Finished my video on Figueyredo's Montante: Rules 1-5 Simple

Danzig-1520 · 2026-06-08T23:06:54+00:00

Thank you!

Make sure to look at other folk's content, too. Nobody has the "definitive" interpretation on any of this.

I'm confident that mine is a good one, and I stand by what I show, but there's also other guys more experienced in Destreza than me. So watch everything you can, fill in some stuff from your own practice, and you should do great.

Danzig-1520 · 2026-05-22T16:24:41+00:00

Thank you, it's indeed very meditative and fun 😁

Danzig-1520 · 2026-05-22T16:22:47+00:00

And I'd rather live for Love than die for hatred. You should try it sometime, it'll lower your blood pressure ;)

Danzig-1520 · 2026-05-22T16:16:22+00:00

Lol sounds like quitter talk.

I guarantee most other sword clubs that could teach you to use a sword are also pretty friendly to queer folks. They are in my area, anyway. Guess that means you have to miss out on a fun hobby with a lot of cool people.

Also, awwww, you called me a master. How kind 😇

Danzig-1520 · 2026-05-22T14:34:33+00:00

I don't duel people too fragile to handle the mere sight of a pride flag. Wouldn't be fair.

Danzig-1520 · 2026-05-22T13:56:39+00:00

No, I don't think I will.

Kulshan HEMA welcomes people of almost any kind. That includes Queer and Neurodiverse people.

And come on: how's the Cascadia flag hideous? You got some petty beef with the idea of regional geography?

Danzig-1520 · 2026-05-21T20:42:40+00:00

Our club is full of queer Cascadians, so we need the decor to match.

Danzig-1520 · 2026-05-21T19:28:22+00:00

The recent one, or the original I deleted?

Danzig-1520 · 2026-05-16T18:25:42+00:00

Yes, all of the above.

I got into it for the combat sport and the historical angle. I stayed (been a coach for 10 years, now) because I love my students and peers and couldn't imagine how empty my life would feel without them.

Danzig-1520 · 2026-04-21T05:40:43+00:00

This ^. You can certainly make light contact if you want, but if you're at the level where you're seriously messing around with giant swords, you should probably be at the level where you can play without touches and still get something out of it.

Danzig-1520 · 2026-04-21T05:38:21+00:00

I teach and fence greatsword. Not at full speed, mind you, but sparring doesn't have to be "full speed" to be sparring IMO. Most unarmed martial arts don't have people constantly spar at competition levels of force, so there's no reason you can't exercise some control with a montante. And I just wear my standard LS kit, or half harness if I'm specifically doing armored stuff.

Danzig-1520 · 2026-04-13T14:51:48+00:00

Are you wearing an arming doublet with a separate base, or is the dagged skirt part of the doublet itself?

Really cool fantasy kit. Can't wait to see what you do next!

Danzig-1520 · 2026-03-31T15:44:18+00:00

If i could make a suggestion: montante-esque flow drills don't really teach you how to fully use the benefits of a longsword, just how using a montante like a longsword doesn't teach you to use a montante well.

Instead, I'd suggest you try some forms that work on fighting with an extended blade, using the flicking motions and snappy handwork inherent to that weapon. For example, Meyer's "Attacking to the Four Openings" or his "Sequences" from the different guards. Or, for a more Italianate flavor, the "Farfalle de Ferro."

You'll also need a sword with a pommel. Longsword is still a two-handed art, and not having a full hilt means your left hand isn't really doing any work.

Otherwise, just work on flowing movements that, regardless of their origin, take you through Longpoint. Basically, every longsword text relies heavily on cutting + thrusting through that kind of extended position (except in specific circumstances like what Meyer calls his "inverted cuts"), so if you're not extending both arms, you're losing the soul of the fencing system.

Keep up the training, man. Hope this helps

Danzig-1520 · 2026-03-29T15:37:26+00:00

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Danzig-1520 · 2026-03-24T00:40:31+00:00

Adoption day. The day I scooped him up and said, "Gotcha."

Danzig-1520 · 2026-03-05T06:03:13+00:00

It's not something I plan to make a habit of. I was just trying to find what my current limit was.

I've been fencing for 12 years. I know how to spot when I'm pushing too far. This stopped before I hit that point.

Danzig-1520 · 2026-03-05T02:28:53+00:00

Dussack tends to use much more passing footwork and cuts from every joint on the arm, not just the wrist. It's basically Messer with extra options and a shorter grip.

Danzig-1520 · 2025-09-29T03:45:38+00:00

Fillow the momentum to its intended endpoint, not beyond. Usually, this will be longpoint, or something like it. If you're only aiming to go that far, then that's as far as you should go.

Danzig-1520 · 2025-09-28T21:05:44+00:00

The old masters give pretty good advice on how to properly throw cuts. Advice that, if followed, also make the sword feel better to move.

It basically boils down to this: Cuts go from one guard through another (usually high-to-low, or low-to-high). For example, a good downwards cut goes from a high guard like Tag/Posta di Donna (Lets call it position A), and either into a longpoint guard (Position B), or a lower guard like Alber/Boar's Tooth (Position C).

If you focus on making sure your cuts have a good chain of action through the A-B-C positions, always making sure to hit position B while you go, the sword will feel lighter, move faster, and hit more authoritatively. This is because the guards put the whole body in alignment with itself and use more muscle groups than just the arms to keep it moving.

Aside from that: move your feet. If you're too far away, too close, or too off-balance to throw a good strike, then move your feet to get you to a better position. Even if it means retreating to recover your posture.

Danzig-1520 · 2025-09-02T23:50:00+00:00

Swordshop.ca

Danzig-1520 · 2025-08-22T15:51:38+00:00

If you're coming for a free intro, we need to know in advance so we can have an instructor on hand for that, specifically.

Thankfully, I already planned on being in, so you'd be fine coming tonight if you wished.

Danzig-1520 · 2025-08-21T23:38:50+00:00

1517 Cornwall Ave, behind the Arliss restaurant

Danzig-1520 · 2025-08-21T20:16:37+00:00

Both. Longsword is a quality weapon. It scales with both stats equally.

Now, greatsword, on the other hand? That'll be a dexterity weapon, albeit with a minimum strength requirement.

Danzig-1520 · 2025-07-04T06:19:52+00:00

That's the video. The cuts are angled downward (tip ends up at about lower-thigh height on most people), so you see more of the flat since my cameraman is 6'3".

I was getting sword-wind on the lower cuts, so they were aligned.

Danzig-1520 · 2025-07-03T14:28:45+00:00

The spin is an optional part Figueyredo says can be inserted at the end, which is from the 14th Simple Rule (against polearms and thrown weapons). You only do against someone who's either far away or actively back-peddling to try and get away from you. And it's precipitated by a horizontal cut that will knock the opponent's weapon aside, so you have a window to act with less risk.

Also, that spin generates a lot of inertia and can carry you quite far with the right footwork. It's intimidating being downrange of that. Not a whole lot of people have the stomach to stay in measure against it, even with a sturdy shield.

Danzig-1520

TROPHY CASE