Learn the Art of Combat: Longsword Guards - Beginners Guide
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Vom Tag·Björn Rüther
Knowing the guards in the long sword, knowing which techniques and concepts to apply from each posture, and being able t…
Vom Tag
Genusフォンターク(Fon Tāku)
TransliterationTranslation: vom tag (from the roof)
Overview
Vom Tag ('from the roof' or 'from the day') is the high guard that raises the longsword above or behind the head, poised to deliver powerful descending cuts. [1] Vom Tag is the most aggressive of the four principal guards, threatening devastating Oberhau and Zornhau cuts with maximum gravitational and rotational force. [1],[2] The guard has several variants — with the sword held over the right shoulder, directly overhead, or behind the head — each offering slightly different tactical properties. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
Vom Tag (From the Roof / From the Day) is one of the four primary guards (Huten) in Liechtenauer's system, positioning the sword above or behind the shoulder in preparation for powerful descending cuts. [1] Its strength is offensive readiness — it threatens the opponent with the most powerful cut trajectories (Oberhau, Zornhau) and forces defensive reactions. [2] Its weakness is that the blade is withdrawn from the centre line, leaving the fencer temporarily exposed to thrusts and the Zwerchhau. [3]
Lineage
Competition Record
Vom Tag (from the roof) is the most commonly used starting guard in HEMA longsword competition, providing a strong position for powerful downward cuts. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Cutting, thrusting, or striking with a bladed weapon — edge alignment and trajectory determine cutting effectiveness
Joints Involved — Wrists (edge alignment and rotation), elbows (extension for thrusts, chambering for cuts), shoulders (arc of the cut), hips (power generation)
Force Vector — Varies — downward diagonal cut (kesa-giri), horizontal cut (yoko-giri), thrust (tsuki), or rising cut (kiri-age)
Weapon Mechanic — Edge alignment (hasuji) is critical — the blade must travel along its cutting plane for effective cuts
Position & Entry
From ready stance (chudan-no-kamae or equivalent) — Assume guard position, establish distance (ma-ai), execute the cut or thrust when an opening appears
From engagement distance — Use footwork to close to striking range, execute the technique with proper edge alignment (hasuji)
As counter — Wait for the opponent's attack, deflect or avoid, and counter-cut to the exposed target
Variants
Standard cut — primary cutting angle from the ready stance
Thrust (tsuki) — straight thrust targeting the throat, chest, or face
Rising cut (kiri-age) — upward diagonal cut from low to high
Diagonal cut (kesa-giri) — downward diagonal cut following the kimono line
Videos
Build Your Best VOM TAG
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Vom Tag·SuperiorHEMA
Loose/Relaxed Shoulder leading Cross to armpit Elbows close Wrists In line Sword sloped Balls of the feet Loaded front …
Vom Tag guard
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Vom Tag·VCU HEMA
Here we start our series on the guards of German Longsword. We start with Vom Tag, explain its uses and walk you through…
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3 videosWhat Instructors Say
Vom Tag ("Day" guard) is one of the four principal guards in German longsword fencing, alongside Fool, Plow, and Ox, as documented in late medieval sources and perpetuated through Joachim Meyer's 16th-century manuscript. The guard positions the sword held back over the shoulder at approximately 45 degrees, with elbows tucked close to the body and hands kept high and in line with the torso (SuperiorHEMA, VCU HEMA). Practitioners should maintain a relaxed, comfortable posture with bent legs, weight distributed roughly 60/40 toward the front foot, and one shoulder leading to enable full body rotation during cuts (SuperiorHEMA). The guard serves as both an excellent starting position for attacks and a defensive posture, making it among the most frequently used in sparring contexts (SuperiorHEMA, VCU HEMA). From Vom Tag, three principal cuts are executed: the Oberhau (overhead diagonal cut), Middelhau (horizontal sweeping cut), and Unterhau (rising cut from below), all performed with passing steps and full arm extension to maximize reach (VCU HEMA). Björn Rüther notes that Meyer specifically recommends fencing primarily from Vom Tag rather than from Plow, contrary to modern HEMA practice preferences. The guard's effectiveness derives from combining offensive threat with defensive capability while maintaining the fencer's ability to transition fluidly between positions without telegraphing movement through excessive sword repositioning.
