Introduction to Foundational Exercises

Lesson 1, Exercise 3 serves as the primary foundational drill that practitioners should repeat consistently throughout their training. This comprehensive exercise encompasses all four main parries, circle parries, and thrust-in-opposition mechanics, building directly from Exercise 2.

The Four Primary Parry Lines

Italian smallsword employs four classical parry positions: quarte (high inside line), sixte (high outside line), octave (low inside line or quinta), and seconde (low outside line). Practitioners must develop facility in all four positions before advancing to more complex techniques.

Distinguishing Attack from Defense

When the master extends the arm, this action constitutes an attack. The student's responsibility is to recognize this extension and respond with an appropriate parry followed by a counter-thrust in opposition.

Thrust in Opposition vs. Standard Lunge

In a standard attack, the fencer extends the arm first, then executes the lunge. Conversely, in thrust-in-opposition, the arm extension and lunge occur simultaneously to maintain continuous pressure against the opponent's blade.

Parry-Riposte Sequence

The drill progresses through all four parry lines in sequence: high inside, high outside, low inside, and low outside. After each parry, the student responds with a thrust in opposition while the master disengages to create the next opening.

Circle Parry Integration

When the master disengages, the student employs a circle parry to maintain blade contact and defensive control. This circular motion smoothly transitions into the next parry line without losing contact with the opponent's blade.

Continuous Drill Progression

The exercise continues through multiple cycles, cycling through all four openings repeatedly. Each successful thrust-in-opposition transitions seamlessly into the next attack-parry-riposte sequence, developing fluency and muscle memory.

Repetition as Mastery

Consistent, focused repetition of this foundational exercise is essential to developing the reflexive understanding of parry mechanics and riposte timing. Practitioners should dedicate regular training sessions to perfecting these fundamental positions and transitions.

03 Parries and circle parries - How to Italian smallsword - step by step fundamentals

Oliver Janseps

Quarte Parry

2 min read·8 key moments·PT4M53S video

Key Takeaways

•Introduction to Foundational Exercises
•The Four Primary Parry Lines
•Distinguishing Attack from Defense
•Thrust in Opposition vs. Standard Lunge

This is the main basic exercise Paolo de Scalzi wants us to do every training! It contains the four primary parries: Quarta, Terza, Seconda and Quinta, circle parries (parata contro di quarta etc.), thrust ins opposition or stoccata di graduazione and finaly the botta diritta in tempo from exercise two. No matter whether you train modern olympic fencing, Hema or classical fencing, this series of Italian sword will show you how they learned sword fighting back in the day and you will take your personal benefit out of these basics of smallsword fencing. Grab your lesson book with all 217+ exercises now! English version: https://www.lulu.com/shop/oliver-janseps/paolo-de-scalzi-scuola-della-spada/hardcover/product-dyj2m66.html?page=1&pageSize=4 German version: https://www.epubli.com/shop/paolo-de-scalzi-scuola-della-spada-9783818722876

Related Techniques

Octave Parry Septime Parry Sixte Parry

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this video teach about quarte parry?

This video covers introduction to foundational exercises, the four primary parry lines, distinguishing attack from defense. It provides detailed instruction from Oliver Janseps.

How long does it take to learn quarte parry?

The basic mechanics can be understood in a single session, but developing reliable execution requires consistent drilling over weeks of practice. This 8-part breakdown helps structure your training by isolating each phase of the technique.