Training without a partner is typically very limiting - many techniques are hard to simulate when practiced on your own. A single pell is a good solution for some techniques, but Liechtenauer's Art relies heavily on winding in the bind to attack the opponent behind the sword. Using two pells, one behind the other, is a great approximation of such a scenario - by treating the closer pell as a pseudo-bind, you can practice Liechtenauer's Zettel on your own.
In this series of blog posts, I will demo some ideas on how to practice the Zettel on your own with two pells.
Whoever oberhaus you,
Zornhau Ort threatens him.
The Zornhau Ort against an incoming oberhau displaces the opponent's strike with structure in order to line up a thrust to the upper openings.
Here, I throw the Zornhau without a step, as if I've had only enough time to react to the incoming oberhau by striking it.
Training on the Double Pell.
Stand so that the closer pell is between you and the further one.
Strike out with a Zornhau to displace the close pell.
Discern if the bind is soft - whether you've gained the center.
If you've gained the center, execute the Ort - thrust in to strike the further pell from the bind.
The pell will test your ability to strike the Zornhau with power - if you've flubbed it, the pell won't displace and you'll feel that the bind is too hard to land the Ort.
Experiment with footwork as well. Try entering measure with a passing step.
Zornhau Ort - Side View
Zornhau Ort - Front View
If he becomes aware of it,
Then take off above without danger.
Oben Abgenomen ("Taking off above") - Side View
Oben Abgenomen ("Taking off above") - Front View
If the opponent performs a versetzen against (parries) your thrust, you may safely leave the bind by taking off above - the Oben Abgenomen.
Of course, the pell can't fence to your sword like a real person. But, you can simulate the mechanics of the Oben Abgenomen with the double pell.
Training on the Double Pell.
Stand so that the closer pell is a bit off to your dominant side.
Strike the Zornhau and attempt the Ort. The placement of the closer pell will cause the thrust to veer off to the side, as if an opponent had seen it and set it aside (parried it).
Perform the Oben Abgenomen to strike the further pell.
Pay attention to the thrust - make sure that it's really going offline before taking off above. If you manage to gain the center with your Zornhau, land the thrust!
Bear in mind that an Oben Abgenomen against a live opponent is a more nuanced technique than can be achieved against a pell. But the pell is the next best thing to a real person.
Be [he] Stronger against,
Wind, Stab. If he sees, then take it down.
If you find your opponent to be hard in the bind, wind to the weak of his sword and thrust in with greater leverage.
The pell has more leverage than any sword, making it hard to displace with the wind. Just bear in mind that the actual technique will not require as much force.
Training on the Double Pell.
Stand so that the closer pell is a bit off to your dominant side.
Strike the Zornhau and note the hard bind. The pell should stop your strike well ahead of center.
Wind against the pell, pushing it aside with the strong of your sword, and thrust in.
Try to gain the center so that you land the thrust on the further pell.
Train your fuhlen skills by checking with each Zornhau whether the bind is soft. If you have gained the center, there's no need to wind - just shoot in with the Ort!
Wind, Stab - Front View
Wind, Stab - Side View
If he sees, then take it down - Side View
If he sees, then take it down - Front View
If he sees, then take it down.
If the opponent perceives your thrust in the wind and drives upward to set it aside, then drive high with him and sink the point in low to his neck or chest.
Training on the Double Pell.
Stand and strike the Zornhau as before so that you must wind to bring your point on line to thrust.
Imagine that the opponent sees the thrust and drives high.
Follow the high versetzen with your hands while sinking the point down to neck or chest level, and land the thrust.
Although the pell can't give you the feeling of an opponent driving high, it does allow you to practice the movements necessary to overcome such a bind. Training these motions with the pell will cement them into your muscle memory and compliments your partnered training regimen.
The double pell allows you to train techniques on your own that would otherwise require a partner, over and over again. Repetition is the key to cementing the movements into your muscle memory for use on the fly at full speed in an adversarial situation.