Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Book Swap Special: Darting Through Blackwell

The lessons in Blackwell's book are, actually, legitimately useful. It's not just a collection of 18th century nonsense as I had thought it might be. The difference in terminology continues to make things a little obscure, but the meat of the lessons is getting through to me.

Faints and darts are the main things taught in lessons six through 10. The dart isn't too badly described. Though, really, based on my prior knowledge of fencing, it's the act of running your foil up and against your opponent's at an angle so as to move their blade out of the way for some sort of attack or faint. In either case, it's a move that needs to be as fast as the name implies, which is why it only involves the arm and wrist. Really, it's a way to press your opponent into giving an opening, or to attacking so that you can give a parry and riposte.

Blackwell's mentioning that to look into their opponent's face and not at their wrist is, to some people, almost as bad as having their opponent's sword in them is a comical bit of truth. His warning against using the dart during the day time or in a close space is also reminiscent of my teacher from out West. The form of a dialogue suits this sort of instruction quite well indeed.

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