The Beginners Guide to the Reverse Grip 5
The guards are constants, which leg is in the lead is a constant, the cuts and thrusts are a constant. If anything needs to be clarified please quote it and I will rewrite and develop the explanation. Thank you for helping me refine this; I am giving this my best although I know it needs allot of work, thank you.
You are doing great; the point of the theory from my end of things is that RG really is not as developed as it should be and writing it down carries much weight. Videos though are excellent in and of themselves. I have friends all over the world who will be getting this and their school in their language so I hope to play some small part in RG development.
Even if you never use the RG I hope the theory has its universal applications
When you visualize, (An essential mental skill to gain experience rapidly – Don’t move until you see it!) Look for the constants:
Does it step or does it ground?
Is it defending/responding to something or is it maintaining its initiative by not giving them time to respond?
Is it attacking from guard or returning to a guard?
What type of step is it using?
Is it Cutting/Thrusting/ or Cutting into a thrust?
Has it released the lead or rear hands?
Has it switched back to Forwards Grip?
Is the blade rolling at all? For example; I execute a High parry Left (In the case of blocks/parries the direction indicates which side the hilt is on) I fell their pressure trying to enter bind and I Roll it over to the right with my tip down into a drop block right. The tip rolls up and around into a D-cut. What makes this especially effective is the side step left.
Writing theory is its own challenge; as you follow in your mind and become unsure; practice the movement up until where you are stuck and reread it. If it still does not make sense it is probably my format or description. Every time I need clarification, please ask me because I am happy to tinker with this.
The only reason I don’t use the wonderful examples developed by TPLA is I am trying to make it universal for every school and in a language that is universal. Descending as in descend the stairs; Ascending as in Ascend the stairs; Horizontal as in walk across to the window; and Straight as in climb out the window and use the fire escape up or down!
OX Thrust: Exactly like the OX guard only thrusting.
Straight Thrust: No rotation with the edge straight up and down; the right hand seems to hover over and the thrusting power comes from the rear hand.
Released Thrust: The lead releases for reach of the thrust. This can be either an OX or Straight thrust.
The Reverse Grip attacks all 8 lines of attack. Imagine that you draw over your opponent an astrix; counting clockwise:
1 is their head straight down.
2 is their left shoulder down to their right hip – Descending cut Left (Where cuts finish from our perspective explains the line of attack)
3 is their Plexus to waist band across horizontally – Horizontal Cut Left
4 is their Left hip to their right shoulder – Ascending cut Left
5 is their groin to their head – Straight cut
6 is their right hip to their left shoulder – Ascending cut Right
7 is their Plexus to waist band across horizontally – Horizontal Cut Right
8 is their right shoulder down to their left hip – Descending cut Right
When you cut Right to left it is easy to use 2 hands and when you cut left to right one hand is often preferred so that it can roll around for the next assault.
Each Cut tells you where it will finish and where it starts by its finish. D-cut Left has to start by cutting downwards so which shoulder does it hit? It must logically hit the Right Shoulder down to the left hip. The finishing side tells you all you need to know as long as you know what a D-cut is.
As cuts and thrusts attempt to strike you they must be exchanged for your thrust or cut to steal their initiative. Many Forward grip practitioners try to weapon/hand attack using their reach and speed of angles in their cuts OR expect their natural attacks will strike and allow binding and jamming up. Both sound ideas if the wielder of the Reverse Grip is unorganized and just allows them to dictate the terms of surrender.
In the movies Reverse Grip is often just used one handed and with little proficiency in attacks that bear little resemblance to combat. In actually combat one must often be brutal and clinical.
Take for instance the Iron Gate. It can be done with your eyes shut; it is not fancy; they can try to misfire it or reverse the cut but someone with a modicum of practice will is it coming. It exchanges the their tip with your own and thrusts into their face or throat, happening so quick the other swordsmen doesn’t even have time to react appropriately. One-two can turn also into a fluid riposte…
It does not look pretty, it does not look clever, and it is at the very heart of using the Reverse Grip. In fact the footwork is basic, like a tank just rolling forwards; it does not need to hurry.
Shadows CloakStarting in Fools Guard Right
1/ Covering Defense: Starting in fools guard right with the left leg in lead; cover across into Plow Left. Key feature is stepping forwards slightly and to the left with the lead leg to open up your hips.
Note: Push down on the pommel its faster than using your arms.
The Iron GateStarting in Fools Guard Right
1/ Swing the Gate closed across your body into Plow Left. Execute the slight opening step with your lead foot.
2/ Stepping through with the Right leg – Thrust without any rotation or rotate into the straight thrust or twist into an OX thrust.
The Rusty HingeStarting in Fools Guard Right
Your opponent thinks your chest is wide open and thrusts boldly…
1/ Deflect as you go into your Plow left but what happens is your thrust emerges; straight thrust, OX thrust, released thrust with the left hand and so on. Because of sliding with steel weapons it sounds like an old rusty hinge! The same foot work as above; open the lead foot and step through with your rear leg.
The Bent NailStarting in Fools Guard Right
Your opponent thinks your chest is wide open and thrusts boldly…
1/ As the Thrust enters the Plow left becomes a Throw left. Practice at first in two movements; Plow into Throw breaking their line of attack allowing for your own to follow through. Once this is smooth; turn it into a beating action over and down; it describes the arc of the plow but really beats down their blade trying to bend it! Finally the Throw can turn into a Scoop; the blade has mechanical advantage and so can roll around and scoop right with the false edge; the back of the blade.
The Sharpened StickStarting in Fools Guard Right
1/ Quickly advance and thrust or step and thrust or lunge and thrust from the Fools guard right. Rotate the pommel instead of your hands for speed.
2/ The targeting here is simple and effective: Hands/Throat/Head/Groin using Straight thrusting (2 hands) or a released thrust with the left hand for reach.
Note: Don’t over muscle or strain here; quick in and out – Make them doubt.
The Cat Chases the BirdStarting in Fools Guard Left (Left foot lead)
Note: These techniques use the same concepts as above but from left to right instead of right to left. Also they use the false/back of the blade.
1/ Block with the back of your blade as it angles up and across guarding the flank from left to right.
2/ Follow up with a D-cut OR H-cut. "The bird cannot leave the ground before it is caught."
The Pouncing Cat Starting in Fools Guard Left (Left foot lead)
1/ As above the blade goes up and back across to the right injecting and deflecting like you are throwing a sack of potatoes over your right shoulder and then because it has leverage it cuts down on their blade suppressing it.
This can turn into a scoop left if you desire. Your blade is in pole position over theirs, to their perspective this is the back of their blade.
Kind Regards
Bluesky
