The Spanish school of rapier is often thought of exclusively as a system of defensive swordsmanship for use in dueling. However, Carranza, Narvaez and other masters of La Verdadera Destreza are very specific in applying the theory to a variety of situations. Applications include street combat at night, mounted combat, encountering "Fencers" of the so-called Destreza Comun (Common Skill) or Esgrima Vulgar (Vulgate Fencing), foreign swordsmen such as those of the Italian school of rapier and against the Turkish curved sabre.

The emphasis of this class was the usage of theory in less than ideal situations applying it to fighting situations on the streets against a variety of types of fencers. Our focus was mainly on single sword but also covered the use of the sword in combination with the dagger and the cloak.