March of Marozzo

Marozzo’s progression…I have taught that damned thing so many times, in so many different ways…I’m always eager to abandon it from my teaching repertoire. Familiarity can breed contempt. It’s a bit inescapable, though. Marozzo’s method makes the guards into valuable assets when you have them thoroughly understood. You don’t need them to understand his method. You can parse out the tactical lessons and apply them without needing to use his entire method, but you do lose some of the flair, and some of the deeper lessons. I’ve always been of the opinion that later systems are not so much better as they are simpler. More efficient methods of teaching and learning swordplay, more elegant presentations of the core of the art. Marozzo is the harder path, taking longer to learn and master, but offering more at the end of the day. I’d resolved to include more guard work with my…