Fencing:
foil
epee
sabre
Italian
Spanish
English
As we're looking more into the longer range stick largo mano and then Japanese kenjutsu it is interesting to consider the european sword systems
a lot of escrima, as it came out of kali, was influenced by Spanish fencing, and a lot of concept, technique and terminology can be found there
this is a clip of Spanish style fencing system used against Italian system:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLEvUr9hVU4
notice that Italian attack the way you see in Olympic sport fencing on a line with lunge, while Spanish use triangles and displacement
Italian is direct attack
Spanish is indirect attack and counter attack
Spanish also makes use of defangs
The Italian style Cappo Ferro has been called the "Grandfather of Fencing"
The line in Princess Bride about "Thibault cancelling out Cappo Ferro" is a reference to the Dutch master who founded a very escrima like approach to rapier with footwork and angles
he founded the principle of subjection where you go inside or outside the opponent's blade, pressing down and using sensitivity - almost like chi dao
the Princess Bride sword fight is worth watching for it's own sake
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-66KBi_NM0
whether we get round to including european rapier in STMA remains to be seen, but the concepts are sound, and can be applied in kendo, largo mano, and even kb
Bruce Lee makes a long study of fencing in his work and how it applies to unarmed combat
If you get round to reading the Tao Of Jeet Kune Do you'll see
A lot of European techniques and concepts appear in Japanese Kenjutsu, both Ninja and Samurai versions
there is no connection or common origin, these are just common principles that different warriors and schools discover at different times
it is interesting to note them and to be able to reference them
though Kali and Kendo are considered "martial arts" while fencing is not, the "blending" techniques in kenjutsu are indigenous, while the same techniques in escrima came from Spanish/Eurpoean fencing
so a lot of people studying "martial arts weapons" will see a connection between kali and kendo that simply isn't there
just as how la canne and largo mano seem similar in places due to both having a common origin in european fencing - savate is in no way directly influenced by kali
it's important to know your history
With Cappo Ferra we have the thursting and lunging of the rapier
though the rapier can be used to cut, the linear theory is the foundation of the modern fencing style
epee is the closest style to traditional rapier
foil is much lighter
in the older styles one would thrust with the sword and parry with a dagger in the other hand - this was before parrying with the sword had been invented - it can be seen to a greater extent in Escrima
this is a diversion in East-West culture - in the east they saw the value of parrying with one hand and striking with the other, in the West they wanted to parry and strike with the single handed sword
Japanese kenjutsu of course uses the 2 handed sword
old styles of european sword used big heavy 2 handed swords and heavy armour
the Spanish teachers Agrippa and Carranza founded what would become the style Destraza, based on geometry - this can also be seen as an influence in Escrima
So when we consider European fencing we are concerned with single handed sword Rapier methods from 16th century
Cappo Ferro
Thibault
Destraza - Carenza/Agrippa
cut and thrust rapier techniques and methods
from then we can look at the decline of Spanish fencing and rise of French fencing in 18th century
comparisons and relevance to
Kenjutsu and Kendo
Largo Mano
Canne de combat in Savate
With regards to Bonetti's Defence, this method involves retreating and parrying a jabbing attack and waiting for the opponent to make a mistake - a good defence against a lunging Cappo Ferro player
