La Verdadera Destreza: The True Art and Skill of Spanish Swordsmanship Volume I

Martinez Academy of Arms presents “La Verdadera Destreza: The True Art and Skill of Spanish Swordsmanship Volume I” produced by Anthony De Longis and Palpable Hit Productions.

This introductory video set (when combined with Volumes II) is designed to present the Spanish School of Swordsmanship, La Verdadera Destreza, in a simple comprehensible form to the modern swordsman training without a master. It will provide you with the most fundamental elements of the Spanish School of Swordsmanship so that as potential Diestros, you may practice basic skills, techniques, and drills. Based upon the texts of Spanish masters Don Jeronimo Sanchez de Carranza and Don Luis Pacheco de Narvaez, and other masters of the period, La Verdadera Destreza is designed as a two-volume instructional guide gleaned from over twenty years of research and study of the historical Spanish treatises by Maestro Ramón Martínez.

With the assistance of Maestro Jeannette Acosta-Martinez and Anthony De Longis, Maestro Ramón Martínez teaches these skills in short, sequential lessons which include simple drills that illustrate the fundamentals of La Verdadera Destreza.

Volume 1: Instruction and drills covering:
- Weapon and Blade Selection
- Proper Grip
- Positions of the Hand
- The Stance - Afirmarse
- Footwork - Compases
- Blade Actions - Atajo, Cambio de Atajo, and Oppositions
- Developing Sensitivity - Tacto
- Building Your Own Circle