Freeplay Preparation
There is a wide gap between basic set drills and competitive freeplay. To bridge that gap we use a systematic approach to skill development, carefully controlling the level of complexity so that the student is failing at the optimal rate. This bridge is known within the school as either "freeplay preparation", or "skill development". This page is adapted from the relevant chapter in The Theory and Practice of Historical Martial Arts.
Relevant Resources
The process is also covered in detail in all of our online courses, including:
The Complete Medieval Longsword Course
The Philippo Vadi Longsword Course
The Philippo Vadi Dagger Course
These are all available in the Mastering the Art of Arms membership package.
Freeplay Preparation
Freeplay (also called sparring or fencing) is a core component of historical martial arts training, but it is also where many training programmes break down. Students often find that actions practised successfully in drills fail under the pressure, unpredictability, and speed of freeplay.
This page outlines a structured approach to preparing for freeplay, focusing on the transition from set drills to unscripted fencing, while maintaining safety, control, and technical integrity. 
Purpose of Freeplay Preparation
The goal of preparation is not simply to “start sparring”, but to build a reliable bridge between: • co-operative drills, and • functional performance under pressure.
Historical sources tend to present short, idealised sequences that are easy to drill but difficult to apply in freeplay. Preparation is therefore required to ensure that: • technique survives stress, • decision-making improves, • and freeplay reinforces good practice rather than undermining it. 
Developing Physical Control
Before freeplay, students should demonstrate control over speed, power, and distance.
The pell is used to develop precision and restraint under speed. Useful exercises include: • striking quickly without touching the pell, • delivering light, controlled contact to a marked target, • moving into measure smoothly to deliver a pre-chosen strike, • the “99 strikes” exercise: 100 cuts without contact; any touch resets the count to zero. 
These exercises help ensure that power can be moderated under stress. See Using the Pell for more details.
Troubleshooting Freeplay
When something fails in freeplay, it usually falls into one of three categories: 1. familiar actions executed too fast or hard, 2. unfamiliar actions, 3. confusion about what actually occurred.
The solution in all cases is to slow the exchange down and reconstruct it. This requires a trained skill.
Fencing Memory
Fencing memory is the ability to accurately recall and describe what just happened.
A useful drill involves three roles: • attacker, • defender, • observer.
The exchange is limited to a single attack and defence. Afterward, each participant describes the phrase in detail, starting with the action that landed and working backwards. Video can be used to support this process.
Once short exchanges can be reliably recalled and repeated, additional actions are added. Being able to reconstruct a phrase of several actions is a prerequisite for productive freeplay. 
Building the Bridge from Drills to Freeplay
Every drill should have: • a tactical context (why this action is appropriate), • a technical solution (how it is executed).
Failures are either tactical (wrong choice) or technical (poor execution), and these should be diagnosed before attempting corrections.
Working Combinations
From a basic drill sequence, variations are introduced: • different attacks from the same starting point, • multiple possible defences to the same attack, • counters and recounters.
The aim is not to memorise endless sequences, but to identify weak areas and begin grouping actions into manageable tactical ideas. 
Increasing Complexity Safely
Several systematic methods allow drills to evolve toward freeplay:
1. Who Moves First?
Change who initiates, or require movement from outside measure before the exchange begins.
2. Add a Step
Allow the “loser” of an exchange to attempt a counter if possible, extending the phrase gradually.
3. Degrees of Freedom
Introduce controlled decision points: • the attacker may vary the attack, • the defender may choose among defences, • counters may differ.
Each added decision increases unpredictability while remaining structured.
4. The Rule of Cs
Drills are progressed through: 1. Co-operation (correct choreography), 2. Coaching (increasing difficulty while maintaining success), 3. Competition (both parties trying to make the action work, within agreed constraints).
This progression prevents drills from collapsing into uncontrolled sparring. 
Pressure Drills
Pressure drills isolate the effect of stress and fatigue. A common format involves: • one fencer in the middle, • two partners alternating attacks, • continuous action without pauses.
As fatigue increases, technical flaws emerge. Successfully maintaining form under these conditions indicates readiness for freeplay. 
Setting Up Freeplay
Freeplay requires: • appropriate weapons, • suitable protective equipment, • clear rules, • and active supervision.
Rules should be tailored to: • the level of protection, • the skill of the least experienced fencer, • and the training goal of the bout.
Before You Fence
Before any bout, participants should agree on: 1. safety standards and equipment, 2. permitted techniques, 3. permitted targets, 4. how hits are defined and acknowledged, 5. duration or scoring method, 6. who oversees the bout.
All fencing should begin and end with courtesy. Self-command is a defining characteristic of competent swordsmanship. 
Summary
Effective freeplay preparation involves:
• developing control, • training fencing memory, • systematically expanding drills, • and introducing pressure in a controlled way.
When done correctly, freeplay becomes a natural extension of training.
