Practical Destreza (Spanish rapier) - Part 4: Techniques from Atajo 1

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Atajo 1 is a bind over the opponent's sword with your sword in the Obtuse angle (hilt low, tip high), made from the inside, and with a step to the left.

To gain the Atajo, at middle distance you angle your blade over theirs while simultaneously dropping your hilt a little but raising your tip. You get the 3rd of your blade over their 2nd (i.e. your mid-strong over their mid-weak). Rada says we should shift the weight onto our right foot, then drop the hilt even lower to lock in the Atajo more firmly as we step to our left, remaining at middle distance.

Figure 1: Atajo 1 (Obtuse angle, fencer on the left) — **Figure 1:** Atajo 1 (Obtuse angle, fencer on the left)

Figure 2: Atajo 1 locked in — **Figure 2:** Atajo 1 locked in

Rada tells us that the opponent may try to free his/her sword, perhaps with a backwards step. In this case we shouldn't try to attack them or bind their sword more strongly, we should instead shift into a defensive posture (whatever is best) and form a virtual Atajo. In other words, we form an Obtuse or Acute Atajo without touching their sword, but nonetheless presenting a defence that they need to go around.

Rada says we should never step into the circle unless we have the Atajo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrVzDs_Zbb4

A high thrust in opposition in Atajo 1

When we form Atajo 1, you will notice that simply placing the sword over theirs doesn't really allow you to have your tip pointing at their body. I'm not sure if we are supposed to be completely behind our sword during the forming of the Atajo, or whether we should direct our hilt towards our left shoulder in order to angle the sword slightly more online, which is more of a French smallsword-like position. However, let's assume the Atajo is formed more with a reorientation of the body behind the sword rather than just a movement of the arm to the left.

You will notice that this results in the tip of your sword pointing about 30cm to the left of your opponent's right shoulder, like in the second image in Figure 3, and not at the opponent.

You take a step to the left (I'm unsure whether this is with the left or the right foot). This moves you to the left, staying on the diameter of the shared circle. This also puts your tip more online.

Lastly, you step forwards or diagonally-left and you thrust the opponent while gliding up their blade with yours. The thrust is made above their hilt.

Then retreat with a diagonal step away to the left (not shown in the image).

Figure 3: Forming Atajo 1 and delivering a high thrust in opposition — **Figure 3:** Forming Atajo 1 and delivering a high thrust in opposition

A low thrust in opposition in Atajo 1 (Quarter circle)

Also called the 'quarter circle', this is very similar to the flanconade in French smallsword. Do as you would do for the high thrust, but if the opponent's hilt remains high so that you cannot easily thrust over it, as you deliver the thrust you will drop the tip of your sword over their blade to the outside, and you will thrust underneath their blade in an Acute angle.

In Figure 4, notice how the thrust is delivered with orange's blade above blue's blade, but orange's tip below blue's hilt.

Figure 4: A low thrust in opposition from Atajo 1 — **Figure 4:** A low thrust in opposition from Atajo 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdx4i4JLmC4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilkZDXf6uOQ

The movement of conclusion

The movement of conclusion is effectively a disarm or perhaps more accurately a grapple that allows you to wound your opponent at will or - ideally - force a surrender.

Start by forming the Atajo on the inside as before.

Now step to the left with your right foot in front of the left, keeping to the diameter of the shared circle.

Now step with your left foot once more along the circle and turn towards the opponent and

grab the hilt of their sword, or their arm, or even their blade close to their hilt.

You should now have control of their sword and can do whatever you want with your own sword, such as dropping it over and under their blade in order to try to disarm them or thrust the lower right of their body.

Figure 5 isn't perfect but hopefully gets the general technique across.

Figure 5: The movement of conclusion — **Figure 5:** The movement of conclusion

There are variations of this that might result in your delivering a cut or a different type of thrust.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0CG8uUR8Ko

A change from Atajo 1 to Atajo 2

When forming Atajo 1, the opponent may try to escape by disengaging under the blade, or cutting around over the blade. Your response is to change from Atajo 1 to Atajo 2, simply by redirecting your blade to the right in the Obtuse angle, and perhaps taking a small step to your left.

Figure 6: Blue disengages under orange's sword. Before blue can form an Atajo on orange, orange forms Atajo with Obtuse angle over blue's sword on the outside. — **Figure 6:** Blue disengages under orange's sword. Before blue can form an Atajo on orange, orange forms Atajo with Obtuse angle over blue's sword on the outside.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3z7PVGFDM0

A change from Atajo 1 to Atajo 5

Atajo 5 is formed with the hilt high and tip low. It is a sort of hanging guard where you are blocking the opponent's sword but from below. Your hilt needs to be high enough to protect your head.

Start in Atajo 1. If your opponent disengages under your blade, drop your tip, raise your hilt and reorient your body so your sword is now facing to the right side underneath theirs.

Figure 7: Orange changes from Atajo 1 to Atajo 5 to counter blue's disengage underneath — **Figure 7:** Orange changes from Atajo 1 to Atajo 5 to counter blue's disengage underneath

This might sound odd at first. In the last image, orange is now standing like the fencer on the right in Figure 8.

Figure 8: Fencer on the right has Atajo 5 in place — **Figure 8:** Fencer on the right has Atajo 5 in place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3z7PVGFDM0

A full circle back to Atajo 1 (Inclusion, or envelopment)

From Atajo 5, the fencer can attempt to regain Atajo 1 by lifting the tip of their sword up toward the weak of the opponent's sword, and pushing their opponent's sword to the left in order to get back on top in the Obtuse angle.

So, if the opponent disengages from Atajo 1 under the sword, you can follow into Atajo 5 and then try to regain Atajo 1. This anti-clockwise circular motion could be considered a counter disengage, however counter disengages are made with very little contact on the opponent's sword. If you do a similar motion but also move your arm at the shoulder a little in a circular motion, you in effect move your blade in a larger circle than your opponent is moving theirs, meaning you apply continuous pressure towards the weak of their sword. It is more of a 'spiralling outwards' than a circle.

This envelops their sword and controls it. If you perform the full circle vigorously enough you might even push away your opponent's weapon leaving them open, or you might even disarm your opponent.

Once Atajo 1 is regained you can of course proceed to thrust in opposition or do the other techniques.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNRYPFJLf80

An expulsion

While this technique doesn't need to come from the inclusion/envelopment, it can do, and it also naturally arise if your opponent tries to disengage under your sword to thrust at you while you are forming Atajo 1.

From Atajo 1. If they disengage under your sword and attempt to thrust at you, then forcibly drop the tip of your weapon down in an anti-clockwise fashion while raising your hilt, and beat their sword to your right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo_pFH4hX7Q