HAMMABORG: Historical Swordsmanship
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The Twerhau

The Twerhau can be executed from both sides. The trajectory of the stroke is the transition from the guard vom Tag into the guard Ochs. Especially when striking the right Twerhau with its final position resembling left Ochs, it is of the utmost importance to turn the hands sufficiently: The long edge should face to a four o'clock position. In this way the fingers are well protected against being hit. When striking the left Twerhau, the sword is held accordingly in the end: The short edge faces to an eight o'clock position.

The Twerhau is one of the four displacements/Versetzen and breaks the guard vom Tag. Since the guards are no static positions one doesn't wait until the opponent has reached his final guard position but attacks in advance.

The Twerhau is a technique against vertical Oberhaue.

For reasons of clarity the techniques are shown from both sides.

The Twerhau

Dark is the attacker and begins with a vertical Oberhau to Green's head.

Green raises his hands over and in front of his head. He catches his opponent's blade with the crossguard and protects himself by this from being hit. Simultaneously, he makes use of the energy of the absorbed stroke and flings his point to Dark's temple in a rotating movement.

When doing so, he steps a little off-line but not so much as when striking a Zornhau for instance. It is essential not to tuck in the arms, otherwise one cannot persist against powerful blows.

Reverse-striking another Twerhau/Umschlagen

Even a strong Twerhau is not as powerful as a common Oberhau. Therefore it is important to keep on attacking in order to beat the opponent for sure. A fast possibility is an immediate second Twerhau.

Since Green has caught Dark's blade at the crossguard, i.e. at the strong of his blade, he uses the crossguard as a lever and catapults Dark's blade to the right and out of the way.

Green brings his sword from a left Ochs into a right Ochs. The hands must not be pulled back.

Green hits Dark's temple again, this time on the other side. Depending on the distance, this second technique can be executed either with or without another step.