POSITIONS.
First Position.—Make the target [For target, see [page 26].] about fourteen inches in diameter, and place it on the wall, having its center about four feet from the ground. Draw a perpendicular line from the spot at the bottom of the target to the ground, and continue it on the floor, in order to insure the proper position of the heels. The learner stands perfectly upright opposite the target, with his right side towards it, his heels close together, his right toe pointing to the target, and his left foot at right angles with the left. His arms must be clasped behind his back, his right palm supporting the left elbow, and his left hand grasping the right arm just above the elbow. In this position, he must bend both knees and sink down as far as possible. This will not be very far at first, but he will soon sink down quite easily.
Second Position.—This is accomplished by placing the right foot smartly in front, about sixteen or fourteen inches before the left. (See fig. 1.) He must accustom himself to balance himself so perfectly on his left foot that he can place the right either before or behind it, without losing his balance.
Third Position.—The third position must then be learned. This consists of stepping well forward with the right foot, until the left knee is quite straight, and the right knee exactly perpendicularly placed over the right foot. Great care must be taken to keep the heels exactly in the same line and the body perfectly upright. (See fig. 2.)
These preliminaries having been settled, the learner stands upright before the target. A sword is then put into his hand, and the target is explained as follows:—
