Smallsword… for we are many.
“Draw not your Sword but to serve the King, preserve your Honour, or defend your Life.” “Art of Fencing”, Monsieur L’Abbat, 1696 (Andrew Mahon, 1735)
Category Archives: Articles
Brief Notes on Using the Cloak with the Rapier
The following are some suggestions for using the cloak with the rapier. Please note, the techniques will vary from those which can be used with a sidesword, so this should not be taken as a definitive form for all sword … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Techniques and interpretation
Tagged alfieri, cloak, DiGrassi, Fabris, Rapier, runacres
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Physical conditioning, health & sport readiness
Humans attempt to make sense of their environment results, quite often, in the systematization of knowledge into boxes commonly (and quite wrongly) made out to be independent, as is the case with the existence of sport specific coaches, physical conditioning … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Teaching and training methods
Tagged conditioning, health, Jogo do Pau, luis, physical, preto, stamina
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Joachim Meyer’s dagger system
Note: This is a working document and will continuously be updated as we work with our interpretations of Joachim Meyer’s dagger teachings. Similarly to how I worked with his staff teachings I will attempt at systemizing the principles and techniques … Continue reading
Posted in Meyer Dagger
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Arming Sword Geometry by Peter Johnsson
Designing a sword of mid 14th century style using a system of geometric drawing that is inspired by surviving plans of medieval gothic architecture. Please visit my site at peterjohnsson.com for more information about this principle of design and the … Continue reading
Posted in Arms and Armour, News & Announcements
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GHFS’ guide for instructors now available in English
It is with great pleasure that I am able to present How we train – a guide for instructors in English. This is our primary study material for instructors on how to teach in our club, and I hope that people outside … Continue reading
A short note on strengeren, or “gaining the blade”.
What’s our problem? The main purpose of any fencing art is to keep the fencer safe from the hostile intentions of his opponent(s), i.e. defense. However, in all of these arts it is recognized that through defense alone, a fencer … Continue reading
What is a fencer?
I know I am not the only one who feels fencing is more than training, research, techniques, sparring, and competitions. Being a fencer means something—but what, exactly? Some of the best people I know are fencers, and their personalities are … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Fencing Culture
34 Comments
Lady Fencers – transcript of an article in The Harmsworth Magazine, issue July 1899
I sought this article out of simple curiosity and was intrigued and surprised by the content. At face-value it seems a charming snapshot of Victorian society, the Facebook of its time. On reading, however, I was struck by the attitudes … Continue reading
Simple Staff Method and Drills
I first learned staff in the late eighties, and although I was not that interested in the provenance, as I recall my master learned it in Scouts as a child. I never had any documentation for it, but it was … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Teaching and training methods
Tagged mccarthy, quarterstaff, scout, staff
3 Comments
A mentality of fear – and its importance to fighting
“If you want to learn how to fight properly and effectively with the long sword, so that you may, without gloves and without all armour, guard your hands and your entire body against all kinds of weapons, against sword, against … Continue reading
Posted in Fencing Culture, Teaching and training methods
Tagged approach, burgher, control, defense, fear, initiative, mentality, Meÿer, militia, mindset, nach, safety, society, spirit, stick, vor
21 Comments
Flower of Battle
Here is an excellent lecture on Fiore Furlano de Liberi, Ludwig von Eyb and more, by Michael Chidester, held at Fechtschule America 2013. Well worth watching, no matter if you focus more on the “Italian” or “German” aspects of the … Continue reading
Die Vorpal-Klinge!
