"Secret Teachings"

Last night I was asked (Probably half in jest) to teach some secret techniques. Well, there's an interesting paradox about fencing and martial arts in general. The more secret something is the less astoundingly important and effective it's likely to be. For hundreds of years European fencing masters talked of "Passe Secreta" or secret moves that would ensure victory. This in all truth is nothing more than a marketing ploy to keep you coming back for more lessons!

A fencing Master named Thibaust invented the Mysterious Circle which was meant to provide an arithmetically certain method of victory. In reality it was so unwieldy that it never worked in a combat situation. However, as it was widely adopted by the Spanish School of fencing, Spanish fencers were unreasonably feared for many years!

The paradox is that it is actually the supposedly basic and obvious techniques that are more likely to ensure you victory on the piste. If you can master the art of footwork, timing and distance, your chances of victory are greatly increased! Complex techniqes are only likely to work in rare circumstances; it's the everyday that you must master.... So unfortunately I have no secrets to teach; just the foundations of the art.