Class Title: Döbringer’s Flourish: assorted interpretations and training drills

Description: The Codex Döbringer (HS.3227a) mentions a training drill or flourish that is very vague in its description. This lesson will examine the flourish and demonstrate different interpretations of the flourish itself as well as assorted drills, techniques and concepts contained within the performance of the flourish against single and multiple opponents. At the end of the session individuals will have gained not only some new techniques for their repertoire but also a new point of view with regard to choreographed sequences of movements for training purposes.

The class is open to as many individuals as the venue can hold.

Duration: 2-4 hours.

Requirements: For this class you will need a longsword, a mask and a pair of gloves (type and level of protection not too important, just protect your hands) and you should already know about techniques such as the Zwerhaw and Schrankhut as these will feature prominently in the lesson; this lesson may not be suitable for raw beginners, but a basic knowledge of the different techniques and guards will be perfectly adequate.

Instructor: Keith Farrell

Country: UK

Club: Academy of Historical Arts

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Class Title: The Use of Low Guards in German Sources

Description: There are many examples of low guards being used in both defensive and offensive fashions in the manuscript sources for the extended Liechtenauer tradition of longsword. In fact, one of the primary four guards is held near the ground, and other low guards are described from the earliest known treatise to the later treatises in the tradition. Practitioners of this discipline often favour such guards as Vom Tag and inexperienced swordsmen often favour an extended form of Pflug, but lower guards tend to be overlooked in this style of fighting. Practitioners of other HEMA disciplines (such as the longsword of Fiore dei Liberi) tend to be more comfortable with these positions, but fight from them in a different fashion.

The purpose of this lesson is to illustrate from sources some examples of low guards used in both a defensive and offensive manner. Further extrapolations have also been included to illustrate how the core principles of Liechtenauer’s system can be applied to elements of the system that have little written about them.

The class is open to as many individuals as the venue can hold.

Duration: 2-3 hours.

Requirements: For this class you will need a longsword, a mask and a pair of gloves (type and level of protection not too important, just protect your hands); this lesson may not be suitable for raw beginners, but a basic knowledge of how to handle a longsword (irrespective of style) would be helpful.

Instructor: Keith Farrell

Country: UK

Club: Academy of Historical Arts

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Class Title: Entering a fight

Description:

Duration: The classes can be adjusted to suit any given length of time.

Instructor: Herbert Schmidt

Country: Austria

Club: Ars Gladii

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Class Title: Tactics in the German System

Description:

Duration: The classes can be adjusted to suit any given length of time.

Instructor: Herbert Schmidt

Country: Austria

Club: Ars Gladii

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Class Title: Fiore dei Liberi sword in two hands – out of armour

Description: The class will focus on Fiore dei Liberi’s unarmoured sword in two hands (longsword) section, covering offence and defence at wide distance, close distance, grabs, grapples and disarms.

The class requires no previous knowledge of any martial art, though any knowledge will be advantageous.

A safe longsword simulator (wood, steel or nylon) is required.

The class is open to as many as the hall can take.

Duration: As little as 2 hours, as much as 2 days.

Instructor: Matt Easton

Country: Great Britain

Club: Schola Gladiatoria

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Class Title: Going straight to him – how to transform a proper form into an effective combat move.

Description: This class focuses on presenting exercises with a partner designed to develop skills in practical application of already learned techniques.

It is open for practitioners of any kind of weapon arts but, due to the instructor’s main area of expertise, will be based on the German tradition of unarmoured longsword fighting.

To attend, you need at least basic experience in free sparring and protective gear that allows for full speed thrusts and strikes. If you can ensure a suitable partner for yourself you may bring any kind of weapon.

The class may be physically demanding.

The class is open to as many students as the hall can take.

Requirements: Protective gear as in the description.

Duration: 2 to 3 hours.

Instructor: Maciej Talaga

Country: Poland

Club: ARMA Poland, FEDER