Synthesized from 3 instructors
- Björn Rüther — Learn the Art of Combat: Longsword Guards - Beginners Guide: Historical context placing Vom Tag among the four principal guards documented in medieval sources and Meyer's manuscript; notes Meyer's preference for fencing primarily from this guard
- SuperiorHEMA — Build Your Best VOM TAG: Detailed biomechanical analysis of proper body mechanics: hand placement relative to body, shoulder leading for rotation, elbow positioning, wrist alignment, sword angle at 45 degrees, and weight distribution emphasizing relaxation and avoiding telegraphed movements
- VCU HEMA — Vom Tag guard: Comprehensive demonstration of the three principal cuts (Oberhau, Middelhau, Unterhau) executed from Vom Tag, including footwork requirements, edge orientation, arm extension, and recovery mechanics; emphasizes the guard's dual offensive and defensive utility
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
9
Extreme9/10
Edged weapons cause fatal lacerations; historical battlefield mortality rates >30% (Amberger 1999)
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Advanced
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
— Traditional martial arts — Practiced in traditional kata/...
— IWUF — Legal in wushu taolu if applicable
IWUF Competition RulesPDFHEMA — Legal in applicable historical weapon categories {src— various organizations
Training Notes
✓Vom Tag (from the roof/day) is the high ready guard of German longsword — the sword is held above or beside the head, loaded for powerful descending cuts (Tobler, Fighting with the German Longsword, 2004)
✓Vom Tag is the most aggressive guard: it threatens the most powerful cuts in the system, including the Oberhau and the Zornhau
✓There are multiple versions of Vom Tag: the sword can be held directly overhead, over the right shoulder, or over the left shoulder — each loads different cuts
✓Vom Tag generates the most powerful strikes: the elevated position allows gravity to add to the cut's force
✓The Zornhau (wrath cut) launches from Vom Tag: the most fundamental technique in Liechtenauer's system begins from this guard
✓Vom Tag is the natural starting position for combat: it covers the high line while threatening devastating descending strikes
✓In Fiore dei Liberi's Italian tradition, the equivalent guard is Posta di Donna (the lady's guard) — demonstrating cross-cultural universality
Common Mistakes
!Holding Vom Tag with the sword too far behind the head — the sword should be ready to strike, not wound up excessively
!Telegraphing the cut by raising the sword too high — the elevation should be sufficient but not exaggerated
!Not transitioning quickly from Vom Tag to the cut — the power of Vom Tag is in the speed of the descending strike
!Using only Vom Tag for overhead cuts — the guard also loads diagonal and horizontal cuts depending on the variant
!Staying in Vom Tag without attacking — the guard is loaded for attack; holding it passively wastes the advantage
!Gripping too tightly in Vom Tag — the grip must allow the wrists to accelerate the blade during the cut
!Not understanding the different Vom Tag variants — each variant (overhead, right shoulder, left shoulder) serves different purposes
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Assume Guard (Kamae/Hut) — take the appropriate ready position with the weapon
2Measure Distance (Ma-ai) — establish correct striking distance
3Initiate Cut/Thrust — execute the technique with proper edge alignment or point control
4Follow Through (Zanshin) — maintain awareness and readiness after the technique
Sources & References
Primary Source
The Art of Combat (Joachim Meyer, 1570)
1BookThe Book of Five Rings (Musashi, 1645)
Alias sources — [1] Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Arts of Combat [2] Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Arts of Combat [3] Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Arts of Combat
2BookThe Art of Fencing (Barbasetti, 1932)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Forgeng, J., The Art of Combat (Palgrave Macmillan, 2003) [2] Tobler, C., In Saint George's Name (Freelance Academy Press, 2010) [3] Tobler, C., Fighting with the German Longsword (Freelance Academy Press, 2004)
3OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
4CitationThe Book of Five Rings (Musashi, 1645)
Alias sources — [1] Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Arts of Combat [2] Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Arts of Combat [3] Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Arts of Combat
5CitationThe Art of Fencing (Barbasetti, 1932)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Forgeng, J., The Art of Combat (Palgrave Macmillan, 2003) [2] Tobler, C., In Saint George's Name (Freelance Academy Press, 2010) [3] Tobler, C., Fighting with the German Longsword (Freelance Academy Press, 2004)
Community
Athletics
Requires
wrist control for edge alignment, grip endurance, footwork precision
Favours
quick wrists, strong forearms, good posture
Key muscles
forearm extensors/flexors, deltoids, core, calves
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the most important thing to focus on when holding Vom Tag?