This short movie shows a glimpse of the world of the Collegiate Fencing, the still living child of the Fechtschule tradition. For more reading, look at the excellent article An overview of German collegiate fencing traditions by Jörg Bellinghausen. Also … Continue reading
Meyer Rappier research launch
There is a growing interest in Meyer’s rappier and to aid in this, and as I also plan to study this more myself since it is basically required in order to fully understand Meyer, I decided to create this page. … Continue reading
Posted in Meyer Rappier, News & Announcements
10 Comments
Meyer freeflow exercises
To begin with, just for clarification, this is not a typical article per se, but rather a text sorted under the Meyer Research Project, thus a more reasoning and speculative piece of text, posted for the sake of discussion and … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Meyer longsword, Teaching and training methods
Tagged dynamic, exercise, flexible, freeflow, Meÿer, parrying, versetzen
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The Saber’s Many Travels (The Origins of the Cross-Cutting Art)
Before you engage in combat, mind this: the blade of your saber is nothing else – and cannot be anything else – but an extension of your own arm, and equally: your entire arm, from the armpit right to the … Continue reading
Posted in Arms and Armour, Articles
Tagged cross-cut, hussar, ottoman, poland, polish, saber, sabre, sieniawski, stick, szabla, turk, turkish
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Dynamic gripping of swords
Here’s a good clip from John Clements focusing on an often forgotten aspect of swordfighting; the dynamic gripping of swords. Some time ago I wrote an article about this and although I find it lacking today, I still think it … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Techniques and interpretation
Tagged arma, clements, falkner, hammaborg, marxbrüder, reversed, verkehren, verkehret, wallerstein, Wilhalm
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Meyer’s masters
On this day, 443 years ago, Fechtmeister Joachim Meyer published his magnificent fencing treatise ‘Gründliche Beschreibung der Freyen Ritterlichen und Adeligen Kunst des Fechtens’. Exactly one year later, on February 24th 1571, he died from sudden illness, while travelling to take … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Fencing Culture, Meyer Halben Stangen, Meyer longsword
Tagged 3227a, döbringer, egenolff, erhart, falkner, glasgow, goliath, lekuchner, liegnitzer, Mair, marozzo, medel, Meÿer, Paurnfeindt, paurnfeyndt, ringeck, siber, sollinger, syber, Talhoffer, wallerstein, Wilhalm
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Save the wrestling!
In a somewhat surprising decision the Olympic Committee has now decided to exclude both Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling from the Olympic Games, while still retaining other considerably less traditional sports and opening up for adding a more modern sport.
Napoleonic Flame-War ‘Cut vs Thrust’
During the late 18th and early 19th century the definition of a proper sword varied from nation to nation. Initially, nations sought to choose the ‘best’ sword for their light and heavy cavalry units so that on the battlefield they … Continue reading
Posted in Arms and Armour, Articles
3 Comments
The Plagiarism by Nicolleto Giganti.
A few years ago I translated the first book of Mr. Nicolleto Giganti into Castilian. The book I used for the translation was printed in 1644 by Zetter in Frankfurt with the text translated into German and French. I must … Continue reading
Giovanni Battista Gaiani (1619) – An Italian Perspective on Competitive Fencing
The relative benefit and importance of competition in modern HEMA is a frequent subject of debate. Despite differences in context, it is arguable that historical perspectives might usefully inform present discussions. This article reviews some examples of competitive fencing, primarily … Continue reading
The genealogy of the Glima masters recognized by the Viking Glima Federation
Lars Magnar Enoksen (b. 1960) is president of the Viking Glima Federation and its master instructor. The following text is a short presentation of the grand masters who are Lars Magnar’s most influential instructors in the art of Glima. Lars … Continue reading
A theory-based approach to teaching HEMA
HEMA, it can be said, is only in its second generation by now, though some claim to be in the fourth already. This makes us a very young Art, and even younger than other modern martial arts, since we have … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Teaching and training methods
Tagged fitness, motor learning, physical, strength, theory, training
9 Comments
The WhatChaMaCallIt-Schwert
In Sweden we have a saying; “A loved child has many names” and looking at what is today called a federschwert this seems to be true for this type of sword as well, at least if we think of it … Continue reading
Posted in Arms and Armour, Articles, Fencing Culture
Tagged feder, federschwerdt, Federschwert, freifechter, freyfechter, marxbrüder, parat, paratschwerdt, paratschwert
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In memory of Cpt. Alfred Hutton
Today we raise our glasses to the memory of the 19th cent. HEMA-pioneer Cpt. Alfred Hutton who died on this very day, at the age of 71, on Dec 18 1910, 102 years ago.
Posted in Articles, Fencing Culture
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Remember Mair
On this day, December 10, 433 years ago, Paul Hektor Mair was hung at the age of 62, convicted of embezzlement of the city of Augsburg’s funds. He had spent the money on a lavish lifestyle, often throwing big parties … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Fencing Culture
6 Comments
Skill training vs. strength training
This is a debate that has been heard by all of us one time or another, I believe: Should strength training be incorporated into HEMA, and how much of it should there be? The extreme usually goes towards having a … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Teaching and training methods
7 Comments
Footwork video from Sala delle Armi.
