Giovanni dall’Agocchie – First Assalto

The purpose of this kata is to teach the student how to step both forward and back while transitioning between guards. I have broken the prose into steps and highlighted the guards but have not changed the wording.

Start:Suppose you have your sword at your left side, in the act of laying hand upon it, and the heel of your right foot near your left one. Both your knees will be straight and not bowed, arranging yourself with as much grace as possible.

1: Having done this, you’ll put your right foot forward toward your right side, and in that tempo you’ll extend your arm and do a falso, and a riverso sgualimbro; or do two riversi, the first tondo and the second likewise sgualimbro; thereby going with your sword into coda lunga stretta.

2: And from here you’ll step forward with your left foot toward your left side, doing a falso and mandritto sgualimbro in that instant, and the sword will fall into cinghiale porta di ferro.

3: And then you’ll go forward one pace with your right foot, and in that tempo you’ll turn a dritto tramazzone, which will end in porta di ferro stretta.

4: Then you’ll advance with your left foot, doing a falso, and a riverso sgualimbro, and the sword will go into coda lunga alta.

5: Then you’ll step forward with your right foot and in the same tempo you’ll throw a riverso ridoppio, stopping the sword in guardia d’alicorno.

6: And being fixed in the said guard you’ll drive an imbroccata without any taking any step, and the sword will stop in porta di ferro stretta.

7: From here you’ll withdraw your right foot a pace, and all in one tempo you’ll execute a falso and a riverso sgualimbro, and the sword will return to coda lunga alta.

8: Then you’ll draw your left foot back, and next turn a mandritto tramazzone, which will end in porta di ferro stretta.

9: Then you’ll return your right foot back a pace, turning a dritto tramazzone in that tempo, with which you’ll fall into cinghiale porta di ferro.

10: And from here, you’ll draw the left foot back, doing a falso and riverso sgualimbro in that instant, and the sword will return to coda lunga stretta, and thus you’ll be returned to the same place with the same guards.

Notes

While not entirely clear, it seems that his Falso is always rising cut.

I find it interesting that most of his steps consist of two cuts. I don’t think that I’ve encountered a kata that does that before.

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