8-week Full Program
Complete the entire Longsword Fundamentals series of courses in eight weeks. Set aside two hours per week to cover the course requirements:
- watch the topic videos
- practice what you’ve seen
- complete the topic quizzes
- read through and follow along with the practice notes and training advice
- complete the self-assessments with guide video
- ask a question or contribute to a discussion
Convenient links are provided so you can jump straight to the relevant section of the course.
Week 1
Introduction
- Introduction to the Italian Longsword
- Academie Duello Centre for Swordplay
- Welcome, Equipment, How to Use these Videos
- Two Tenets
The Longsword in Hand
- The Anatomy of the Longsword
- Maneuvering the Longsword
Week 2
The Cut
- Cutting Mechanics: Fendente / Roverso Sottano
- Roverso Fendente / Mandritto Sottano Falso
- X Cuts: Downward
- X Cuts: Upward
- Mezzano: Mandritto / Roverso
- Six Cut Progression
Week 3
Posture
- Introduction to Quadrants, Centreline & Poste
- Primary: Posta di Donna, Dente al Cinghiara, Porta di Ferro
- Secondary: Finestra, Coda Longa, Cinghiara Mezzana
- Centreline: Longa, Porta di Ferro Mezzana, Breve, Frontale
The Thrust
- Posta Breve to Posta Longa
- Cinghiara to Longa
- Porta di Ferro to Longa
- Finestra to Longa
- Five Thrust Progression
Week 4
The Attack
- Attacking a Target
- Three Advantages
- Intention Cutting
- Intention Thrusting
Footwork and Measure
- Five Measures
- Out of Measure Footwork, How to Get into Range
- Attacking at Larga
- Attacking at Stretta
- Attacking at Strettissima
Week 6
The Defense & Counter Attack
- Defensive Principles
- Five Ways of Winning the Crossing
- Gioco Stretto, Gioco Largo
- Introduction to Quadrant Defenses
- Posta di Donna Right / Mandritto
Week 7
The Defense & Counter Attack (continued)
- Posta di Donna Left / Roverso
- Defending Against Rising Attacks
- Defending Against Thrusts
- Mixing the Quadrants
- Finestra Recovery, Exit, Counter
Week 8
From Drilling to Combat
- Anatomy of a Fight
- Play Building
- Introduction to Free Fencing
- Scaling Speeds
Conclusion
- Conclusion