Very nicely produced video on footwork, from La Sala delle Armi.
Posted in News & Announcements, Techniques and interpretation
Tagged bolognese, footwork, italian
3 Comments
The Dussack – a weapon of war
In my opinion the dussack doesn’t quite get the recognition it deserves in the historical fencing community, despite the fact that it was a highly important weapon in the old fencing guilds. It is not really studied properly, probably due … Continue reading
Posted in Arms and Armour, Articles, Fencing Culture
35 Comments
Lecture on the world from which the fencing art evolved
This is probably the best lecture on the world from which the fencing masters and their Art evolved that I have ever seen! Very impressive work, Jean!
Posted in Fencing Culture, News & Announcements
Tagged artisans, basel, craftsmen, cuttler, fencing guilds, free cities, freifechter, freyfechter, furrier, marxbrüder, messerschmidt, prague, shoe maker, strassburg
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Why Fight? The Objectives of Liechtenauer’s Fencing
When we hear how people describe the art of fencing in the Middle Ages, we often hear them say that it was all about fighting to the death, or at least to harm the opponent in a way that he … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Fencing Culture, Techniques and interpretation
Tagged art, Combat, dueling, judicial, killing, kunst des fechtens, learning, Liechtenauer, purpose, rory miller, rules, violence
25 Comments
Russian test cutting practices
One of the great things about online HEMA research is that you often end up finding interesting material that you weren’t really looking for. I was recently doing research on test-cutting practices in British-ruled India, and by happen-stance came across … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Teaching and training methods
Tagged russian, sabre, shaska, test cutting
3 Comments
The Wreath or the Cash? On Tournament fighting
“Ey fåår Fächtare Krantz förn ändas Manlige Strijden. The Fighter shall not receive the wreath until the manly battle is ended (according to the rules).” -2 Tim 2:5. I sincerely consider tournament fighting to be vital to our efforts in recreating the … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Fencing Culture
59 Comments
Rope drill for HEMA.
This is a very interesting exercise. The exercise is based on a boxing drill and can be expanded upon in different ways and looks worth exploring. Good and creative work!
Posted in News & Announcements, Teaching and training methods
Tagged boxing, messer, rope drill, sword & buckler
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Footwork exercises by Ilkka
I found these exercises interesting and will be adding some of this to what we already do in our training sessions
The Rose and the Pentagram
This article is written to accompany the recent article about the mysticist, and possibly even fencer and a Freyfechter, Heinrich Agrippa. If you haven’t read the article, it is suggested you do so, before reading this article. Die Rose (the Rose) is a longsword, … Continue reading
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, a fine student, black magician – and a Freyfechter?
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim (15 September 1486 – 18 February 1535) was a German knight, an ambassador, magician, occult writer, theologian, astrologer, and alchemist, and as it appears a soldier and possibly even an independent Freyfechter. Agrippa’s history is fascinating in many … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Fencing Culture
Tagged agrippa, alchemy, federfechter, frei fechter, freyfechter, furrier, magic, marxbrüder, Meÿer
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A call to arms!
From at least as far back as the early to mid 1400s, all the way up until about the French Revolution in 1789, longsword fencers have been practicing with fechtschwerter, or what is today commonly called federschwert, a specific sword type with a … Continue reading
Posted in Arms and Armour, HROARR Announcements, News & Announcements
Tagged fechtschwert, Federschwert, paratschwert, Training sword
3 Comments
The OODA Loop & HEMA
“Knowledge is not power. Power alone is power. What knowledge does is provide the means to determine where to focus that power, for maximum effect.” - Carl von Clausewitz [3] The gears of war turn throughout the Ages as combat … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Teaching and training methods
Tagged boyd, Combat, loop, meyer frei fechter guild, mffg, ooda, strategy, tactics, vanslambrouck, warfare
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Meyer and Marozzo dagger comparison
It has been debated regarding to what extent Meyer was inspired by the Italians, the Napolitans and the Bolognese fighting systems and although there appears to be ties to this, exactly what they are and how they came about is … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Meyer Dagger, Techniques and interpretation
Tagged bolognese, dagger, marozzo, Meÿer
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About the flat parry
In the world of historical fencing, and particularly the fascinating field of research, we sometimes face scholars who express less well-founded hypotheses on certain topics. The question of parrying with the flat instead of the edge, for example, is a … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Techniques and interpretation
Tagged achille marozzo, andrea morini, block, edge, flat, parade, parry
32 Comments
Travel diary from visiting Sint Michielsgilde /Hallebardiers – the oldest European Fencing School in Brugge, Belgium
Last week I visited the Hallebardiers/Sint Michielsgilde in Brugge, Belgium having been invited to assist the excellent Kevin Maurer of the Meyer Frei Fechter Guild by teaching the Halbenstangen (quarterstaff) of Joachim Meyer. Here is a short travel diary from that visit.
