Feeling in a bit of a slump in your sparring? Perhaps overwhelmed or under-challenged? Sparring games, where you create restrictions and alternate objectives, can be a great way to up the strategic challenge and interest or allow you to focus on a smaller subset of skills. The first batch of games I'm presenting are all…
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The ever-popular Beginner and Intermediate Horseback Archery workshops with Robert Borsos are back this Saturday May 5th. These workshops happen rarely, so don't miss out! Sign up here. Beginner Horseback Archery Whether you are an expert rider or archer, or a complete beginner at both, this is your starting point. You will spend about an…
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One of the awesome things about Historical European Martial Arts is that they come from a rich historical tradition. And this tradition includes a wealth of instructional books written from within the period where those arts were most actively practiced. Picking up a 15th-century fighting manual is by no means necessary to learn, practice, and…
Read More... from Eat the Book: A Process for Understanding Historical Sources
A heads up to all of you with your Riding Level 3 signed off: we have opened a new Sunday class to help you towards Riding Level 4. Due to complex scheduling this six-class series runs over ten weeks, so there are no classes on April 29th, May 13th, or June 13th. Sign up now…
Classes are a great place to learn, but proficiency comes from learning in between sessions by practising on your own. Here are five ways you can make the most of your personal practice time: Keep your commitment small If you're new to home practice, make a commitment that you feel very confident about keeping. In the beginning,…
I'm a big fan of slow sparring as a training tool. It is an ideal way to focus on mechanics and precision, develop strategic and tactical awareness, and work on the necessary relaxation and fluidity required for high-speed combat in a more manageable setting. The main challenge with slow sparring is that it is difficult to…
Mounted Combat Arts Intensive New for 2018, we are planning to offer a full five-day Mounted Combat Arts Intensive from July 2nd to 6th. This 50-hour program offers you the chance to immerse yourself in a full week of mounted combat arts both in and out of the saddle. Throughout the week you will learn the…
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“The duel took place on Easter Eve, and Herr von Kotze was slightly wounded and taken to hospital. The next morning he received the congratulations of the Kaiser and an Easter egg, …”[1] Ah yes, Easter Bunnies with blades Hares and HEMA Rabbits …. well, you get the idea! Sting like a Hummingbird … a…
Read More... from Festive Easter Sword Press News for March 2018
There is an interesting phrase pair I have been hearing from a lot of instructors recently. I hear: “Practice makes perfect.” Then an admonishment: “No. Practice makes permanent. So make sure you don’t practice poorly!” The first is a message of hope and resilience. If you practice and stay the course, you can find mastery.…
Red Spur Swordplay from the Ground: the True Fight As a scholar or Blue Spur within Academie Duello you should be already familiar with the the qualities of the true fight. That is, you seek control of your opponent's sword, advancing or striking when you have control, retreating and seeking to regain control when you…
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In light of our upcoming Online Collaborative Longsword Course, I thought it would be a good occasion to revisit this post on the five minutes per day practice regimen. Rhythm is the most important thing to cultivate on the path to mastery. Whether you leverage this course or simply get started with your own practice…
The Masters of Fence? Who came to your mind first? Ridolfo Capo Ferro of Italy? Hieronimo de Caranza of Spain? Joseph Swetnam of England? Richard Sheridan of Ireland? Wait a minute … Who? From Where? A Broad Overview If the latter country, let alone the personality, does not resonate with a vision of civilised small…
Read More... from Book Review: “Irish Swordsmanship” by Miller
To acquire the first rank of the Mounted Combat program, the Green Spur, you will need to be assessed on the Green Spur Mounted Combat skills. These include Swordplay from the Ground, Swordplay Knowledge, and Mounted Combat Knowledge. The knowledge sections are covered in past sections of this blog, and can be studied on your…
Read More... from Fundamental FAQs: Mounted Combat Fundamentals