Meyer's longsword 101 - Chapters 7 - 9: Stepping, Vor/Nach/Indes and intro. to sequences

See part 1 here: Meyer's longsword 101 - Chapters 1-4.  As before, yellow text is my own, the rest is a rewrite of Meyer's 1570 book into concise plain English. I've selected what videos I could find that I think illustrates the technique.

Chapter 7: On stepping

People unfamiliar with fencing might be surprised that I also talk about footwork. They may think stepping isn't that important—and if it were, you'd learn it easily just by fighting. But experience proves otherwise: no matter how skilled your technique, it’s useless if your footwork is wrong.

The fencing masters of old knew this well. They even made it their twelfth rule:

He who steps after the strike finds little joy in his art.

This means every strike must be paired with a well-timed step. Step too early or too late, and your entire sequence fails. Mastering this lets you disrupt your opponent’s plan by taking the space they need—without needing to move from your guard.

When attacking, pretend you're about to take big, wide steps, but stay close instead. And when they expect you to approach slowly, surprise them with fast, broad steps and strike. Footwork matters this much—any serious fencer knows it.

There are three main types of steps:

1. Forward and backward – simply moving toward or away from the opponent.

2. Side steps (Triangle steps):

   • Single: With your right foot forward, step your left behind it toward the opponent’s left.

   • Double: Repeat that step, then follow with your right again toward the same side.

3. Broken or stealthy steps: Begin as if stepping forward, but instead pull that foot back behind your rear foot. These are more relevant to rapier and will be explained later.

Note in the video below, he prefers not to cross the legs for the triangle step. This is not what Meyer teaches but is indicative of common longsword footwork in modern practice.

Chapter 8: Regarding Before, After, Simultaneous, and Indes

Now that you’ve learned the key parts of fencing—what they are and how to use them—you’re ready to apply them in short sequences. But keep in mind: your opponent might know all of this too, and can respond to everything you do. That’s why timing and opportunity are so important in fencing. Even the best sequence won’t work unless used at the right moment.

So, in every phase of a sequence—starting the attack, exchanging blows (handwork), and withdrawing—pay attention to four key timing concepts: Before (Vor), Simultaneous (Gleich), After (Nach), and Indes.

• Before (Vor): You strike first, keeping your opponent from starting their own plan. This forces them into defense and counteractions.

• Simultaneous (Gleich): Both of you strike at the same time—this also falls under Indes.

• After (Nach): You’re on the defensive, reacting to your opponent’s attack. In this state, you must use Indes to recover the initiative and avoid being hit.

Indes is the glue between all these moments. It’s not just a word—it’s the principle of acting within the moment. It means thinking fast, reading the situation sharply, and adjusting instantly. For example: strike left, but also spot an opening to the right, then notice how your opponent might counter and adapt again—all in one fluid motion.

Some thought Indes came from the Latin Intus, meaning “inward,” as in winding and internal work. But in truth, Indes is a German word meaning “in the meantime” or “in that very moment.” It reminds you to stay fully present, to read your opponent’s body language, and to see both what they’re doing and what’s about to happen.

As Liechtenauer said, this awareness—this constant presence in the moment—is where the true art of fencing lives. Without Indes, you’ll be wild and ineffective, striking without precision or sense, like a noisy flailing fighter who never truly lands a blow.

Chapter 9: Introduction to the Sequences, How they can and should be formed from the previously explained techniques

The techniques explained so far are just the foundation—like knowing your letters before writing words. You need to understand and remember each move so well that they come to mind as needed when fencing. But just as not every letter fits every word, not every technique fits every fight. You need to choose based on how your opponent moves—their speed, size, and stance.

Every fencing sequence has three parts:

1. Onset (the beginning) – where you open with a cut.

2. Middle (the handwork) – where you work to gain control.

3. Withdrawal (the ending) – where you safely disengage.

Let’s walk through an example of a full sequence:

In the onset:

• Move into the right Change.

• Pay attention: as soon as they raise their sword to strike, then strike quickly before them upward and through, and cut a Crosswise cut from your right simultaneously with them. In the cut, step well to their left side.

• If they move straight toward your head with their cut, then you contact them with the Crosswise cut at their left ear.

• If, however, you take note that they do not cut straight at your head, but instead turn their cut with the long edge toward your Crosswise cut to counteract it, then, before it touches with the long Crosswise cut, cut quickly at their right ear. Step indesly with your left foot well around to their right.

You have now attacked from the Change with two Crosswise cuts at both sides one after the other. This moves you out of the first part with this attack.

You subsequently want to move into the middle work; the second part helps you in this way:

Middle work

• If they strike from your sword around to the other side, then Chase them with a slice at their arm, push them with the strong of your blade or with your Schilt/ricasso in a shove away from you.

• In that moment in which they are still stumbling from the impact and have not yet recovered, then hastily lift with crossed arms and hit them with the short edge over their right arm at their head (as this has been mentioned), before they have recovered from the impact.

• If they have recovered and swipe upward to counteract, let your sword fly up again and cut Crosswise at their left ear with a retreat with your left foot.

• Or, if they do not rise up or beat around, but instead remain with the slice or the long edge on your sword, then turn your sword so that your half edge contacts theirs and yank their sword out to your right side. During this let [your sword] snap around in the air so that your hands rise crossed together high over your head again, and then hit them like before.

• Before they recover from the yank with the short edge at their head, retreat subsequently with your left foot and cut a horizontal Middle Cut from your right with the long edge at their neck, and, in that moment in which it flashes, then pull up to your right with high strikes.

Withdrawal (Ending the exchange)

He doesn't give any particulars on how to withdraw, but does later on. Usually throw some Zwerchs as you step back out of measure.

Ideally, you finish the fight before they react. Or, provoke them so they commit to a downward cut, then strike over their blade while stepping offline to escape safely.

Sometimes, a complete sequence only needs two strikes: one to attack, and one to retreat. Other times, three strikes—attack, chase, then exit—might be needed.

When exactly to strike? That, as they say, is something the “marketplace” (i.e., experience in sparring) will teach you.