Fiorian Grappling

Zaine · Black Belt

Every martial art has a fallback plan. This is also true of every Martial Artist. It's the hypothetical button we press when things aren't going our way. If you're learning Fiore, then that fallback is grappling. Every play, every movement, can lead to grappling. It's the foundation upon which anything and everything returns.

The section on grappling is relatively short. There's certainly not a lot of room to extrapolate a whole system based on this section alone (as there might be with just the sword play). That said, the basics that it gives you are solid. It begins by showing the reader 4 stances from which they might launch an attack or defend themselves. From there, it gives us 5 sequences, or plays, that cover some common situations. Fiore mentions that one might be able, if they are skilled, to manipulate their opponent into these positions from just about any other position not covered. There are no ground fighting techniques, just techniques focused on getting your opponent to the ground.

The techniques would be familiar to anyone with a knowledge of Karate or, especially, Judo. The first play ends in a standing armlock that most every martial art teaches at one point or another. The second play ends with an inside hip throw. I had a HEMA instructor who, upon my remarking that this was all very familiar to me, told me that "The body can only move in so many ways. It's not surprising that Fiore figured out the same stuff that Judo did." This familiarity makes the beginning of this journey relatively easy for anybody with martial experience. My old teacher was 100% correct. There are only so many ways that a body can move and, inevitably, there will be a large amount of overlap in movement, positioning, and philosophy.

However, where the grappling really stands out, and why it's so important to learn first, is it's application in armed fighting. Are you fighting with a spear and got to close? Drop the spear and grapple. Are you at the forteza (bottom of the blade) in a bind while fighting with a sword? Drop the sword and grapple. Are you fighting with a daga? Get in close and grapple. Grappling is the constant second option when you find yourself too close. It also serves as a surprise. An opponent might not expect you to drop your weapon and grab them. Aside from daga, there aren't many techniques that one can throw up close with a weapon in hand.

The section ends with 3 short plays using the Bastoncello, or the short staff. What Fiore means by short staff is very generous, and most of us would struggle to call it more than a dowel. It's roughly longer than the length of a forearm, which makes it convenient for carrying around. Fiore teaches you some locks with the bastoncello, as well as defense against a daga. Fiore even includes a defense against a would-be assassin attacking you while you sit.

You can find the references for this post here: https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Fior_di_Battaglia_(MS_Ludwig_XV_13)

The folio is untranslated, but look at the pictures labeled 6r-8v for context.
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bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

I had just finished the grappling section in the book today (I didn't get through the short staff section). Most of it was pretty easy to follow, but I tend to get a little lost when he starts getting into the Remedy Masters, the Counter-Remedies, etc. But, I think I was able to figure it out along the way for the most part.
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Zaine · Black Belt

The remedy and counter-remedy plays can be confusing because Fiore is not very clear about where one should be or where the remedy takes place in the play. I have found, in the past, that it gets a little easier to figure out as you get into the sword plays because those are at longer range. The grappling plays require a decent knowledge of the play in general to counter, whereas it's easy to understand the sword play from imagination. So when Fiore says "The counter of this play is the one where you place your right hand under the left elbow of your opponent and pish hard upwards, so that you're able to free yourself," that requires intimate knowledge of when that counter is the most viable, whereas I feel you have larger windows with the longer ranged stuff (especially the Zogho Largo plays).
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bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

That makes a lot of sense. Right now I'm working my way through the dagger section.

It also helps me to remember that even though I'm looking at pictures, nothing is happening statically. I try to visualize it as moving back and forth and trading moves, with one gaining an advantage eventually.

This is when having a partner to play it back and forth with is advantageous.
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Zaine · Black Belt

Guy Windsor has a video (I think) for every play within the book. If something ever seems to abstract, he's a great resource. The video series is a part of his "Fiore Translation Project" and I have found that it to be incredibly helpful for when I get to the remedy and counter-remedy sections. The pictures are helpful, but there are some errors within them in some part. Having the video representation is super helpful.
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Martial arts training is 30% classroom training, 70% solo training.

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bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

Zaine · Black Belt

He is the go-to guy for Fiore stuff. He's huge in the HEMA world in general and has several books out. I am reading From Medieval Manuscript to Modern Practice as a companion to Il Flor di Battaglia and it has given me some helpful insights into Fiore's approach, and how to approach manuscripts like this in general.
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Martial arts training is 30% classroom training, 70% solo training.

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bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

Zaine · Black Belt

It is! It's $10 for the ebook on Amazon, or currently $25 for the paperback. Honestly, you could easily fill a small bookshelf with all of supplementary, quality writing on just Fiore alone.

https://www.amazon.com/Medieval-Manuscript-Modern-Practice-Techniques/dp/9527157552/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1FDGAMS1IT269&keywords=guy+windsor&qid=1675695092&sprefix=guy+windso%2Caps%2C114&sr=8-2
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Martial arts training is 30% classroom training, 70% solo training.

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bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

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