A Brief Look at Stances & Guards of Medieval Longsword

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The Basic Guards of Medieval Longsword

One of the most important elements of historical fencing study is that of basic fighting stances and guard positions.
Nothing is more fundamental than these two things. Stances or guards (leger/huten or guardia/posta) are in many
ways the very foundation of Medieval swordsmanship. The offensive and defensive postures and ready positions
from which to deliver all manner of blows lie at the heart of any fighting method.  Unquestionably, they represent the
beginning of study.  All principles and techniques of fighting all are employed in relation to these postures.  But they
are not "static" postures, but dynamic "ready positions" from which to strike or counter-strike.

The basic 4 from the Solothurner Fechtbuch

The primary postures or ready positions for long-swords, those which date back to master Liechtenauer in the 1380’s
(and likely the 1360’s if not earlier) are: Ochs, Pflug, Alber, and Vom Tag. These are: the Ox, the Plow, the Fool, the
Roof.  These of course correspond to in the middle (“Plow”), outside high/horizontal pointing ("Ox"), low (“Fool”),
and high (“Roof”).  Other spellings of Vom Tag are  Vom Tach or Vom Dach. The 14th century German grand
Fechtmeister, Johannes Liechtenauer as did many of his later heirs taught only the first four guards. To this we can
add a fifth, the Nebenhut ("near ward") or “Tail” (a “back” guard), called Posta di Coda lunga distesa (“Long Lying
Tail”) by Fiore Dei Liberi in 1410 (although not included as primary, it appeared frequently in subsequent German
works).  Thus, five basic fundamental stances or guards are used with nearly all forms of Medieval long-
swords.  Virtually all the masters taught these primary positions or variations of them.

.
The basic 4 conventiently labled from Peter Von Danzig, 1449.

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A Brief Look at Stances & Guards of Medieval Longsword

Ochs, Pflug, Alber, and Vom Tach from Palus Kal's Fechtbuch c. 1480.
Note the slight variations in hand and hilt positions from others.

These five guards can each transition one to any other and such  should always be practiced as a fundamental
training exercise. Begin these stances with a left leg leading, sword in right hand. Standard ARMA long-sword
curriculum utilizes all of these in conjunction with other stances in our exercises and practice routines. The transition
between these stances should be fluid and smooth, and may or may not involve passing forward the rear foor or
passing back the front foot.  There is a substantial amount of information that can be conveyed about each stance,
their variations, how to move into or out of each, and what actions they provides for. This short article does not
cover that material, only introduce these proper five primary guards.   In addition to these 5 "primary" stances, there
are others important (such as Iron Door, Vechsel, etc.) that could be called "secondary" stances. Of these, 6 are
"symmetrical" and can be done as left or right side versions. 

Tail guards from Fiore, Codex Wallerstien, and Hector Mair.

From another edition of Mair (c. 1542), clear examples of the Ochs, the Pflug, the Alber, and Vom Tag.

The Major Longsword Guards of the German School

The first position, Ochs ("ox"),

essentially assumed by drawing the

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A Brief Look at Stances & Guards of Medieval Longsword

weapon up and to the "outside". The

point may aim somewhat downward or
upward but typically aimed at the
opponent's face or throat. This was
called Finestra or "window" in Italian
schools.

Note the blade alignment by observing

the angle of the cross, the blade is neither
vertical nor horzontal but slightly
diagonal, in fact, the natural position
acheived by cutting upward. In this
position note the short (back) edge aims
not upward or downward but toward the
fighter, while the thumb is under the
blade, not on top of it.

The hilt is held just in front of beside or

the head at temple level, but may be also
held just above it. Also, the Ochs is not a
"hanging point" or hanging guard
position. The Ochs position, although
not as stable as others, protects well,
allows a direct threat with its straight
thrust, turn to cut diagonally downward,
or pull back to cut from underneath.

Lowering the weapon to the middle

acheives the second position or Pflug
("plow"). Either passing or making a
single small step of the foot in transition
is useful here. The point should aim at
the opponent's chest or throat and the hilt
should be held more off to the side in
front of the hip joint rather than dead
center between the legs. Note that
depending on which leg leads in the
Pflug, the hip the pommel is in front
changes. 

There are a few variations of this

position such as puling the hilt further
back near or even past the hip. Some
masters are specific that on the right side,
the stance is held with the long edge
down but that on the left side it is held
long edge up (in effect, merely a lowered
a left Ochs). This "long Pflug" (for lack
of a term) permits a quick cut under from
behind as well as allowing better
donward thrusts.

