PODCAST · history
Fencing by the Book
by fencingbythebook
An in depth look at the Early Liechtenauer long sword sources.
Episodes
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FbtB S2E6 - Value Judgements
In this episode I sit down with Tea, Stevo and Micky C to round out this mini-series by summing up our feelings about 3227a as a source for historical fencing.
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FbtB S2E5 - Other Masters
In this episode I sat down with Tea Kew and Steve Cheney to work our way through the Other Masters section in MS 3227a. https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Other_Masters_(14th_Century)
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FbtB S2E4 - Speedrunning MS3227a
In this episode I sit down with Michael Chidester, Steve Cheney and Tea Kew to continue our speed run through the MS3227a unarmoured longsword content.
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FbtB S2E3 - Theory Test
Ok, now we get into the substance of the book (until we run out of steam). In this episode I talk with Stephen Cheney, Michael Chidester and Tea Kew about the contents of MS3227a - its missing content, its original content and how it front loads theory before examples....
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S2E2 - Relative Dating & Merfolk
I sit down with Jess Finley, Johanna Hopfgartner, Kendra Brown and Michael Chidester to discuss MS3227a's dating, dialect, text that crops up elsewhere, and what armour people wore under the sea. There's a sale on Lulu at the moment, so now is a great time to pick up Michael Chidester's MS3227a...
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Bonus Episode: Sinister Pasta
A bonus interview with the self-proclaimed long sword hipster Connor Kemp-Cowell. Connor and I chat about a new translation and interpretation of Vadi that he and Ian M Davis have put out 'Wielding the Light of Mars'. There were some technical difficulties two minutes into the episode. Such a...
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S2E1 - Where in the world is MS 3227a?
Last time around we deliberately left out one of the prominent early Liechtenauer glosses. Too much of a distraction, too weird, and too different. Now we're delving back into the book to correct that oversight with a small mini-series. With this second season we've trimmed things down a bit -...
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Bonus Ep. - Hans Sliced Off
A bonus episode from the whole team, discussing Dierk Hagedorn and Christian Tobler's recent work. Dierk deciphered a crossed out section of the 1452 fencing book, which had previously been overlooked. It explains how a certain technique had been used against Hans Talhoffer in front of a Duke,...
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Ep. 40 - Reflections
The conclusion of Season 1. In this episode we answer your questions, look back on the show, and ask where we want to go next. So long and thanks for all the fish! https://www.amazon.com/This-Fencing-Advanced-Performance-Principles-ebook/dp/B07RV4W4R6...
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Ep. 39 - Re: Winding
This episode continues our discussion on winding, now also with Jess' input. Of course, Jess brings the medieval hunting uses of winden...
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Ep. 38 - Winden. Magic woo that wins sword fights?
In this episode we look at lines 102-109 on winding. Winding is a pretty big deal in Liechtenauer's text, so we spend a while unpacking the word so that it becomes more than magical woo. Wind, turn, coil, spool and twist all get suggested. We discuss how if 'aus winden' is a thing then it's the...
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Ep. 37 - Your point's hanging out
In this episode we look at lines 96-101 on hanging and sprechfenster. Mike S also does his best to drag cricket into every conversation like a knock off Andy Zaltzmann. Steve put together a document of all the use cases here. Michael Chidester's Patreon. A cool talk about non-destructive pigment…
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Ep. 36 - Hand Pressing
In this episode we look at couplet 95 on pressing the hands; - "Dein schneid wende zw flechen druck dÿe hende". Tune in and find out what it actually refers to...
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Ep.35 - Ab schneiden, jarringly Slicing Off
This episode covers Ab schneiden (slicing off/slicing away) in lines 93/94 of the zettel. Unfortunately we had some technical issues recording, so there are a few jarring moments. Sorry for that, but we hope you're still getting your money's worth... 😉
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Ep. 34 - Wrestling at the Sword 2 - Wrestle Harder
We continue to look at the wrestling at the sword gloss, this time focusing on the 'arm grappling' plays. Why are the glosses so different here? Why don't we see these plays in the modern game? Why were these ones selected and not more seemingly fundamental ones? Have none of these questions...
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Bonus Ep. - Indes pt. 3
Recorded back at the end of November, this bonus episode is another look at "Indes", now with Jess' input. Mostly we discuss adjectives vs. adverbs and the spatial vs. temporal use of the word over time. But mostly we just have fun with it. We also look at how the only contemporary translation of...
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Ep. 33 - Durchlauffen or 'Running Through' (Wrassling pt. 1)
In this episode we discuss lines 91-92 on wrestling. Specifically we talk about the first half of the gloss here - hip throws when the hands go high. (Durchlauffen at the Paris HEMA Open, Guillaume Laisney closing so fast he left his gloves behind.) (a hip bump from Ringeck) Have a bunch of links...
