Practical Destreza (Spanish rapier) - Part 7: Basic techniques from Atajo 4

Atajo 4 is the same as Atajo 1 but made to the outside of the opponent's sword. In other words, Atajo 4 is when you bind on the opponent's sword on the outside, in the Obtuse angle, and step right (if you are a right handed fencer), towards their sword.

Figure 1: Atajo 4 is gained by orange

Rada describes 8 attacks of first intention. At this point I'm regretting trying to cover all of the attacks, as Rada's explanations of each technique are both extremely precise but also extremely difficult to understand. Below is my best guess.

1) The general technique of Line-in-Cross

Line in cross is basically a straight thrust made with control of the opponent's blade, but it is performed as a counter-disengage. When you gain the Atajo, if the opponent disengages, you counter disengage to regain the Atajo and thrust straight. There are several variations of this technique.

https://youtu.be/lpGUB77qo-0?si=GWjKNMuWGW4svuZI

2) The general technique of Weak Under the Strong

Without looking at the text, this should be a half-envelopment that ends by expelling the opponent's blade to your left and then give a free thrust low under their hilt. Let's see...

https://youtu.be/rn--H9gHKJc?si=Ur8cAPAPKu5Gq3wZ

3) Thrust of first intention by means of diversion

From what I can see, from the Atajo perform an envelopment of their sword in a complete circle so that their sword is expelled to your right, then step in with a thrust and retreat.

4) The vertical cut

From the Atajo, perform a half envelopment of their sword in a clockwise motion so that you forcefully expel their sword to your lower left, then turn the momentum of your sword into a full cut and cut vertically at their head with a step to your right.

5) The reverse-half-cut

I don't know if this is the correct technique or not, but when you form the Atajo, if you perform a reverse half cut with a step forward to their face, sliding your blade down their blade, you will continue to expel their sword to your right side. The trick to this is to make sure the cut really is a reverse, meaning your point is around 10 or 11 o'clock, and your hilt is in front of your right shoulder. If you try to cut straight down or even from your right side, this won't work.

6) The thrust of first intention to the opponent’s face

From the Atajo, you thrust at your opponent's face with a diagonal step to the right, maintaining control of the opponent's blade, gliding down their blade as you do it.

7)The thrust of first intention to the opponent’s chest

I believe this is as above but the opponent has their hilt high making a thrust to the face impossible. The solution is to thrust down over their sword to the chest, with a diagonal step right, maintaining control of their blade.

8) The thrust of first intention to the diametric line of the chest

I believe this goes something like this:

• When you have the Atajo and you move into a more profiled stance to threaten a thrust

• The opponent counters this by going into an Acute angle, raising their hilt and dropping their blade, and point their blade offline.

• You also go into the Acute angle, trap their blade with your quillon, and thrust at their chest around their blade.