Each of these left plow positions, long

edge up and long edge down, appear in
the source texts. To acheive either the
left hand should simply keep a looser
grip to allow it turn while the right
maintains normal grip pressure. The long

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A Brief Look at Stances & Guards of Medieval Longsword

edge down position permits quick slices

and upward thrusts. Overall the plow
protects and covers very well while
permitting all attacks.

The third position is Alber ("fool"),

acheived by lowering the point with the
hands (and making a pass of the foot,
forward or back, in transition). Either leg
may lead. The weapon is held point
down, ussualy between the legs rather
than outside of or next to them. This
guard is also the "middle iron door" of
the Italians. The position is deceptively
open and allows for quick counter
strikes.

The fourth is "from the roof", Vom

Dach/Vom Tag (an Oberhut), by raising
the weapon up with the shoulders (held
at roughly 45-degrees, not horizontal).
Passing the foot is useful in transitioning
here. The position is both threatening
and warding. It easily lowers to any other
stance or turns to the ox.

The "roof" guard may also be placed

over the (generally right side) shoulder
rather than over the head. The hilt can be
above or in front of the collar, but not
down in front of the chest. Note the
blade is neither angled behind the head,
nor held horizontal, nor resting on the
shoulder. Some armors prevent holding
the weapon above the head, hence the
side version. More stable than held
above the head, the position still permits
a variety of threats and counters. This
position easily turns around into ox or
drops down to plow.

When held over the shoulder strikes are

quicker and more deceptive but have
somewhat less range and strength. Note
that depending upon the angle and prior
action, the stance can appear as if the
weapon is held behind the head or neck,
when in fact, this is just an illusion
created by a turn of the waist.

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A Brief Look at Stances & Guards of Medieval Longsword

In addition the four above, a fifth

position is the Nebenhut ("near ward"),
assumed by rotating the weapon down
and to the side from above. Passing the
foot again is useful in transitioning here.
In Italian this is called Posta Coda
Longa ("tail" or "long tail"). Note on the
right side here the point slants downward
and behind, not off to the side, with the
long edge aiming forward at the
opponent, not at the ground. This permits
a strong rising cut with the long edge,
ending in an ox position. Otherwise, if
held with the short edge forward (such as
in a left side posture), a full upward cut
with the back of the blade end in the roof
position. While somewhat inviting, the
Neben stance is also meanacing and
deceptive.

As with all the stances, except plow, the

sword is held essentially on a 45-degree
angle. The tail easily lifts to the roof or
rises up into an ox on the opposite side.

Excellent detailed descriptions of longsword stances come to us from the Fechtbuch of Jud Lew (c.1450-
1455) which clarifies several points. In the right side Plow for example, we are told to hold the sword "with
the hands crossed below" and "the pommel close to the right hip" short edge up. This makes perfect sense
given the turned and pulled back posture the stance inspires. For the left side Plow, we are told only to hold
the sword "close to the left side below the left hip" long edge up. In the Fool we are told to hold the sword
"with arms stretched in front…the point on the ground." The arms are thus not kept bent and against the
body, but whether this means literally resting the blade upon the ground is questionable. For the Roof, we are
told to stand holding the "sword with uncrossed hands high over the head" so that the "point hangs a little
backwards." This implies the weapon is held upward in the middle and not angling to the left or right, but is
unclear whether the point should actually come down below the head (as in a Zornhut) or merely directed
back behind the swordsman more naturally.

Note: To assist students in learning this weapon, I have found it very effective to rely on a modern generic names (high, middle, low, outside,
etc.) for the most fundamental postures and positions universal to most all the Medieval and early Renaissance long-sword source texts.  But in
moving beyond such a useful holistic approach, toward a more precise understanding of the fighting styles of each historical text, we start to note
the differences between Masters. Some of these terms and positions we study correct or supercede ones listed in my 1998, Medieval
Swordsmanship, book (itself researched in '96). The tentative nature of historical research means that some terms and names as well as postures
have been amended and corrected from those in the book. However, this clarification does not invalidate the generalized fighting postures
presented in the book’s overview of stances, or the tactical understanding provided therein. 
- John C., ARMA Director, May 2001.

Updated Nov. 2003 / Oct 2004.

Note: ARMA™ - The Association for Renaissance Martial Arts and the ARMA logo are federally registered trademarks, copyright © 2001. All rights reserved. No use
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prohibited. HACA and The Historical Armed Combat Association copyright © 1999 by John Clements. All rights reserved. Contents of this site © 1999 by ARMA.

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