The Fundamentals of Philibert de la Touche's Smallsword (American Smallsword Symposium 2024)

This year I had the pleasure of being the guest instructor at the American Smallsword Symposium to explore late-French rapier/early-French smallsword via Philibert de la Touche.

Philibert de la Touche's 1670 treatise, "Les Vrais Principes de l'Espée Seule" ("The True Principles of the Single Sword"), illustrates a transitional period in French fencing -- from the heavier rapiers of the early 17th Century into the lighter, and faster smallsword.

Many aspects of La Touche's teachings mimic earlier Italian rapier, such as the guards, definitions of tempo/time, and preference to simple parries over circular. La Touche's system is also an athletic style, with deep lunges and passing lunges. However, his teachings can be adapted by folks who can't get so low.

In episode 1 of this series, we look at the fundamentals of La Touche's system.

Introductions | 00:10
Holding the Smallsword | 01:46
The Guards | 02:41
The Salute | 05:50
Standing On Guard | 6:55
The Lunge and Passing Lunge | 09:07
Footwork | 4 Advancing & Retreating Steps | 16:02

In episode 2, we'll start looking at basic offensive and defensive actions.

Not in this series is feinting and mounted combat, which was taught by Christopher Treichel and cutting with the smallsword, which was taught by Patrick Bratton of ‪@saladellaspada‬.

Special thanks to Kevin Rezac for being the demo student in this video.

🤺 MORE ON LA TOUCHE 🤺
Great translation by Reinier van Noort ( @RnrvnNrt )
https://www.lulu.com/shop/philibert-d...

Free translation by Wandrille Duchemin on Wiktenauer
https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Philibert...

Plates and high-rez scan of the treatise from Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF)
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv...

Information on the American Smallsword Symposium
  / 317652728400128  

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⚔️ABOUT JUSTIN AUCOIN⚔️
Justin (aka Remy in the SCA) is the product of when a five-year-old boy who fell in love with Zorro and The Three Musketeers grows into a mostly functional adult. His life-long love of athletics and swashbuckling has led him down the road to studying and practicing historical fencing.

He’s the founder of @bostonacademiedarmes , a historical fencing school for HEMA & SCA fencers, with a focus on French and Italian rapier, Italian smallsword, and Italian dueling saber. He puts an emphasis on good body mechanics and helping his fencers to improve their physical fitness, athletic ability, and fencing skill while operating within their current physical limitations.

As a competitor, Justin has won numerous rapier tournaments in the SCA -- both in singles and in group melee -- including Carolingia's Baronial Champion, East Kingdom Crown Champion, and named 8x to the Pennsic Champs team. He is 15th member of the East Kingdom’s Order of Defense, holds a Silver Broach and Maunche for his historical martial arts research, and a Silver Wheel and Silver Crescent for his coaching.

Outside of the SCA and the Academie, Justin has taught rapier at Athena School of Arms and workshops at events such as Western Martial Arts Workshop (WMAW), Lord Baltimore's Challenge, the American Smallsword Symposium, and Iron Gate Exhibition (IGX). He is a certified instructor at arms in Italian foil through the Sonoma State University Fencing Masters Certificate Program (SSU FMCP), and is is a personal trainer through NASM. You can follow his historical martial arts research at https://justinswordfit.com/

⚔️SOCIAL⚔️
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