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Ep. 32 - Zucken is a jerk!
Lines 88-90 of the zettel on Zucken, which can translated as pulling/jerking/tugging/yanking 😘 A pretty straightforward section but where none of our glosses contain all three plays. We also discuss it's applicability to armoured and mounted fencing (our good old tincan and pony.) A page...
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Ep 31- Durchwechsel
Durchwechsel or 'Changing Through' is the term used for a type of disengage in the sources we work in. Lines 86-7.
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Ep. 30 - Absetzen
Absetzen, 'setting aside.' Lines 38-35. What is it and how are we meant to remember which is absetzen, ansetzen, vorsetzen or versetzen? Does it even matter?
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Ep.29 - Uberlauffen (running above)
In this episode we put down the word Indes to continue on to lines 80-82. These lines and their gloss are the best insight we have into how the Liechtenauer longsword system deals with attacks from below (or is it low attacks?) Also learn why the standard 'triangles' approach and explanation…
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Ep. 28 - ‘Indes’ pt. 2
'Das fulñ lere / Inndes das wort schneidet sere'. This is the second part of our bumper episode on 'Indes' Our giant panel for this episode is Michael Chidester, Kendra Brown, Steven Cheney, Jess Finley, Tea Kew, Johanna Hopfgartner and Michael Smallridge. We mention a load of things in the next...
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Ep. 28 - 'Indes' pt. 1.
Couplet 78 of Liechtenauer's Zettel goes 'Das fulñ lere / Inndes das wort schneidet sere'. This is Liechtenauer explaining that they use the word 'Indes' to mean 'tempo' in fencing. Just pulling your leg, it's a lot more complicated than that. The word 'indes' and how it's used is complicated...
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Ep. 27 - 'Ausser Mynne' the outer appearances... or cattle drives or something... with Kendra Brown
In episode of Fencing by the Book, we tackle a particular confusing (or confused) section of text. The ausser mynne or ausser nim are some of those plays that tend to get skipped over by modern practitioners, and we discuss why. Joey couldn't make it, so be prepared for some terrible German....
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Ep. 26 - Nachreissen with Jess Finley.
Nachreissen - rushing after, pursuing. A couple of techniques or an early understanding of fencing tempo? Joining us to discuss it is our special guest Jess Finley. You can check out her translation work on her patreon. We also answer Brandon's question by talking about Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, give…
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Ep. 25 - Ansetzen with Jess Finley.
This is the first of two special guest episodes. Jess Finley (fencer, armoured fighter, horserider, translator and all round badass) joined our regular panel of Johanna Hopfgartner, Michael Chidester, Steve Cheney and Tea Kew. This week we talk about an setzen, setting on your point or planting…
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Ep 24 - The infamous 'vier versetzen'.
In this episode discuss the thorny question of the 'vier versetzen', or four.. displacements? Using the named actions we've been talking about before to... break? an opponent's... guard?
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Ep. 23 - Four Guards (ish)
Four guards, or positions. Lines 68-69. What are they and why did Liechtenauer single them out, when the system mentions in passing other positions? How important are guards to RDLN? We're also taking a short break from recording episodes. If you have any comments or questions for when we return...
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Ep. 22 - The Schaiteler. The Peaker, not the peeker.
In this episode we cover the Schaitelhau, which is the Apex/Vertex/Parting/Peak/Crown/Scalp hew.
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Ep. 21 - Squint to the Point.
In this episode we discuss lines 61-62, on using the Shielhau... well really we just disgress on to side rings.
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Ep. 20 - Squint short.
In this episode we continue our discussion of the Shielhau, the Squinter. Jess Finley's Talhoffer and Tacos discussion: https://vimeo.com/451640540?fbclid=IwAR0z11qlw99E4SwjLooAO_nXBaff9AIqJUdF5Vks0YlJ0lpxBZMuXzATQaQ
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Ep. 19 - Men who Squint at Buffalos
where we take an in depth look at the early Liechtenauer longsword glosses. This episode is on lines 58-59 of the Zettel on the Shielhau, or the Squinter: |Schiler ain pricht |was püffel slecht oder sticht |wer wechsel drawt |schiler dar aus Inn beraubt
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Ep. 18 - The Inverter.
We complete the Twerhau section, discussing the verkerer. We also discuss the Digital Dutch Lion's Cup, the Fiore facsimile project and Stevo doing judo: https://www.facebook.com/dutchlionscup/ https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/manuscript-facsimile-fior-di-battaglia#/ https://youtu.be/RuCzOqiDQ8Y
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Ep. 17 - How to fail (and fail twice).
We've now managed to work our way through our backlog: Couplets 53, 56-57 of the zettel.
