Montante (or Spadone) training

[Sir Edward]

These guys are taking a nice relaxed, light pace. They're practicing with a longsword vs montante.

I'd love to get a steel trainer for this. The montante is a longer, strictly two-handed sword as compared to a longsword (the Albion Dane is in this size class). The spadone is more massive, though not necessarily any longer than the montante.

The larger two-handed swords are like a force of nature, particularly the spadone, which typically would weigh between 5 and 8 pounds. They have to be kept moving, in fluid arcs, and frequently their own momentum is all that's needed to blast through someone else's attack or parry. In fact, some of the techniques are designed to fend off multiple attackers at once.



A&A makes some good trainers for this, but there are other cheaper alternatives as well. The thing is, though A&A costs a bit, you know you're getting a solid, quality trainer.

[Joshua Santana]

Sir Edward speaks truth here.  I also can say that this video match was awesome to watch.  My favorite parts of this bout were the decisive, sneaky thrusts the montante practitioner used against the longsword opponent.  These thrusts from the spadone/montante are difficult to counter. 

This reminds a bit of the last day at NHSC where we all did the "Julius Caesar" games for responding to different attacks and using different counters.  I used Das Bill's Montante Trainer for a portion of the game.  At one point I faced a Rapier opponent using both Rapier and Dagger.  I stood with the Montante in a modified Schrankut (Barrier Guard: Liechtenauer Tradition) also known as Tutta Porta di Ferro (Full Iron Gate: Fiore Tradition), I quickly transitioned to a modified Langenort (Longpoint: Liechtenauer Tradition) also Posta Breve (Short Point: Fiore Tradition) and made a small thrust to my opponent's chest and my opponent completely walked into my point!   

I also had the privilege of handling Tom Leoni's Del Tin Spadone trainer (which is an amazing beauty in aesthetics and in handling: http://www.arts-swords.com/item/DT-DT5167.asp, http://www.deltin.net/5167.htm, http://kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=DT5167&name=Del+Tin+Italian+Two+Handed+Sword).  The weapon was designed to use the wielder's inertia to move the entire blade in any desired direction.  There is no need to force any half cut or full cut.  The entire sword once started moves by itself and when it moves, it feels great! 

I will honestly state that I am not only an aspiring longsword practitioner, I will pick up the spadone/montante and start training with it.  It is an awesome weapon that teaches intense body mechanics when making the cut or thrust.  I recommend it for students who need to work on their body mechanics.  (I will also confess that I am addicted to Armizare (the Fiore Tradition, Bolognese Swordsmanship and Iberian Montante fencing  )

The larger two-handed swords are like a force of nature, particularly the spadone, which typically would weigh between 5 and 8 pounds. They have to be kept moving, in fluid arcs, and frequently their own momentum is all that's needed to blast through someone else's attack or parry. In fact, some of the techniques are designed to fend off multiple attackers at once.

   

Quite true indeed.  The Spadone/Montante was also used in the battlefield and the judicial duel.  People often assume they were used to cut the pike heads of a pike formation, this is accurate and it was used in the private or judicial duel (although there are few historical sources that detail this).  Never the less it became a premier weapon during the Renaissance in conjunction with the Renaissance Sword (or Side Sword as people will call it.)  http://www.ejmas.com/jwma/articles/2000/jwmaart_melville_0100.htm 

Before I forget here are the links to the A&A Spadone and Montante trainers.  I have also included other trainers from different sources.  Enjoy!

http://www.swordcrafts.com/?page_id=71
http://www.alcheminc.com/spadone.html
http://www.lutel-handicraft.com/?p=productsList&iCategory=30&sName=Two-handed-swords
http://www.armor.com/train233.html
http://www.armor.com/train234.html

[Lord Dane]

Movements are very fluent. Very good, solid defense so long as you keep constant motion going against one opponent & maintain defensible positioning (static or dynamic) against multiple opponents. A very advantageous weapon in the right-hands. 

[Sir James A]

Neat to see it in use. I have Ken Mondschein's two handed sword book, which I thought involved a lot of circular stuff, but when I talked to him on facebook, he said it's very similar to longsword. I was lost at that point over technical terms. I'd like to get one, someday.

[Joshua Santana]

Movements are very fluent. Very good, solid defense so long as you keep constant motion going against one opponent & maintain defensible positioning (static or dynamic) against multiple opponents. A very advantageous weapon in the right-hands. 

Quite true Lord Dane, in fact you outlined one of the Montante/Spadone's capabilities.   '

Neat to see it in use. I have Ken Mondschein's two handed sword book, which I thought involved a lot of circular stuff, but when I talked to him on facebook, he said it's very similar to longsword. I was lost at that point over technical terms. I'd like to get one, someday.

That is great Sir James!  The same goes me in terms of owning one soon.  Also glad you have Ken's book which I think is a valuable read.  By the circular movements that Ken mentioned that are what the Italians call the "Trammazone" or a "Trammazoncello".  The Portugese call it transitions from "Revez" or "Talho" (synonymous with "Mandritto" and Riverso": Right and Left sides in the Italian tradition, Fiore and Bolognese traditions) to an "Atlabaho" or what the Italians call a "Fendente" (same as a vertical Oberhau). 

Here is what it looks like in action.  I hope this helps.