Together with Fiore dei Liberi, he is one of the earliest Italian masters from whom an extant martial arts manual has survived.

Vadi's book mainly focuses on the use of the longsword, or, as it was called at the time, the spada da doi mani (“two handed sword”).

The illustrations and techniques in the treatise suggest that Vadi was influenced by the work of Fiore dei Liberi, author of the Flos Duellatorum.

[3] As both Leonello and Borso d'Este were sons of Niccolò III, owner of two copies of Fiore's treatise, Vadi would have had ample opportunity to study his writings.

[5] Vadi's manuscript was included in the catalogue of the Ducal Library of Urbino made by Ludovico Odasio, a Paduan humanist who had been Guidolbaldo's tutor.