Middle Sword Disarm
Narrow Play - Verse 77
Rotate sword, separate opponent's arms, disarm by leverage
Translation
This is the middle sword disarm. The technique involves rotating the opponent's sword as in the first disarm, but the grip on the opponent's arm is different. Unlike the first disarm, which binds both of the opponent's arms together, this middle disarm separates one arm and hand from the other. By doing this, the opponent cannot maintain their strength to hold onto their sword, and it will fall from their hands. Execute this with your sword, or potentially with the opponent's own sword, pressing the blade against their body.
Fiore's Words
I am the middle sword disarm, made a thousand times by Fiore Furlano. I turn your sword just like the first technique turns, but my grip is not the same. I don't want the trouble of binding both your arms. Instead, I separate one arm and hand from the other. You're not so strong that you can keep your sword from falling from your hands. With my sword or yours, I press the point against your body and bring you grief.
Combat Context
Applied during narrow play when you have crossed swords with your opponent. This is a variation disarm used when you prefer not to deal with the complexity of binding both of the opponent's arms simultaneously. By separating their arms, you create a mechanical advantage that causes them to lose their weapon regardless of their strength. After disarming, you maintain control by threatening them with either sword.
Training Notes
- ✦ This builds on 'the first' sword disarm; practitioners must learn that technique first to understand the sword rotation reference
- ✦ The key difference is in the arm control: instead of binding both arms, isolate and separate one arm from the other
- ✦ Position your left foot outside your opponent's base for leverage advantage (as shown in Getty and Morgan images)
- ✦ Focus on creating a mechanical disadvantage. When the arms are separated, the opponent cannot generate unified strength to retain their weapon
- ✦ After the disarm succeeds, immediately threaten with the point to control the opponent's movement
- ✦ Practice with both scenarios: using your own sword and using the opponent's sword after the disarm
- ✦ The rotation must be practised slowly first to understand how it generates the disarm without requiring excessive strength
This is card FL77 from the Fiore dei Liberi Sword In Two Hands deck.
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[30v-a] ¶ Questo e'l mezano tor de spada chi lo sa fare. Tal voltar di spada si fa in questo, qual al primo. Salvo che le prese non sono eguale.
This is how you do the middle sword disarm. The rotation of the opponent’s sword is the same as in the first disarm, but the grip on his arm is not the same.
[15v-b] Questo e lo mezano tor de spada, chi lo sa far tal voltar de spada se fa ad aquesto come se fa allo primar, Salvo che le prese non sono inguali.[25] Lo primo tore de spada liga tr'ambedui gli brazi. Io non voio avere quigli impazi. Io sepero uno brazo e le mane una via dall'altra. El non e si forte che me la possa tegnir, che'l non gle la faza delle mane cadere. Come e ditto de sovra, Io son lo tore de spada mezano, che mille volte l'a fatto Fior furlano.
This is the taking of the sword from the middle: whoever knows how to make such turnings of the sword makes this one just as the first is made, save only that the catch is not the same. The first taking of the sword binds both of the arms, but I do not want to have such trouble so I separate one arm and hand from the other. He is not so strong that he could hold [his sword] and keep it from falling. As was said above, I am the taking of the sword from the middle, which was made a thousand times by Fiore Furlano.
[24a-c] Lo meçano tor de spada aqui io faço E cum mia spada o tua te faro impaço
Here I make the taking of the sword in the middle, And I will give you grief with my sword or yours.
[29r-d] ¶ Accipiens ensem / medianum protinus ictum Efficio / mucrone premens tua membra furentj Vel proprio / vel forte tuo quem credis adesse.
I immediately execute the “middle sword taking” Blow, pressing your limbs using a raging sword, Either with my own, or by chance yours, which you rely on to be present.