Body Mechanics

Principles are the key to turning a specific solution to one problem into something you can use to solve more problems.

Here are some biomechanical principles I have developed help me to protect my body from injury, develop and express power, and reduce effort when fencing:

• the knee must bend in the same direction as the foot is pointing
• the foot should point in the direction of weight transfer
• when in a guard the elbows should point towards the ground unless the arm is straight
• when stepping forwards and outside the diameter of the shoulders the heel should land first
• when stepping backwards or sideways relative to the hips the ball of the foot should land first
• when stepping within the diameter of the shoulders the ball of the foot should land first
• the shoulders should remain back and down
• joints should remain unlocked
• the centre of mass should always be between the feet
• muscles should be as relaxed as possible at all times
• minimise the time spent with one foot off the ground

Having principles like these and talking about them is important. Historical treatises don’t generally include this sort of information; many HEMA practitioners have no other martial arts backgrounds; and even for those people who do understand these principles they may not necessarily be able to verbalise them to teach them.

Here’s an example of someone else thinking about some of the same things.

Whether you agree with my list or you have your own alternative, learning body mechanics as principles allows you to interpret something completely new from a historical book and turn it into an effective technique.