Basics of Longsword - The Guards of the Sword

This is a short and nonexhaustive look at the basic guards of early German longsword, as well as some few typical actions that can be performed from them. It is important to note that guards, as is mentioned in the video itself, are not an exact pose down to the most prescriptive minutiae; they are a starting point for anything you do, and making those movements feel as fluid and natural as possible trumps any other consideration. The more you fence, the more you will get a sense for what works for you and what does not. 0:00 Overview of the five guards 0:45 Why should we consider guards? 0:58 Basic actions performed from Vom Tag 1:15 Basic actions performed from Ochs 1:30 Basic actions performed from Alber 1:48 Basic actions performed from Pflug 2:10 Basic actions performed from Langort 2:29 Key takeaways