Posted in Articles
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Doing what we are told or what we are taught? – Part 1.
Here’s an old but still always relevant question for us HEMA practitioners to ask ourselves: When we read the old fencing treatises, should we only practice what we are told to do in the treatises or should we try to … Continue reading
Learning may be tough, extremely tough… Time to wise up!!!
Throughout my years involved with martial arts I have seen, time and time again, instructors in the most varied arts who spar effectively but do not know how they do it. The reason I say this has to do with … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Teaching and training methods
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Unique new treatise added
We just added a rather unique new, but uncompleted treatise to our database. This time it is the Codex Guelf 83.4 August 8°, entitled “Das ander Theil des newen kunstreichen Fechtbuches, darin alle fürnembste nutzbarliche vnd geheimbte Stücke, so im Schwerdt, … Continue reading
Posted in Meyer Halben Stangen, News & Announcements
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A sociological conceptualization of Jogo do Pau
This is a really interesting clip with Portuguese Jogo do Pau master Luis Preto.
Posted in Articles
Tagged Combat, footwork, Jogo do Pau, Longsword, multiple opponents, parry, staff, strike, tactics
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Didrik von Porat
For some time now I have searched and collected information about the Swedish fencing Master Didrik von Porat. This is what I have found out. According to his Letter of Nobility, which he got when he was knighted, Didrik von … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Fencing Culture
Tagged didrik, diederich, diederik, gamla stans fäktskola, jörnlind, karl xii, palaestra, porat, porath, suecana, svecana
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Teaching martial arts
Quite recently, while exchanging all sorts of points of view with everyone’s good friend Roger Norling of GHFS, and upon stating that Jogo do Pau’s footwork does not entail any deliberate positioning of one’s feet, but simply managing one’s body … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Teaching and training methods
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The history of Joachim Meyer’s fencing treatise to Otto von Solms.
The Joachim Meyer fechtbuch named MS A.4°.2, a beautiful hand-written and watercolour-illustrated fencing treatise dedicated to Herrn Otto von Solms-Sonnewalde is currently held at the University Library of Lund, but how did it end up there after having been given to the … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Meyer Halben Stangen, Meyer longsword, Meyer Rappier
Tagged 1560, falkenberg, lund, Meÿer, solms, sparre, thirty year's war
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A journey through a technique: the Durchlauffen
Image from the treatise C.93 by Paul Hektor Mair The “running through” is mentioned already in the pseudo-Hanko Döbringer (on folio 23), and is universally transposed throughout the so-called German martial literature. Durchlauffen, in fact, is a blanket term for a body … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Techniques and interpretation
Tagged body mechanics, durchlauffen, Francesco Lanza, Giorgio Fonda, Grappling, ringeck, Ringen, starhemberg, training
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The tools for the job
Image from Joachim Meyer’s treatise of 1560 To understand the body mechanics involved in a technique we not only have to train our bodies so we are strong and agile enough, we also need to use tools that work together … Continue reading
Joachim Meÿer Halben Stangen techniques
The Guards Here are the main guards of Joachim Meÿer’s Halben Stangen: 1. Oberhut (left) 2. Gerader Versatzung (or Mittelhut) 3. Unterhut 4. Wechselhut (Not really a “main” guard, but a key stance) 5. Oberhut (right) 6. Steurhut 7. Nebenhut … Continue reading
Body and cutting mechanics – project start
I and a few members of the GHFS have been focusing on the transitions between the longsword stances in Joachim Meÿer’s treatise of 1570.
