Slow Play - The Bridge Between Drilling and Sparring
So I went to SwordPunk May 2025 and it was excellent - but far too hot for my brain in holiday mode to pop the heavy gear on. Luckily I had a couple occasions to engage in Slow Play with good friends. And this got me thinking:
Developing skill is more than simply memorizing techniques and cultivating raw speed and power —it’s about applying techniques effectively under pressure. This is where slow play comes in, acting as the vital middle step between isolated drills and full-speed sparring with safety gear. I feel this is worth promoting, and something I’d like to engage in more often.
From Theory to Application
Drilling techniques in isolation is essential for learning proper form, footwork, and mechanics. However, static drills often lack the unpredictability of real combat, or may lull you into a false sense of competence. Most HEMAists value aliveness in their art, and this means pressure testing and sparring. Fighting at full speed and power, on the other hand, demands quick thinking and reflexes but can lead to rushed, sloppy technique without deliberate practice. It also demands heavy safety gear to manage the risk of shoving a sword into your friends with intent.
What’s worse, jumping from drilling straight into high-intensity sparring actually increases risk even with the padding on - sparring partners initially fight their equipment as much as their opponent, leading to overcompensation in power and force. Coupled with a sense of being overwhelmed, dividing attention between the opponent, restrictive heavy padding and trying to remember a lesson and a lack of ingrained muscle memory, this can lead to cases of sparring anxiety, tunnel vision and growing frustrations.
Many fencers burn out at this point and become disillusioned with high-intensity sparring, trying to do too much, too soon. Some develop severe anxieties over the restrictive equipment as a necessary step towards meaningful skill acquisition (forever chasing the perfect glove or jacket that will finally unlock their potential - rarely the root cause of the frustrations, but that’s a topic for another time...)
Slow play bridges this gap, allowing fencers to transition from theory to application without sacrificing control, removing obstacles and ramping up live application with minimal safety equipment but critically without increasing risk. We can focus on one thing at a time, creating a safe space in which to experiment and explore movement, motion and application.
Why Slow Play Matters
Refining Technique Under Pressure – Slow play allows fighters to apply techniques dynamically while maintaining precision. Instead of reacting purely on instinct, they have time to analyse their movements and refine their approach.
Developing Tactical Awareness – Controlled exchanges help practitioners recognize patterns, experiment with strategies, and learn to anticipate an opponent’s intent before speed becomes a factor.
Building Muscle Memory for Sparring – Executing techniques at a reduced speed ensures that movements are properly ingrained, making them more effective when performed at full intensity.
Enhancing Safety and Control – By practicing in slow play, fencers learn how to manage distance and execute techniques responsibly, reducing the risk of uncontrolled or reckless engagements.
The Transition to Full-Speed Sparring
Once proficiency is developed through slow play, fencers can gradually increase intensity. Instead of jumping straight into high-speed exchanges, fighters who practice slow play first maintain structure and precision even in full-contact scenarios. They move with intent rather than aggression, ensuring that their techniques are executed as they were trained.
Here’s my thoughts and recommendations, which may well become policy for future FederWyrm SlowPlay workshops (watch out for those)
Recommended Minimum Safety Gear:
Fencing Mask (350N or higher) – Protects the face and eyes from accidental thrusts or strikes.
Padded Gloves – Provides hand protection against light impacts and accidental blade contact.
Gorget (Throat Protector) – Shields the neck from stray thrusts.
Forearm Guards – Helps prevent bruising or injury from incidental strikes.
Additional Considerations:
Blunt or Feder-style Weapons – Ensure all swords and sabres used are blunt-edged to reduce injury risk, are flexible enough and have a rolled or spatulated tip.
Padded Training Swords – Foam or padded practice weapons can be an excellent tool for beginners or specific drills, minimizing impact while maintaining technique. (Anecdotally, even some of my advanced students like to strip off gear and break out the foam swords - they’re fun, easy and a good fencer can give a surprisingly technical fight with them…)
Controlled Movements – Emphasize precision and control over force, ensuring that all participants respect the slow play philosophy.
Clear Safety Rules – Establish guidelines for engagement, including no excessive force, no uncontrolled strikes, and immediate stops if safety is compromised.
The Gear Fallacy
This above setup ensures a safe and effective training environment while staying true to the principles of slow play. Naturally, there is always a lingering temptation to put on additional safety gear because - well, more is better, right? Maybe not…
This often stems from a natural desire to minimize risk. It’s easy to believe that more padding, thicker gloves, or extra armor will make practice safer, but this can sometimes create a false sense of security.
When fighters feel overly protected, they may take greater risks, throwing strikes with less control or neglecting the fundamentals of safe engagement. Instead of fostering careful technique, excessive gear can lead to clumsy or reckless movement, reducing the respect for proper distance and timing. True safety in slow play comes not from overwhelming protection but from awareness, control, and mutual responsibility between practitioners.
This is also made worse if the level of gear is mismatched: the fighter with less gear may instinctively hold back, fearing injury, while the more protected fighter may engage more aggressively, leading to an unfair dynamic.
Not that I’m disparaging safety gear - it is an essential part of any martial discipline—not only a moral responsibility, but also a legal requirement for professional martial artists. It plays a crucial role in mitigating injuries, ensuring that practice remains controlled and safe. However, safety gear alone does not prevent accidents—true safety comes from responsible technique, mutual respect, and appropriate intensity.
There is always a balance to be struck. The more intense the practice, the more protection is needed, but slow play deliberately reduces this intensity, allowing fighters to refine their skills without relying on excessive armor. The goal is not to abandon protection, but to use the right equipment for the right level of engagement, fostering a training environment where precision and control take precedence over brute force.
The Art of Flow in Fencing
When you do this for a while you notice something deeply meditative about slow play when practiced with mutual respect in a relaxed, supportive environment. As the rhythm of movement unfolds, the mind quiets, and focus sharpens—not on winning, not on force, but on pure clarity and presence.
For those who want to advance their fencing while maintaining respect for history, technique, and their opponents, slow play is not just a method—it can be a philosophy. By embracing it as an integral stage of learning, fencers ensure that when the moment comes for full-speed combat, they are not just reacting, but thinking, adapting, and mastering.
When both fencers commit to the process, slow play becomes an exploration rather than a contest. Each exchange is deliberate, measured, and fluid—less a fight, more a conversation in steel. It is in these moments that fencing transcends technique and transforms into flow, that elusive state where thought and action merge seamlessly.
Like the steady breath of a Zen practitioner or the effortless glide of a calligrapher’s brush, slow play fosters awareness without tension, allowing skill to unfold naturally. Strikes find their path without struggle, defences emerge instinctively, and a deeper understanding of movement and intent takes root.
In the end, slow play reminds us that mastery is not just about speed, but about control, connection, and presence—the ability to engage with both discipline and ease.
It is fencing at its most thoughtful, where the sword is not merely wielded, but understood.
…and also, in the late spring sun, under fragrant trees and with good friends, it’s a rather excellent thing to do!
…let’s have some more of that!
