La Zone Dangereuse

(With absolutely no apologies to Kenny Loggins)

There's two parts to this game: one played from engagement, as close to the decision point as possible, as per CLA best practice; and one played starting at wide distance with an approach into engagement.

This game starts as close to the point of decision as possible: engagment and subjection. The teaching/learning aim is to devlop a sense of when and how to deal with, for the attacker, how to use the defender's action to buy time to make the touch, and, for the defender, how to counter being subjected and make your own touch. Additionally, both the attacker and defender are challenged to maintain their safety while acting.

Rules: In this game there is an attacker (A) and a defender (D). Both are seeking to make a touch on the other. The trick is the initial setup.

D starts in either tierce or quarte as they please. They may not act until A subjects their blade. D may not move their feet through the game; only sword actions are allowed. A starts at close measure and engages D's sword, weak-on-weak. A subjects D's blade using a half-thrust, strong-on-weak engagement, etc. Only when A's action to subject D is in progress (or complete) is D allowed to act.

The is an extention to the basic game which adds the approach into engagement from wide distance, bringing the whole game to more closely a “live” sparring environment.

Rules: