Get Started in European Martial Arts
The progression from complete newbie to practicing swordplay enthusiast is actually very easy! It begins with a 4-class (archery) or 8-class (swordplay) beginner course that runs on either double weekday evenings or consecutive Saturday mornings (see below for monthly start dates). Graduates from beginner courses are then ready to enroll in Academie Duello and continue their learning as Apprentice-level students in ongoing weekly classes, special workshops, symposiums, seminars, and more. Now choose your starting weapon!
Can't decide? Try out one or more of our Adventure bookings in longsword (The Warrior, The Cutter, The Tournament), rapier (The Duellist), or archery (The Archer) to see which you want to start with.
Click here for more information on the Martial Art we practice, our school, and our weapon disciplines.
Beginner Longsword will get you out of the house, your body moving, and connect you with your inner medieval warrior!
Based on the longsword training programs of medieval warriors, you’ll learn how to move and flow with a two-handed sword, through guards, attacks, defenses, and combinations.
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Develop grace, power, and agility through cuts, thrusts, attacking, and movement exercises.
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Focus on coordination, core strength, upper body strength, stamina, and foundational skills for effective longsword combat.
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Ground yourself in medieval combat skills through drills in a small class environment.
This beginner's program consists of eight 1-hour classes that will take you from beginner to competent practitioner. Upon completion, you’ll have the prerequisite skills to continue in our ongoing longsword classes (online or in-person).
Length: 8-class course, 60 minutes per session
Cost: $199 + tax
Ages: 14+
Not ready for the full beginner program? Check out an Adventure Booking for a one-visit epic experience!
Read more about the anatomy and history of a longsword here.
What To Expect
- Instruction in the basics of Armizare, a medieval Italian combat system designed to train knights for the battlefield and dueling ground.
- A technical and strategic focus on the longsword, a versatile cut-and-thrust weapon used in both hands.
- Instruction in the fundamental skills of sidesword and poleaxe.
- Following successful completion of the beginner course curriculum, students are awarded their Green cord, the first rank in our Weapons Mastery martial art program.
Protective Gear
Minimal protective gear is required for the Beginner Longsword intro course, since the focus is on correctly executing technical actions, rather than all-out fighting with full contact:
- Fencing masks and throat protectors (gorgets) are supplied by Academie Duello any time there will be weapon-to-body contact.
- Many Mastery Program students like to purchase and own their own masks, gloves and gorgets; all are available in the Academie Duello Arms & Armour store.
What Should I Bring?
- A set of comfortable clothes suitable for doing exercise (including indoor running shoes).
- A water bottle.
- A simple pair of thin cloth or leather gloves as well as groin protection are optional.
- As noted, Academie Duello provides all additional equipment necessary for the class, including weapons, fencing masks to protect the face, and collars of leather or metal called gorgets which protect the throat.
- You may also choose to purchase your own training weapons and necessary protective gear from the Arms & Armour Store if you like.
Sign-up Now!
Beginner Archery
This course consists of four 2-hour classes where students learn the fundamentals of how to shoot the modern takedown recurve bow, the English longbow, and the Asiatic composite bow. Each class will also teaches about range safety & etiquette, the history of archery, and the care of archery equipment.
Beginners welcome! No familiarity or previous experience is required; bows and arrows will be provided.
This class is a prerequisite for entry into ongoing Archery Mastery classes.
Length: 4-class course, 120 minutes per session
Cost: $199 + tax
Ages: 14+
Sign-Up Now!
Private Instruction
We offer private archery lessons for groups of up to six people For further information about dates and pricing, please contact Academie Duello’s front desk either by e-mail at info@academieduello.com or by phone during business hours at 604-568-9907.
Beginner Rapier
Discover the elegance and power of the rapier, the ultimate weapon of the Renaissance duelist, in this exciting course. You will also learn how to wield the versatile sidesword, which can slash and thrust with equal skill, and the formidable spear, which can strike from a long distance.
This 8-class beginner course will teach you the fundamental skills of the historical European duellist in a fun, engaging, and welcoming environment, great for adults of all ages and levels of physical ability.
Get started training in the art of the rapier, sidesword, and spear fencing with Academie Duello.
Length: 8-class course, 60 minutes per session
Cost: $199 + tax
Ages: 14+
Click here to purchase. Not ready for the full 8 course Beginner package? Check out our new Adventure Program for a one-time epic renaissance rapier fighting experience!
Read more about the anatomy and history of a rapier here.
What To Expect
- An introduction to the fighting system of Armizare and the duelling systems of the Italian Renaissance.
- Intensive training on the fundamentals of rapier combat with the goal of developing excellent technique.
- Instruction in the fundamentals of the rapier, sidesword and spear.
- Following successful completion of the beginner curriculum, students are awarded their Green cord, the first rank in our Weapons Mastery martial art program.
Protective Gear
- Fencing masks and throat protectors (gorgets) are supplied by Academie Duello any time there will be weapon to body contact.
- Many Mastery Program students like to purchase and own their own masks, gloves and gorgets; all are available in the Academie Duello Arms and Armour store.
What Should I Bring?
- A set of comfortable clothes suitable for doing exercise (including indoor running shoes).
- A water bottle.
- A simple pair of thin cloth or leather gloves as well as groin protection are optional.
- As noted, Academie Duello provides all additional equipment necessary for the class, including weapons, fencing masks to protect the face, and collars of leather or metal called gorgets which protect the throat.
- Personal training weapons and protective gear is also available at our Arms and Armour store, should you wish to purchase your own.
Sign-up Now!
Free Trial Classes in Archery or Swordplay!
We invite everyone curious about our martial art to join a Free Trial Class! We offer two types:
- Swordplay (longsword & rapier) OR
- Archery
Come check out one, or both! Invite friends or family who are also intrigued by historical martial arts. Fill out the form below!
Location: 412 W Hastings St, Vancouver, BC
Please try to arrive 5 to 10 minutes before class to allow time to read and sign the safety waiver. You can also check out the arms & armour museum, and visit our beautiful Renaissance-inspired Café Duello in the adjoined space for a delicious coffee drink and pastry.
By registering you will also be added to our newsletter email list so you can receive information on upcoming classes, workshops, and exclusive offers. You can unsubscribe at any time by emailing info@academieduello.com!
Join us at Cornwall Ridge Farms, our beautiful partner equestrian facility located in Langley, BC, and experience your childhood fantasy of being a knight as you take the first step in Academie Cavallo’s Equestrian Programs.
For more details about the programs and to book your courses go to: www.academiecavallo.ca
SwordFit
Experience a variety of modalities (Indian clubs, barbells, bodyweight and kettlebells) and become an even more “total package” fighter:
- Postural training helps you maintain a solid stance.
- Mobility work supports a full range of motion while cutting, thrusting, grappling, or shooting.
- Strength training shores up structural endurance.
- Interval training provides the cardiovascular underpinning for crisp and sustained flurries.
Members currently enrolled with tuition may use 1 class credit to join the class.
Non-members may also join in by purchasing a tuition punch card. Visit or call the front desk at (604) 568-9907.
Meet Your Instructor
Benjamin Davis
The history of Ben’s martial arts training is brief but intensive! He took his first class at Academie Duello in 2015, after noticing the Academie’s storefront by chance while walking home one day. For Ben, it was as if the heroes from his childhood storybooks had leapt off the page! He has always been interested in knights, chivalry, and swordplay, and Academie Duello allows him to learn more about these subjects in a friendly, welcoming environment.
Ben’s favourite weapon is the longsword, which brings to mind heroic deeds of the past, both real and imaginary. Though the longsword may seem easy to use at first, Ben has found that this weapon is deceptively complex. Ben loves challenging himself to master both technical knowledge and practical martial skill; he finds the gap between knowing a technique and implementing it in a free-sparring scenario can sometimes be a large one, but it is a very satisfying combination when both are pulled off!