Moulinet

A cutting drill to strengthen and warm up the wrists and to prepare for moving through all six principal cuts, it is the similar to the Molinelli cuts in Radaelli's sabre, except is purely a drilling exercise.

The diagram below shows all of the cuts in the Moulinet drill.

Each of the cuts should be performed in isolation repeatedly, beginning slowly and the increasing.

Each circle should be performed 10 or 12 times.

Once the individual moulinets have been carried out, chain together Moulinet 1 to 4 in a figure of 8 pattern.

Hutton recommends using this pattern for defence at night when the opponent's blade cannot clearly be seen.

Moulinet 1

• Assume a Quarte position with the hilt at chin level, edge facing diagonally down to the left, point raised over head height.
• Drop the point diagonally from right to left in a cut, once it comes offline allow the wrist to turn so the thumb turns downward.
• Let the sword describe a complete circle on this diagonal, coming back to the starting position.

Moulinet 2

• Assume an extended Tierce position, point slightly higher than head hight, shell at chin level, edge diagonally down toward the right.
• Drop the point diagonally from left to right in a cut, once it goes offline allow the wrist to rotate, turning the palm upward.
• Let the sword describe a complete circle on this diagonal, coming back to the starting position.

Moulinet 3

• Extend the sword arm, hilt at chin level, hand in the position of Septime, edge facing diagonally upward to the left, point offline and downward by 10 or so inches.
• Lift the edge diagonally up to the left through the centreline of the target. Allow the wrist to rotate around bringing the sword to the right rear.
• Let the sword describe a complete circle on this diagonal, coming back to the starting position.

Moulinet 4

• Extend the sword arm, hilt at chin level, hand in the position of High Seconde, edge facing diagonally upward to the right, point offline and downward by 10 or so inches.
• Lift the edge diagonally up to the right through the centreline of the target. Allow the wrist to rotate around bringing the sword to the left rear.
• Let the sword describe a complete circle on this diagonal, coming back to the starting position.

Moulinet 5

• Extend the sword arm, hilt at chin level, point 10 or so inches to the right, edge toward the left and held horizontal.
• Cut through horizontally the left through the centreline of the target. Allow the wrist to rotate around bringing the sword point around over the head.
• Let the sword describe a complete circle on this axis, coming back to the starting position.

Moulinet 6

• Extend the sword arm, hilt at chin level, point 10 or so inches to the left, edge toward the right and held horizontal.
• Cut through horizontally the right through the centreline of the target. Allow the wrist to rotate around bringing the sword point around over the head.
• Let the sword describe a complete circle on this axis, coming back to the starting position.