Kicking the foot from the hips

[Vincent Le Chevalier]

In the thread "Which hand is for which purpose in longsword and polearm" I came across this remark:

That being said, remember your hips provide the power, not your arms. Your hips cause your feet to move, not the other way around. This is why some people have trouble with true time, as they just "pick up" the foot and step, rather than slam the foot home through hip rotation.

I'd like to see more discussion of that point (which is only tangentially related to the original topic)... As far as I understand it describes a faster way to move the foot?
I think I see what that means, but I don't completely make the link with true times for two reasons:

• true times as defined by Silver should work even though the hand is faster than the foot
• though the foot might be kicked into place, the hip themselves must move forward for a real step to be completed. It seems that the duration of the hip translation is the limiting factor, not the speed of the foot

Thoughts?

[Mark W]

Hi Vincent,

Some people have a hard time with the foot lagging behind the cut to the point where the cut falls short as a result; for example reaching longpoint before the rear foot has fully passed forward. What I usually find is that people are picking up their foot, using the foot movement to turn the core of the body rather than the other way around. So one could say the hips are rotating as a by-product of footwork in this instance. The converse, however should be true.

To illustrate, stand in guard ready for a passing step. You can swing the rear foot forward quite a way without turning the hip, even nearly completing one's passing step without moving the hips at all. Thus your core (and therefore your reach) are really not altering until your foot drags your rear hip forward.

Now, do it the other way around. Stand in guard and twist your hips without moving the rear foot until your hip movement compels it to move. Different feeling, right? The key is to make that rotation explosive so that the leg is propelled forward. I've developed and inferred from the source material some exercises to teach that movement which I can share if anyone would find it useful.

It is a difficult skill to master, and doing it perfectly takes many years of practice. However, even being able to do it marginally well makes a big difference.

Best regards,

-Mark

[Ted Elsner]

I would be interested in seeing this drill.

[Dan Sellars]

Me too

[keith cotter-reilly]

Mark W, gave you done boxing? Would your second drill this be similar to throwing a static cross?

[Mark W]

Mark W, gave you done boxing?

Yes, though we train for bare knuckle, so vertical fist and all that. I am a horrbily mediocre boxer. I suspect there will be some footage uploaded today of me getting thumped by a 6'5", 270 lb former offensive lineman. I'm 6 feet and 195 lbs, both with 7 oz gloves. I managed a nice bob and counter under his right hook that I was proud of. To my credit, I did not get taken down (we inlclude grappling), and to his, my nose was not broken. Someone that size is simply hell on wheels.

Would your second drill this be similar to throwing a static cross?

Yes, exactly the same except your're turning the twist into a passing step.

Best regards,

-Mark

[Mark W]

I would be interested in seeing this drill.

Me too

Okie Dokie:

The first drill is my own creation: Start in right Ochs. Throw a Zwerch without moving the feet until you feel the pull on your hips. Drive the strike home using ONLY hip rotation to power the passing step and hence the strike. Drag your feet with your hips if you have to in order to keep your self form picking up your foot and stepping normally. Do not move the arms at all once you've rotated three quarters of the way. They're only holding the sword in (now) left Ochs as you turn your hips to complete the strike. Not that you would actually strike with arms held still, but just in this exercise to isolate the hips.

The second drill is from Meyer, and is his simple cutting drill from Ochs on the right into a right oberhau. I suggest using a diagonal oberhau. Start in right Ochs/Stier. Dip the point down and to the left and bring the sword behind your head and strike into longpoint with the passing step you learned in the previous drill. Now bring your left foot as far forward as your right by twisting your hips the other way. At the same time, raise your hilt and dip your point down to the left in a hanging parry position just like you did in the strike from Ochs in the first part of the drill, bring the sword behind your head and strike. Do the whole thing again and again, forward and backwards. The point of cutting from Ochs IMO is that it gives you time to think about what you're doing and perform the action correctly. It also seems to enforce nice cutting mechanics.

Best regards,

-Mark

[Mark W]

Additional material: Russ Mitchell's Hungarian sabre, which is a living lineage. Note the focus on hip movement that he details:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PydV4K-akv8

Best regards,

-Mark

[Jonathan Mayshar]

A woman once approached me after a concert and told me that she loved that I play piano with my legs crossed. Her tone was like, "you rebel you." That doesn't *touch* the cool of fencing with your left hand in your pocket. The hat is superfluous.

Seriously though, thanks for a great new link!

[Mark W]

Glad you like it. Here's some more clips of Russ:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGnZMRu- ... ature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP_07ubwGho&feature=plcp

Best regards,

-Mark