The Fylfot-Form

The Fylfot-Form 

Fylfot – First Arm.

1. Start at the central point in and take the Feoh-Rune stance; you should take a short fighting-stance for this, with the arms straight, pointing slightly upwards, and hands open.
2. Step forwards, at the same time lifting the left open-hand straight upwards, palm facing to the right; at the same time the right hand goes across the face )palm facing forwards/outwards and make the Ur-Rune stave, crossing the upright left-hand as a +-cross.
3. The left foot now steps forwards into a form of ready-stance facing to your right; at the same time the left arm swings downwards, elbow bent, into a side-elbow strike to the left of you (i.e. ‘forwards’ in regard to the movements before). You will now be facing to the right in the Thorn-Rune stance. This is the first and forward ‘arm’ of the Fylfot.
4. Step the left foot forward into a short fighting-stance as you throw the left arm out in a Tarn Sauor open-hand block-strike with the right hand making a straight-forward finger- strike to the solar-plexus area. You will now be in the Os-Rune stance.
5. The right foot now moves up level with the left (feet together), then the left moves forward again; pivot to the left as your right hand makes a circular downwards and outwards

block and the right leg is raised up at the knee; stamp down to your right with the right leg. You will now be in the Rad-Rune position. You will now be at the end of the first bent arm of the Fylfot.

6. Pivot again, to your left, stepping the right leg forward as you do a right open-hand strike to the throat area; you will land in the Ken-Rune position. The step will be made as the open- hand strike is made, and this will be reinforced by shuffling the left leg forward behind the right.
7. Now step the right leg towards the direction you were facing, but turn sideways to the left and throw both arms in a circular motion across the chest, ending in a double hammer- strike with each closed fist, and your feet in a wide horse-stance. The movement of the right leg should not just be a ‘step’ but a stamp downwards. You will now be in the Gyfu-Rune stance. This takes you back to the end position of the first ‘arm’ of the Fylfot.
8. Now take the right leg across the left leg (making an X-Cross) still facing the same way, and then take another half-step (one shoulder-width) the same way; at the same time bring the left arm across the face in a kind of elbow-strike/block to your left. You will now be in the Wyn-Rune stance.

This will take you to the end of the First Arm before you reach the central point again, where the next move starts. You should now familiarise yourself with this part completely before you move to the next arm.

Fylfot – Second Arm.

     9. Now step the right leg across behind you to the left, and pivot round,

        moving the hands across the chest left-below-right, with the left side higher than           the right. You will now be in the Hægl-Rune position.

10. Step the right foot outwards in the same direction you were moving; as you do so fling the arms out, right upwards with an open-hand strike, left downwards in an open-hand strike. The feet will come together at the end of the move and you will be in the Nyd-Rune position.
11. The left leg now moves forwards in the ‘arm’ direction, i.e. moves across the right so that you are facing ‘forwards’ again; at the same time the arms are brought up, palms together, pushed upwards until they end over the head in an Is-Rune stance – feet together. You will now be at the end of the Second Arm.
12. Now step out to your right with the right foot, followed by the left in a fighting-stance; the two hands push backwards behind you fingers facing each other, looking backwards over the left shoulder. You will now be in the Ger-Rune position.
13. Step one pace forwards in the same direction, left foot forwards; the right foot is brought up behind your back in a ‘back-kick’ upwards (groin), and the right arm thrust forwards in a finger- strike to the groin area in front. You will now be in the Eoh-Rune position. This take you to the end of the straight-arm.
14. Lift the right arm up and us it to ‘swing’ around 90o, ending the move facing behind you and striking with an open-hand strike with the right hand, the right leg being used as a knee- strike. You will now be in the Peorð- Rune position.
15. Step forwards, right foot first, left follows, ending with feet together; the arms come together, palms facing each other, and push forwards, twisting outwards (as if pushing the arms of an opponent grabbing at your throat). You will now be in the Eolhs- Rune position. You will again be at the end of the straight arm.

16. Pivot to your left, at the same time the right arm moves to a position with the elbow bent and the hand facing upwards at 45o angle, the right leg also coming up making a Sigel-Rune acting as a form of block for high-low kicks. You will now be at the end of this section.

You should familiarize yourself with both the First Arm and Second Arm, putting the two together as one. When you have done so you can move to the next section of the form, but do not do so until this section is learned properly.

