On small parries

Parries should be as small as possible.

You can effect a parry without moving the shoulder, elbow or wrist. To make a Parry 4, simply swivel the forearm. Swivel it back to make a Parry 6. Look at the fencer's target — it is protected, and the hand moved only a few inches.

If you get en garde in 6, you are closing out a line right away. That's one less decision to make when an opponent attacks you in high line. Either they are attacking your high inside, or you can ignore the attack and not move your hand.

With small hand movements, your parries will be faster and more economical. Your hand will fall out of line more slowly. After Parry 4, your point will still be close to your opponent's target, and you will land normally simply by extending your arm.

Rule of Thumb: The nearer you are to an opponent, the larger your parry will be. The further away from your body you make your parry, the smaller your blade movement can be.

Rule of Thumb: Don't make your parries close to your body — you will have no chance to make a second parry.

Exception: Against a flick attack to high inside, you will have to take a deep, classical Parry 4.

It's easy to "overshoot" Parry 8 (octave). But look at the target — there's really not much there for the opponent to hit. Simply drop the wrist, move the blade a few inches, and angle the opponent's thrust aside.

Parry 7 (low inside line) doesn't really enter into minimal parry system. Most books (and many instructors) will show you a Parry 7 as a position... a pose that completely protects the lower abdomen and groin. If you don't retreat with your parries, then you will have to do something like "that" parry to protect yourself. But in terms of the energy/benefit ratio, it's like putting up a brick wall to keep out bugs.

By the time you achieve a book-perfect Parry 7 pose, the action will have gone elsewhere. Your best bet is to retreat, and start your Parry 7.

Almost always, the most important thing about 7 is your entry into it. If your toes are lined up with your opponent's (and they always are, arent they!?) you will meet the opponent's blade long before your Parry 7 completes.

If you find yourself having to take a Parry 7 at near distance, just count your blessings that it doesn't happen too often. You can try to convert your Parry 7 to a hyped-up Prime, but mostly you've been caught out due to a defect in your distance. Try to parry, add an esquive, and then get used to the new score.