It's All in the Timing:
Concepts of Combative Timing in Historical Italian Swordsmanship

 

Timing, it is said, is everything. Sun Tzu, writing his "Art of War" in the time of China's Zhou dynasty, spoke of when it is advantageous to strike at the enemy, and when it is advantageous to wait. On a smaller scale, seizing the opportune moment in which to strike the adversary, or, consequently, thwarting the adversary's own attempts to strike oneself, is an integral part of any martial art. And, in keeping with the endless classification and analysis characteristic of Western thinking, European systems of fencing have a very sophisticated vocabulary with which to describe timing. These conceptions, which give names to practices found within the fighting systems of many nations, will no doubt found to be a useful training tool, as well as a spur to martial creativity. Indeed, in his "Tao of Jeet Kune Do," Bruce Lee's concept of the "intercepting fist" was highly influenced by his study of fencing. A study of timing may also aid judges in martial arts competitions, who may begin to better recognize and give credit to various types of counters to attacks thereby.

This article therefore intends to explain conceptions of timing found in one tradition of Western swordsmanship, the Italian schools of rapier fencing that existed in the early modern era, in a way that will be useful and accessible to practitioners of all martial arts. The reason why we have chosen the rapier to illustrate these concepts is that this particular weapon is a long, relatively slow thrust-and-cut sword that necessitates a sophisticated sense of timing for its effective use. Later in the history of fencing in Italy, the weapons grew lighter and quicker, and the definitions changed somewhat to reflect these new realities.

The concepts of fencing time ("tempo schermistico") found in Italian rapier are several: "stesso tempo", or "single (literally, "self") time;" "dui tempi," or "double time;" "mezzo tempo," or "in the middle of the time," the action made "in tempo," or "in time," and "contratempo," "counter-time," or "against the time." It is important to note that these concepts of "fencing time" ("tempo schermistico" in the singular, or "tempi schermistici" in the plural) are not the same as the concept of "tempo," which may be translated as "timing." Timing, of course is an acquired sensibility as to the appropriate moment to execute any given technique.

These ideas of timing have a long history. For instance, Marcelli, in his treatise of 1686, says (translated): "Time may be considered in three ways: In the first time, or time of the first intention; in absolute time; and in time of second intention, or double time." That is, stesso tempo, mezzo tempo, and dui tempi. He later goes on to speak of "another, most delicate action... striking in countertime."