphael! Wes Anderson belongs to my favorite directors. I just love how he plays with each scene.

Thanks Álvaro :)

Thank you for watching!

Thanks Federico!

Thank you!

Hi! Yes, I eventually will. Longsword was always my main focus and the last 8 months have been almost exclusively LS-centric. There are a few more topics I'd like to cover with the rapier, like the proceeding, R&D, R&Cape etc. The production for each vid is quite time-consuming, so just patience :)

Martin Fabian Thank you for replying :) Best of luck with the production of these fine videos and keep up the good work!

Dzieky! Thank ye very much! E: Those were cherries :)

Thank you!

Thank you! I use a Canon 80D with a few lenses.

thank you very much alpenjon!

You're welcome! Yes, I will, just been very busy with longsword in the last 8 months :)

Hello Flint! Thank you very much! There are many answers to your questions but I'll break it down to 2: 1. My personal preference is Lichtenauer because of the higher and more precise information value of the original material. Plus I like the concepts very much because they are logical and appear in modern martial arts as well. 2. If students of these 2 schools met, the better one would win :) It's comparing uncomparable. Even if some concepts are more holistic (Lichtenauer), fencing is a practical art and there are no ultimates. RE: devoting time - pick a school, club etc. which is successful and puts emphasis more on practice than on theory ;) all the best, MF

hello, I will try to do it over the weekend, I have to make a small adjustment in order for YT not to ban it again. I am sorry for the situation.

Hello Char! I use both the left and right leg forward. I don't have an exact preference - it's more a tactical decision. I don't think there's anything wrong with utilizing the right leg forward, with some attacks or positions (like the left pflug, alber, langort and thrusts) it's more advantageous depending on the type of game you play. If you watch my Pardubice or Tyrnhaw tournament footage you can see all of those. I think the footwork shoul be as fluid and as relaxed as possible:) Regarding the video on LS footwork - I was thinking about it. We will see :)

Hello Morlock, you're right, but I would just add - there is a difference between fighting to kill and fighting for sport. Our ancestors understood it as well - that's why they differentiated between multiple kinds of fencing, like for earnest/for sport (zum ernst/zum schimpf). Everything I study, practice and do is according to what historical manuals describe (of course sometimes better, sometimes worse) but yes, in our conditions it's definitely a bit different. However it's the closest we can get - mainly if we want to reach old age :P All the best

You can check the 4th video in the series (the Lazy Workout) which shows some of it :)

Done! Thanks for the reminder :)

:) Thank you

Hello Char! Usually 20-30 per one side. To your other question - nowadays I practice 3 times per week. Wish I had more time!

Hello! I'm mostly using REY street hockey shin guards

Martin Fabian How are they measured? I'd really like to pick some up. There are 3 sizes available: 13", 15", and 16"

I'm really not sure - better ask the manufacturer. I just picked ones in person and they were OK :)

Soon :)

We call it a "feder", though in history it was just called "sword", "fencing sword" or sometimes even a "feder" (the term was used more widely). It was commonly used in HEMA and presumably a practice/tournament type of sword. There's plenty of background for it, though not as detailed as we would like - from surviving specimen to depiction in fencing books and other illustrations.

@@MartinFabian What was the square used for tho?????

@@wilsan806 the thinner blade was lighter and more flexible and the schilt or the ricasso as we call it diverted strikes from your fingers. So extra protection.

hahaha xD

Those are SPES Locust pants, mine were losing colour

Thank you :)

谢谢！

Also Meyer: You should remember that even though there are many good guards with a great many techniques that are done from them... it's always better not to stand in a guard at all because your opponent can make you leave your guard easily. ;)

Depends on how far you want to go. Basic gear is about 500€ (steel, synthetic is cheaper), full tournament gear about 800-1000€.

Hi, the answer is a bit more complex. Protective gear was armour. So nobility and those who could afford it used armour. For those who engaged in armourless activities, fencing techniques used to be limited or regulated to safer and less safer (like thrusting was quite possibly banned in lot of places). For armourless sparring they used thick hats, gloves, doublets... meaning protective layers. To some extent you can fence really hard even when not wearing masks (even we did that many years ago). Some tournaments had a rule to go to first blood (we have some rules or indications in the 16th century) and we know for most certain that accidents happened and people even died here and there or have lost an eye (speaking about tournaments). So in some ways they engaged in sparring as we do now, but with more risks and a regulated technique portfolio.

@@MartinFabian hello again, thank you for answering to my question!

What do you mean by doing damage with a real sword? "Helicopter of death" is a funny nickname people give to a flurry of zwer strikes which sometimes happens. Also what did you mean by doing Zwerchhau without going through Kron? Also what did you mean by competition HEMA?

You could tell me more :)

@@MartinFabian There isn't much for to say. The blades are too light. The historical weapons are different. It's difficult to learn proper cutting techniques with light weapons.

@@mutsuzawa how would you know? from your post it's apparent you don't have much experience with fencing or else you wouldn't make claims like that :) An average feder is of a similar weight as their historical counterparts. Some are lighter, some are heavier, but the same goes with historical swords which vary widely.

​@@MartinFabianI know because I have handled the actual historical swords. They are different then what people use in sport hema fencing. Especially long swords and arming swords. I've seen them and I have handled them. That is how I know.

@@mutsuzawa and so have I, dozens and dozens ;)

Hi Bruce! Knight on foot (e.g. fencing in war) and civilian unarmoured duelling are two different things. I deal mostly with the latter and yes it's true that medieval manuals about armoured fighting write about energy conservation (for instance Pietro Monte). But what I say in the video still stands and is suggested by contemporary masters as well :)

ElAdvenimiento could you elaborate?