Freeplay is an important part of testing an understanding of the master’s teachings. But that does not happen if we are not doing freeplay right. What is worse is that freeplay done wrong teaches that stupid things are a good idea. I could write volumes on this, but other people already have. Let me share something interesting with you. Here is a paper about the context of competition and men carrying swords in Meyer’s day. This really should be required reading before anyone studies Meyer. Understanding this is essential.
Read that article and ask yourself some questions about the differences between today’s competition rules and Meyer’s:
- What differences do you see?
- What caused a match to stop?
- Who was allowed to compete?
- How safe was competition?
- What targets were emphasized and why?
In Meyer’s day, martial sword skill mattered. The men who competed were also the same men were called on to use swords to fight and kill. Competitive sword fighting needed to be set up to complement that reality.
These are the things on my mind when I see people freeplaying and both suddenly stop fighting in close range as one gets hit in the hip; as if a judge just suddenly called “point” and everyone must now stop. It makes me shake my head.
I sometimes get asked things like this: Why does Meyer expect almost every attack to be coming at the head? Why don’t Meyer’s devices from Wrath Guard work very well when wearing a helmet?
Understanding Meyer or his teachings requires studying them in freeplay that resembles the context that Meyer lived in. Understanding that context is just critical and it can be done.
Many modern historical fencers probably think that our movement is getting more and more advanced, maturing into a more accurate historical martial art as time goes on. That is just wrong. All of the potential for a misguided community exists today that existed around the time that it originally became misguided hundreds of years ago. That is what happens when people doing it wrong stop dying for their mistakes and a new, popular, and fun sport rises up and eats the martial tradition.
What is the context of your freeplay?