Pseudo-Hans Döbringer/Thomas Stoeppler Wr 2006

This is about wrestling.

Whoever wants to learn wrestling, he should note at first that the principles Vor, Nach, speed, courage deceit and wits etc also belong to wrestling. And know that all grace and skill comes from wrestling and all fencing comes basically from the wrestling. At first the fencing with the long knife and from that the fencing with the long swords comes and so on.

Know that Master Liechtenauer's wrestling with its different running-ins and other techniques is difficult and hard to understand because it was his intention that not everyone who reads it can understand it.

The first technique is good for finding an opportunity how he can be trapped or thrown. Listen what I teach: When he comes running at you so see to it that you bump him off from you to both sides. And practice stepping, bumping and winding so you will find many openings.

And learn the second: Learn to put both legs in front and how to break hands whoever he may grab you: Wind your hands around his so his must slide off, high and low, everywhere.

With this you throw him: When he grabs your shoulders hard, you should do nothing else but put your hands crosswise up from below and grab his and press your hands over his. And as you press pull his hands apart and push them away.

This is the set-up for six felling techniques by putting one leg in front or not. And if your hands are quick or slow, do it as you wish, it is all the same.

The first note, that you may grab around, one hand pressing against his heart and putting one leg in front you will throw him down using your whole body.

The second is done after the set-up by grabbing the elbow, putting one leg in front and throwing over one leg.

The third is done after the setup when he has pushed the adversary’s hands high, he should keep pressing, and step in front with one leg, and press forward will all strength while jerking his hands upwards and then pushing them away.

The fourth is after the grab is broken. Then drive your hand against his face from the front against his nose or chin and drive the other hand behind his back. And then by putting one leg in front you throw him over it.

The fifth is, that you may push him at the chest with one hands and grab his head with the other, and by putting one leg in front you throw him on the head.

The sixth is, that you may grab him by the elbow and by putting one leg forwards throw him on the side, and press with your hand his to the ground.

Remember that these techniques described above can be done with one leg forward or without, as you wish.

The seventh is, that you may reach into his arm with your hand and with the other grab his hand and with your feet kick his foot on the other side where you are holding him and so he falls on his face.

Alternatively, you may place your leg behind him so you can throw him on his back and break his arm.

The eighth is similar to the last one, but he will turn his elbow outward and press it towards the other hand which is in front. And with this shove him to the side.

Also note that in all techniques you should put the leg in front on the side from which you want to throw him or with which hand you intend wish to throw him.

And in all Techniques, if someone traps you by placing his one of his own legs forward, you should kick it away quickly with your other leg and push quickly upwards with your hands and over his back, so he will fall in all trappings.

Sometimes the most direct method is that you grab him by one hand and leave his other, and by placing one leg in front and turning around with his hand you lean or break him over the leg and so he will fall very hard.

The other set up is also that you push away hands high, and here are nine techniques for this.

It is done this way, when he holds you at your shoulders so put your elbow in his hand on the inside and push his hand away. And do the same with the other hand. After that you may use the nine techniques that have been described before in breaking the arms.

Now learn how you should break low holds, and there are also two methods.

Learn, If he holds you, so push with your hand against his joint from both sides and upwards. From this break there are also nine techniques.

The second low breaking is when you push hard up into his elbows with your hands and from there you can also use nine techniques as it is written before.

This are now four [breakings]

Now learn another four, so that you may break the arms.

If he holds you at the shoulders so you should push your hands away downwards with your elbows and so his hands will come at your head. And pull him towards your side, and take care that you grab his arm joint and that you hold his hand back strongly with your head, and with the other hand push away against his chest so you break his arm.

If you then place your leg behind him, he will fall very hard.

The other technique is similar to the last one, except that you strike upwards your hands to wind his away; and so his hand will come under your arm and so you can let him run around you, or you put a foot under him and so he will fall.

The same methods you may use from the other side, so these are also four. Now this would be eight.

Now learn if you hold close to his body pressing your head hard against his chest and when he then grabs against his chin with one hand and against the head with his other, so push him away. Then push his hands away by placing one leg forward. Now he might kick away your leg with his foot and your body with his hands. And against this you can defend with your wrestling and with your strength.

Now there are eight breaks described, and from each break nine Techniques. Now learn another four and from these can be done nine as before.

When he grabs you frontally at your chest, so push his hands in yours downwards against your chest as it is written before and from there you also have nine, and this is the first.

The second is, as before, pushing with your elbow downwards, winding around his hands so you have nine again.

The third is pushing upwards against the chest and so you have nine again,

And the fourth is pushing upwards with your bone so you have nine.

So you have twelve breaks with nine techniques each.

Note, with this lock or pressing you may move someone away from you.

Wherever he tries to hold you, at the sleeve, at the hand, at the sleeve at your elbow joint, or with one hand at the chest or anywhere else – you may drive him away with he same strike and winding around. And after that you may push him as you wish so that he may neither get to you nor that he may lay hand upon you anywhere on your body.

Learn another running in, when he leaps towards you, and you have placed a leag into his path, he may avoid you with another leap, grabbing your leg with one hand and pushing against your chest with the other so you are going to fall onto your head – and this is another technique – As soon as he goes for your leg, pull it quickly backwards and pull him with it so he falls onto his face.

Learn another principle. If he leaps at you, so he may grab you around the body under your arms and by stepping further with his leg he will throw you on your back fairly hard.

And this counters it: As soon as he reaches around you, quickly fall to your side, and this is the fast for wrestling

Learn the third principle if he leaps or steps at you so that may reach you with his both hands frontally at the chest, and then falls down, pulling you over himself by jumping with his feet against you so that you get thrown away very hard, this is the counter:

As soon as he grabs you, let yourself drop on him quickly and follow him, so he may not do anything against you.