Posted in Meyer longsword
Tagged body mechanics, cutting, Longsword, Mair, Meÿer, Paurnfeindt, project
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Strengthening exercises
Here are some very crude video clips we shot today of the strengthening exercises we have begun working with in the Meÿer Halben Stangen class at Gothenburg Historical Fencing School.
Posted in Meyer Halben Stangen, Meyer longsword
6 Comments
The Rules of the Fight and Effective Training
The Rules of Martial Arts There are rules in martial arts. The rules in modern martial arts are many and varied. These arts are often oriented towards sporting applications or may be practiced for fitness or spiritual development rather than … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Techniques and interpretation
14 Comments
Chronicon Helvetiae
Just some brief reflections on images from Chronicon Helvetiae by Christoph Silberysen, dated to 1576, currently kept in the Aargauer Kantonsbibliothek in Aarau, Switzerland.
Posted in Arms and Armour, Articles
Tagged battle, catholic, chronicles, halberd, kappel, landsknecht, Longsword, Meÿer, pike, protestant, reisläufer, swiss, urban warfare, urs graf
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Meyer quarterstaff – A lesson plan
I thought it might interest some to see how a typical lesson plan for our Meÿer staff class in GHFS looks like.
The Secret Fechtbuch of the Little Fuggers.
The famous Augsburg family Fuggers are still considered to have been one of the wealthiest families in the world of all times, and since they were based in Augsburg, and also lived in Nuremberg and other well-known centres of fencing, … Continue reading
Federschwert or a blunt longsword?
What kind of steel longsword should one choose for sparring? There are of course many aspects to consider. However, many instinctively discount the so called federschwert, since they look too weak and commonly are associated with sports fencing in late … Continue reading
Posted in Arms and Armour, Articles, Fencing Culture
Tagged Federschwert, Longsword, Training sword
4 Comments
Deutsche Fechtkunst im 16. Jahrhundert.
What was it like in a German 16th Century Fechtboden? Here is a glimpse written by Prof. Dr. G Panconcelli-Calzia in 1926, based on his studies of the manuscript entitled “Codex Guelf 83.4 August 8°, which still resides in the … Continue reading
Spinning around Hollywood Style?
Never ever turn your back against your opponent sounds like a good, solid advice, but is it always so? What do you do for instance, when you face multiple opponents? This article will give a few examples of Renaissance sources … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Meyer Halben Stangen, Techniques and interpretation
Tagged Jogo do Pau, Stage fencing
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Knightly Arts: A true-hearted letter of warning of the sad state of current Christianity.
Knightly Arts: A true-hearted letter of warning of the sad state of current Christianity. Author: Roger Norling of Gothenburg Historical Fencing School How did one train soldiers and horses for war in the 17th century? These images give a small … Continue reading
Is there really a Left Vom Tag?
Well there is a right Vom Tag, and a middle one… so there has to be a left Vom Tag as well, hasn’t there? We make all master cuts cut from both sides, so it is simple logic, right?
Posted in Articles, Techniques and interpretation
Tagged Guards, Leger, Liechtenauer, Longsword, Vom Tag
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How do you do the Vom Tag?
No, it’s not the hottest, new move on the dance floor. It’s just the old High Guard as it is taught by Master Liechtenauer and his disciples, may God rest their souls. But how should it be done, really?
Posted in Articles, Techniques and interpretation
Tagged Guards, Leger, Liechtenauer, Longsword, Paurnfeindt, Vom Tag
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How long should a longsword be?
A simple reply would be long enough to reach your opponent. Stupid answer, I know… But the question is also stupid… sort of. Let me explain. Real longswords from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance can range from about 110cm … Continue reading
How do you grip a sword?
Gripping a sword may sound like the easiest part of fencing; I mean it is just a matter of grabbing a sword and holding on to it. However, as we will briefly examine below, at least with some fencing masters … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Meyer longsword, Techniques and interpretation
Tagged Grip, Meÿer, Paurnfeindt, Sword, Talhoffer, Wilhalm
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Sparring swords – Introduction
What defines a good sparring weapon? A common notion is that it should be as close as possible to the real, sharp weapon it simulates, but be designed with safety in mind, thus lowering the risk of permanent injury. However, … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Reviews
Tagged Federschwert, Sparring swords, Synthetic longsword, waster
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Gothenburg Historical Fencing School