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Ep 16 - Twer to plough.
Kendo story time.
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Ep. 15 - Across again.
14:10 - Zettel Reading, Gloss Summary (Yeah we spent ages chatting nonsense, sorry not sorry.) 16:50 - In Sparring 20:20 - Distance 29:30 - Lew vs Ringeck/Danzig 40:38 - Soft and Hard Choices 44:15 - Lew's Sequence
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Ep. 14 - The Twerhau
1:30 Episode Start 15:50 Zettel and Gloss Reading 17:53 Pronunciation and Translation 28:15 Interpretations 42:55 - Making it Work in Sparring 55:20 - Thumb Grip 1:02:06 - Zwer into a Thrust? 1:05:19 - Zwercopter 1:12:00 - Differences from Krump and Schill 1:16:22 - High Vom Tag
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Episode 13 - Crooked not a shortcut.
In this episode the panel continues our discussion of the krumphau plays. 1:00 Zettel Reading 3:10 Short Hew 5:00 Shortening 9:00 Ringeck's Short Hew 14:00 Lew's Short Hew 22:15 Noble War 25:20 Ringeck's Noble War 32:50 Lew's Noble War 37:04 3227a's Short Hew
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Epsiode 12 - Krump to the Flat
In this episode we continue discussing the krumphau.
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Ep 11 - The Crook'd One (Krumphau)
2:25 - Episode Start, Zettel and Gloss Reading 6:40 - Krumphaw 10:51 - Krump Against Ox 30:40 - Schrankhut 41:04 - To the Hands Against a Hew
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Ep 10 - Concluding the Zornhau
The last few plays of the Zornhau: 8:42 - Zettel Reading 9:35 - Duplieren and Mutieren 11:30 - Earnest/Revenge 21:55 - Setup 25:15 - Tactics 29:50 - Sparring 38:35 - Transforming 39:40 - Winding 43:15 - Targeting
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Ep 9 - Exposures
E9 time stamps: 1:40 - Episode start 9:37 - Exposures 12:47 - Zettel and Gloss Reading 15:42 - Differences in Versions 17:25 - Four Openings 24:09 - Pursuit, Shooting in, Winding 40:33 - Do not regard what he fences against you 46:30 - General Lesson 48:24 - Joachim Meyer's Head Division
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Ep. 8 - Three wounders in War
This episode shoots from the hip. Timestamps: 2:39 - Episode start 4:10 - Zettel Reading 5:18 - Krieg (War) 26:59 - Soft and Hard 28:56 - Don't be Rushed in Your War 30:00 - Whoever Aims High is Shamed Below 34:47 - Hew, Stab, Slice
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Episode 7 - Abnehmen & Stronger Against.
In this episode we discuss some of the actions from a bind - leaving it or being strong in it.
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Episode 6 - Zornhau
In this episode we discuss the Zornhau (or Angry-hew...). Timestamps: 9:37 - Zettel reading 11:45 - "Without any parry" 21:05 - Guards (cutting from/through/into guards) 23:45 - Counter cut (defining the zornhaw) 27:05 - "Simple peasant strike" 30:25 - Cutting angle 35:43 - Footwork 38:53 -...
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Episode 5 - Five Hews
Five episodes. This is about five hews. Or five master strikes? Five counter-attacks? Are there really five of them? What does hew even mean? Hew knew.
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Episode 4 - Five words two, electric boogaloo
In this episode we revisited some of the ideas from last week that needed further discussion, such as Vor and Nach, initiative and priority (and whether they're synonyms).
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Episode 3 - General Lessons
Episode 3 is an episode of thank yous. Thank you to our panel for showing up to talk about such a niche subject. Thank you to Steve for jumping in and editing the show for me. Most of all a big thank you to Doug and to Adrien, who each donated enough to cover 10 weeks of hosting for the podcast....
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Episode 2 - Forewords
In our second episode we have a lot of awkward pauses until Mike goes off on a tangent about pole-axes. Joey also admits she prefers the English. The panel for this episode is: Johanna Hopfgartner Michael Chidester Stephen Cheney Tea Kew hosted by Mike Smallridge Check out our website for the…
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Episode 1 - Introductions
In this, our first episode, we outline the sources and give them a little context. The panel for this episode is: Johanna Hopfgartner Michael Chidester Stephen Cheney Tea Kew hosted by Mike Smallridge Check out our website for the texts discussed, or you can get in contact via Facebook
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Fencing by the Book have?
Fencing by the Book currently has 50 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Fencing by the Book about?
An in depth look at the Early Liechtenauer long sword sources.
How often does Fencing by the Book release new episodes?
Fencing by the Book has 50 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
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Fencing by the Book is created and hosted by fencingbythebook.
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