Rob Childs Rapier Vid 39 - Off Hand & Opponent Manipulation

/ castleandsword
When I fence single sword, people often notice I move my left hand in a rather unique way. As a result, I get a lot of questions about it. It is not just a means of defense but a means of communication that allows me to manipulate the way my opponent fences. In this video I cover the how and why to the technique of employing my off hand.
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[@tommyss4l]

I remember the waggle from when I fenced Olympic, it generally got my opponents a blade in the hand or face.
If you want to get better at using your off hand, there are tons of rapier treatises which show the use of them, Puck some plays and drill them.

[@BernasLL]

I often use my hand as bait. I'll try moving it as you say, sounds promising.

[@tanterouge]

This parallels a tactic I've used in poker to great success. Poker is all about tells, but what I tend to do is just add a lot randomness to the conversation and work by information overload, just loudly gasping or repeatedly making small comments that I then retract. At some point the opponent is juggling a lot of decisions about what sign is real or not, and then they tend to make whatever decision the stress pulls them towards.

[@Ssimatch1]

Very engaging, LTC. I sure wish you can film these in a castle.

[@RobertChildsRapier]

Give it time. A castle is coming.

[@felixselwyn]

Keeping the offhand moving, I am going to start using that for instruction.

[@RobertChildsRapier]

It was a tremendously helpful new habit to break the curse of the "static hand".

[@BaconHer0]

I wonder if people who are good at using both their hands in fencing are also good at the "rub head and rub tummy inverse" exercise

[@DrLeroy76]

On a semi-related tangent: How ambidextrous are you? Have you often fenced with your primary weapon in your less-favoured hand?

[@RobertChildsRapier]

I am good with my left hand but, as you would expect, not as skillful as my right.