[A short review/overview of the Hussar Sabre & Fokos seminar featuring Russ and hosted by Mike Cherba and the folks at Northwest Armizare, Sherwood, OR, USA, 4-5 Nov., 2023]
A core aspect of teaching, of the Art, is remaining a student. Whenever I can, I take lessons, classes, any seminars to learn, unlearn, or improve, because we’re never finished learning. As my old kendo master once shared, even at his level his own master would fix things as elemental as his grip whenever they met up. In tandem with cultivating a student mind, I encourage my own students (when they’re ready) to seek out other teachers, and, better fencers.
This past weekend I had another chance to work with a better fencer, the excellent Russ Mitchell (Winged Sabre Historical Fencing, Irving, TX, USA), and explore new material. [1] One of the traditions Russ learned while in Budapest was a broken lineage for sabre, one adapted to the unique needs of early 20th century soldiers in greatcoats, carrying packs, and either in ranks or in trenches. Professor Hidán Csaba, with whom Russ studied in the late 1990s, learned this system from his grandfather, a drill master in the later years of the Great War, and from his grandfather’s friends. [2] Russ will be the first to add that we lack much of the pedagogical apparatus for the system, but through study and his time in Hungary, he is confident that much of the physical game is correct. If I may offer a proof for it, I have found fencing his students extremely difficult—they are not duelists where most of us, whether we admit it or not, are.
Movement & Bones
Among the many hats Russ wears he’s also an expert in movement. A student of the Feldenkaris Method, his approach to martial arts includes many of the tenets of the Method, and, for the better. [3] To be quite honest, I had not heard of FM until this weekend, but have now seen, firsthand, its effectiveness. In grade school I fractured my right wrist badly—the bones were all but poking out of the skin. It did not set super well, and so for decades I’ve not been able to supinate fully. Years of fencing, racquet sports, etc. added layer upon layer of compensation for this issue. Then, in 2001, I was in a serious auto accident, one that injured my shoulder and released all the horrors that might not have appeared until later, tennis elbow chief among them.
Sunday, before the second day of class, Russ kindly took a look at my arm. We chatted first and I gave him the history and general problems I experience with it. He examined my arm, had me perform a few exercises, and then had me supinate again. I believe I said, well, shouted, “WTF…” in disbelief. Where I had been able to turn my hand maybe 120 degrees on a good day, here I was supinating to about 170 degrees. I couldn’t believe it. I have homework to do, and I’ve never been more motivated to do it, but I have far more mobility in my wrist, and best of all, did not experience the usual, weekly night of hell with a neck and backache I cannot treat save through heat, ice, and leaning into the pain. [4]
Lest one think that the seminar included certain smokable plants and esoterica, it didn’t. Russ explained much of what we were doing in terms of what bones, muscles, and tendons were working at any one time. The first half of Saturday, for example, explored balance, weight-shifting, and the biomechanics of the lunge. I said last April that Russ had changed my understanding and approach to teaching the lunge—this portion of the class added to that understanding, and, as before, though we spent a LOT of time lunging, no one was tired. For anyone who has spent time in an Olympic school and knows how challenging footwork drills can be, that should reveal just how effective Russ’ system is.
Hussar Sabre
Following the lunge portion, we then learned the rudiments of the Hussar sabre system Csaba imparted to Russ. The footwork, cutting mechanics, and options this system uses are simple, but not simplistic. The videos that Russ has shared on YouTube will give one a far better idea than any description I provide can, so please see the link below to his channel. [5] Of note, this is an unforgiving, effective, and brutally efficient system of sabre.
Significantly, this system assumes a curved sabre, and, takes complete advantage of false-edge cuts. Measure is generally closer than someone from my background is comfortable with, but this said it fits the system well. The first four cuts, one through four, bisect the target in an “X” formation: cut 1 descends from the right, cut 2 from the left; cut 3 ascends from the right, 4 from the left. There are other cuts, including horizontal blows, but we spent the most time with 1 and 2, and, options from there as both attacker and defender. This was especially valuable to me as having fought a school of people using this system, and knowing how challenging it is, I know have a better idea of how it works.
Fokos
Sunday we started out with more bio-mechanic work to prep us for working with the fokos or shepherd’s axe. Sometimes described Stateside as a long-hafted tomahawk (an apt analogy), this axe was long-used by shepherds, but was also used in the Great War. Russ showed us the military application he was taught, but also some of the “folk” uses. The latter, for example, might help one collar old uncle Boris after he overindulged at the pub. Like the sabre, one is using more of the hips and torso to propel the weapon and block. This means that one turns to stay behind the weapon.
One thing I did not anticipate, it not being my thing, was the amount of grappling one can do with the fokos, either against someone without the weapon or with one. The hooking ability of the axe can bind up not only an opposing fokos, but limbs. We explored this aspect in the “folk” portion, and like most folk arts a fair amount of learning how to use the axe to assist grappling is experimental. Russ armed us with a few principles, demonstrated a few set-ups, and then had us play with these actions and ideas.
The military portion was more intuitive for me as the starting position is one shared with bayonet. That is not an accident. Given the weight of the average rifle ca. 1915 the fokos makes for a much faster, nimble tool. Our brief exposure to this weapon only increased my sense of horror that attended trench warfare. [6] It’s a delightfully nasty weapon.
Take Aways
Russ told us our brains would be full and he wasn’t wrong. I’m still processing a lot of what we covered, never mind reeling from the fact I can supinate on my right side now. That still seems unreal.
At the risk of sounding sycophantic, Russ is one of a handful of instructors whom I would advise anyone to work with regardless of what he’s teaching. His knowledge is as deep as it is varied, his skill impressive, and he has a fantastic sense of humor. Moreover, and one sees this is his books, Russ is aware that not everyone is 19 and a paragon of fitness. As easily the oldest person at the seminar this weekend, I might have special appreciation for this fact, but what this means is that regardless of one’s shape, ability, or fitness level, Russ can and will work with you, and, you’ll get something out of it. A lot of something.
In addition to his videos (see link below), Russ is a prolific author, and produces works that combine the rigor of his academic training with an ease of reading that is often rare in our field. Buy his books and read them; watch his videos; and if you have a chance to take a class with him, whatever it is, take it. You need not thank me, but you might wish to. [7]
NOTES:
[1] See https://saladellatrespade.com/2023/04/24/a-bar-raiser/
[2] Russ Mitchell, Hungarian Hussar Sabre and Fokos Fencing, Irving, TX: Happycrow Publishing, 2019, xiii-xvi.
[3] For more on the Feldenkrais Method, see https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/feldenkrais-method ; see also https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/?term=feldenkrais+method ; the Wikipedia entry, one should know, was written and monitored by an opponent of the school.
For Russ’ practice, see https://irvingfeldenkrais.com/
[4] I have spent a lot of time, off and on, studying both yoga and MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction), the latter thanks to the cancer program at OHSU (see for example https://www.apa.org/topics/mindfulness/meditation). Much of what we covered echoed what I have learned in these disciplines as well as in various PT sessions for injuries.
[5] Russ’ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@russmitchellmovement/playlists
[6] My paternal grandfather fought in the Great War, and though he didn’t like to talk about it, I learned from my own father that between the sound of gas canisters and trench warfare, it was utterly terrifying. I can’t imagine having to face one of these axes–they may look small and delicate, but they’re effective and quick.
Capitale Escrime Historical Fencing 