You need to be comfortable, relaxed and loose rather than tense or strained. A tense body needs to untense before it can extend out for the cut, so being loose means you can hold the position longer and make faster cuts.
How should my wrists be positioned in Vom Tag?
Keep both wrists in line so that both your hands and arms are an active part of the cut from the first motion. If your bottom wrist is oriented off to the side, your top hand does most of the work and your bottom hand can't fully help until later in the cut.
Why is Vom Tag such a common guard in sparring?
This is probably one of the most common guards that you'll see people using during sparring because it can be used to defend from a wide variety of things.
Should I change guards frequently in Vom Tag?
Never change your guard without an idea or intention behind it—otherwise your opponent has many more options to attack openings while you needlessly expose yourself.
How does the Vom Tag work?
Vom Tag ('from the roof' or 'from the day') is the high guard that raises the longsword above or behind the head, poised to deliver powerful descending cuts. Vom Tag is the most aggressive of the four principal guards, threatening devastating Oberhau and Zornhau cuts with maximum gravitational and rotational force.
Where does the Vom Tag come from?
Vom Tag is one of Liechtenauer's four principal guards and the starting position for the most powerful attacks in the German longsword system. The glossators describe it as the primary offensive guard from which the five master cuts are most naturally delivered.
Is the Vom Tag legal in competition?
Traditional martial arts: legal — Practiced in traditional kata/forms and weapon-specific competition under var…; IWUF: legal — Legal in wushu taolu if applicable; HEMA: legal — Legal in applicable historical weapon categories
How dangerous is the Vom Tag?
Danger rating 9/10. Extreme — edged weapons cause fatal lacerations; historical battlefield mortality rates >30% (Amberger 1999)
How do I set up the Vom Tag?
The standard setup chain: Assume Guard (Kamae/Hut) → Measure Distance (Ma-ai) → Initiate Cut/Thrust → Follow Through (Zanshin).
How do I defend against the Vom Tag?
Standard counters include: Parry (Absetzen) — deflect the incoming blade with a counter-displacement / Void (Step Back) — withdraw from measure to avoid the cutting arc / Counter-Cut (Nachreisen) — strike into the opponent's opening during their attack.
What are the variants of the Vom Tag?
Common variants: Standard cut (primary cutting angle from the ready stance); Thrust (tsuki) (straight thrust targeting the throat, chest, or face); Rising cut (kiri-age) (upward diagonal cut from low to high); Diagonal cut (kesa-giri) (downward diagonal cut following the kimono line).
How effective is the Vom Tag in competition?
Vom Tag (from the roof) is the most commonly used starting guard in HEMA longsword competition, providing a strong position for powerful downward cuts.
What are common mistakes when doing the Vom Tag?
Top errors to watch for: Holding Vom Tag with the sword too far behind the head — the sword should be ready to strike, not wound up excessively / Telegraphing the cut by raising the sword too high — the elevation should be sufficient but not exaggerated / Not transitioning quickly from Vom Tag to the cut — the power of Vom Tag is in the speed of the descending strike / Using only Vom Tag for overhead cuts — the guard also loads diagonal and horizontal cuts depending on the variant.
What are other names for the Vom Tag?
The Vom Tag is also known as Fon Tāku, Day Guard, Roof Guard, From the Roof.