Ward

A ward/guard is a fighting stance as might be found in the fighting manuals of history. In the Liechtenauer tradition there are four such guards and are referred to as the Vier Leger or Four Positions although it also mentions others. Royal Armouries I.33 gives seven basic guards plus a number of others.

An example of a guard in this sense is the longsword guard Vom Tag where the left foot is forward, both hands are on the hilt and they are raised to eye level. Another might be the Underarm guard where the right foot is forward, the buckler held forward and the sword pointed back and tucked under the left arm thus crossing the arms.