Fylfot – Third Arm.

17. Step forward and throw the arms out to your side in a Tir-Rune position, taking you back to the central point of the form.
18. Pivot to your left; as you do so the right arm makes a ‘rolling-elbow’ at head level, whilst the right leg comes up into a side-knee strike. You will now be in the Beorc-Rune position.
19. Step forward, feet together, and bring the arms over (quickly) into the Eh- Rune position (twin forearm strikes to the throat). You will now be at the end of the straight arm of the Third Arm.
20. Step forward again, bringing the arms just slightly back and smashing forwards in a twin-elbow strike to the head area. You will now be in the Mann-Rune position.
21. Step forward again, left foot first, and do a finger-strike to the groin area in front of you, making the Lagu-Rune. You will now be at the end of the bent arm of the Third Arm.

22. Place the right leg across the back of you (X-Cross); at the same time form an X-Cross with your arms over your chest - Ing-Rune Position. Use the ‘pivot’ action of the crossed legs to pivot quickly around and throw out the arms into an X-Cross to the throat area, using a ‘scissor’ motion to ‘chop’ the throat.
23. Bring the hands quickly back to an X- Cross over the chest, right hand inside, palms facing you; step the right leg forward and ‘chop’ across the middle section, ending in right- foot forward fighting-stance. You are now back at the end of the straight arm of the Third Arm.
24. Turn to the left, left foot steps out then right into wide horse-stance; the hands are pushed downwards crossing at the wrists, making the Eðel-Rune position – this is a double- strike to the upper area of the legs, clenched fists. This takes you to the end of the Fylfot Third Arm.

Now you should put all three sections together and learn them as best that you can for this stage. Do not move on to the last section until this is learned fully, at least in regard to the sequence of moves – the ‘fine-tuning’ will come later.

Fylfot – Fourth Arm.

25. Facing the same way, step the left leg forward and swing the left hand outwards (bent) into a Tarn Sau/open-hand strike, whilst the right hand makes a palm-strike downwards to the groin area. This takes you into the Ac-Rune stance. You will now be back at the central point.
26. The left foot steps out to the left, the left hand making a solar-plexus punch, the right an open-hand groin- strike. You will now be in the Æsc- Rune position.

27. The right leg now steps forwards into a wide horse-stance, as the left hand makes a downwards deflection (for a kick at the groin area). The right hand makes an open-hand groin-strike, making the Yr-Rune position. You are now at the end of the straight arm of the Fourth Arm.
28. Step the right foot out to the right and make an X-Cross over the chest as you step left foot up to right, feet together. This makes an Ior-Rune. The fists are clenched.
29. Step right-foot left-foot forwards, throwing arms outwards in a circular motion from the X-Cross over your chest, as if pushing outwards the arms of an opponent who is going to grab you by the collar. The fists are clenched. You will now be in the Ear- Rune position. You will now be at the end of the bent arm of the Fourth Arm.
30. The right foot is now taken behind and across the back of you, the arms crossed over the chest, right nearest to you, palms facing you; with the twist-motion of the legs, twist round and the arms are thrown outwards – open-hand – in a double-chop motion across the throat.
31. The left leg and then the right leg step forwards as you make a right-hand groin-strike with an open hand. This makes the Calc-Rune position. You are back at the end of the straight arm of the Fourth Arm.
32. The left foot steps to your left and then the right (one shoulder-width apart) and the hands and feet make the Stan-Rune position.
33. Stepping forward with the right foot the arms are thrust outwards to the front, into an X-cross position around the throat area; the arms are brought back to the chest area, fingers (only) crossed at this point, then the hands are thrust forwards and downwards into a double-groin strike. This makes the Gifu-Rune/Ing-Rune sequence of the Gar-Rune. The knees are then bent down to form a Germanic Ing- Rune with the legs, knees bent outwards as far as possible, and the hands are brought down in an X-Cross over the Ing-Rune of the legs. You will now be in the central position where you started – this is the end of the fourth section.

You should now put all four parts together and form the whole of the Fylfot Form which is the first form of the Ar-Kan Rune-Lag, and which has within it all 33 runes of the English Rune-Row, which you should now be quite familiar with. The way to do this is to first learn the basic moves of the form before trying to perfect the moves, the stances and the footwork. The form brings footwork into the basic stances and hand-moves.