Category Archives: Camillo Agrippa

Agrippa’s Long Step

Posted on March 11, 2015 by

For a long time I thought that Agrippa disliked the lunge. It turns out that I made this mistake by a combination of unfamiliar terminology, a poor translation, and  reading far too much into the paragraph that explains the counter … Continue reading →

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Agrippa – Closing with Passing Steps

Posted on March 11, 2015 by

The context for this play is that your opponent is just out of reach. Depending on the translation, either you literally can’t reach him or it is merely hard to do so. For our purposes, lets say you can barely … Continue reading →

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Camillo Agrippa – More on the Disengage from Prima

Posted on January 16, 2014 by

The disengage in prima occurs when someone tries to beat the point of your sword away using a mandritto or riverso. So basically anyone using standard Bolognese tactics. I was under the impression that this was a full disengage, but … Continue reading →

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Crossing your feet from Agrippa’s Seconda

Posted on January 1, 2014 by

Though it is often said that we should never cross our feet, there will be times when the manuals specifically tell us to. Here is one example from Agrippa.

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Camillo Agrippa’s Sword in Each Hand – Video Lesson 1

Posted on January 1, 2014 by

I’ve been rather annoyed lately by the recent videos that ask questions such as “Dual wielding swords – viable strategy or impractical fantasy?”. Of course it is a viable strategy. If it wasn’t we wouldn’t see so many historic fencing … Continue reading →

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Camillo Agrippa – What if he does… when I’m in Prima?

Posted on December 27, 2013 by

Fencing students love to ask “What if he does…” This was just as true in Agrippa’s day as it is in ours. So right from the beginning he answers that  question for a variety of scenarios. What if he beats … Continue reading →

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Camillo Agrippa – Seconda Guard Analysis

Posted on December 26, 2013 by

  Feet are close together and inline Left heel is slightly raised Left foot is turned out Both knees are forward of the feet The body is inclined forward The right arm is extended The eyes are looking just over … Continue reading →

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Camillo Agrippa – Prima A Guard Analysis

Posted on December 26, 2013 by

    The feet are close together, the right slightly in front The feet are pointed forward The heel of the left foot is raised The knees are over the toes The body is inclined forward so that the left shoulder … Continue reading →

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Camillo Agrippa – Chapter 5, A Different Kind of Seconda

Posted on October 5, 2012 by

If you were like me, you were taught that second refers to the rotation of the hand. If the true edge is upwards you are in prima. If it is to the right, you are in seconda. But that’s not … Continue reading →

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Camillo Agrippa – Chapter 4, Responses while in Prima

Posted on August 11, 2012 by

Below are various ways a foe may try to unsettle Agrippa’s prima and the matching responses. Mandritto – Option 1 Lower your point slightly without moving your arm. Aim for his right side, rotate your wrist and attack by stepping … Continue reading →

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