The Four Guards – Practice

Immediate Practice

5 minutes – Practice forming the four guards.

• Follow the summary images to create the four guard positions.
• Use a partner, camera, or mirror to review both your profiled and face on view. Examine the position of your feet, hips, shoulders, arms, and head.

5 minutes – Practice moving between the four guards.

• Practice moving from Prima, to Seconda, to Terza, to Quarta, and back again.
• When moving forward form Terza into any of the offensive guards, be sure to extend the sword first, followed by the shoulders.
• Move between random guards, i.e., Prima to Quarta, Quarta to Seconda.

Ongoing Practice

• Taking time to practice forming and holding each of the guards can be an effective way to build the strength and endurance to do them well.
• Practice standing in a particular guard for 1 minute. Then extend that time as you build your endurance.