Meyer's longsword 101 - Chapter 11: Break window (Brechfenster)
- HEMA 101 admin
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
"[This] Is actually allocated to the high guards. It is only used in the bind after you have come under your opponent’s sword. You should refrain from moving into this guard for as long as you see your opponent’s point and blade still in front of you, as you will not be safe from anything [in front of you] in this [guard]. However, as soon as you come under their sword, then this is one of the most exemplary guards, and you use it thusly:"
Play 1
"When you have now come under the opponent’s sword, which means that you must guide your sword over your head in the aforementioned Break Window, such that you expose both your arms and fingers:"
| # | You | Opponent | 
| 1 | Break window | Break window | 
| 2 | Cut at your fingers or arm from above | |
| 3 | Step away from their cut and cut a Zwerchau (flat or rising) at their cut so you catch their cut on your strong and simultaneously hit their head | 
Play 2
If they cut crosswise or from below...
| # | You | Opponent | 
| 1 | Break window | Break window | 
| 2 | Cut a zwerch or unterhau | |
| 3 | Cut down on their blade, or cut a zwerch at them underneath their blade before they do | |
| 4 | If you have cut down on their blade, press down and cut their head while in the bind | 
Play 3
"Or you may grip over toward them, thus:"
| # | You | Opponent | 
| 1 | Cutting down from above | |
| 2 | Cut left unterhau and catch their cut | |
| 3 | Lift arms as if you are going cut around | |
| 4 | Move your lead hand over your cross guard and yank your blade up and over and down on their hilt | |
| 5 | Trip them backwards | 
Play 4
| # | You | Opponent | 
| 1 | Cut a zwerch at your left ear | |
| 2 | Cut onto the middle of their sword | |
| 3 | Shift your lead hand over your cross guard and thrust your point down over their sword and to their body or slice their shoulder | Raise arms to parry this | 
| 4 | If they slip off your blade, redirect your blade to the right, over their arms and down (like in the previous play) | 
Optionally, you can also slide into a hanging to defend against their zwerch, grab their blade and threaten with the point.
Lastly, Meyer gives a lesson on winding. If in the bind they wind into Ochs, you wind into Ochs and get them with the Scheilhau.

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