I am looking forwards to this
Whenever I practice my version of Shii Cho I always think of the claymore sword techniques of Scotland.
The Highland Broadsword texts of the 1700s portray 7 cuts and numerous guards. The footwork is sword leg forward (usually right leg) with the other leg behind, similar to modern fencing. Traversing footwork allows one to step off the center-line of attack, either to right or left. The following Guards are listed in these texts:
Inside Guard: Defends the left side of your face (or if you are left handed, the right side of your face)
Outside Guard: Defends the right side of your face (i.e. sword arm side). Typically one's default guard.
Medium Guard: A stationary position that defends cuts from neither outside or inside one's line of defense, but is in wait to shift to either Inside or Outside Guard. Tip is usually facing up, but in Mathewson's treatise, the tip is aimed at the opponent, and the body is in a lunging position.
Hanging Guard: Another default guard that defends the head, but can also shift easily into other guards. Hilt is held above head, with tip facing diagonally down to the left side.
St. George Guard (aka "Cross Guard"): A horizontal guard defending the top of one's head.
Half-Hanging Guard: Similar to the hanging guard, but held lower to defend a cut 4.
Half-circle Guard (aka "Spadroon Guard"): Similar to Half-Hanging guard, but the tip hangs to the right, and defends against a cut at the wrist (i.e. Cut 3). One may also hold the guard above the head and defend a cut at the right side of the head, similar to the regular Hanging Guard.
Inside Half-Hanger: Defends a cut at the belly (i.e. Cut 5), and the tip hangs straight down, hilt held to the left side.
Outside Half-Hanger: Defends a cut at the ribs on one's back (i.e. Cut 6), and the tip hangs straight down, hilt held to the right side.
The Cuts are as follows:
The Advantage of Shifting the Leg, from Henry Angelo & Son's "Hungarian and Highland Broadsword", 1799
Cut 1: Diagonal downward cut aimed at the left side of an opponent's face
Cut 2: Diagonal downward cut aimed at the right side of an opponent's face
Cut 3: Diagonal upward cut aimed at the left side of an opponent's wrist
Cut 4: Diagonal upward cut aimed at the right side of an opponent's wrist
Cut 5: Horizontal cut aimed at an opponent's belly from their left side
Cut 6: Horizontal cut aimed at an opponent's ribs from their right side
Cut 7: Vertical cut aimed straight down and an opponents head (Note: This cut doesn't appear in all of the Scottish fencing manuals)
Notice how Descending, Ascending, Straight and Horizontal are clearer terminology?
I am really looking forward to it! This is me!! (Maybe not!)
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Kind Regards
Bluesky
