Gentle Readers,

Saviolo temporarily left by the way side as OCS consolidates itself into a more Germanic frame of mind, we spent last night's class working on Meyer's thrusts. We looked at the basic thrust from Ox. First pull back your arm and lift your lead leg, then the sword stabs toward the chest, long edge up then turns and continues down to the low guard (with the rest of your body) on the opposite side of the body. Then cut back up and use that momentum to reset into your original Ox.

Once we had a handle on that we looked at the two face thrusts from Ox which are used as counter thrusts. First from Left Ox, as your opponent enters, step to the left with your left foot thrust to his face over his arm. From the right, turn your sword under his blade as you step left with your left foot moving your hand back up towards left Ox, then step with the right and thrust as before.

Finally we did the throat thrust. This is an attack with a disengage. Against an opponent in Iron Gate take Left Ox. Then step to the left and make as if to thrust as before. If your opponent goes to crown or other high guard, quickly drop your tip and circle under his arm and stab to the throat. If he does not take a good high guard thrust with the face thrust as before.