So You Want To Become
A Swordsman?

Well, you've come to the right place, at least as close as you are going to find in the 21st century. We don't study theatrical fencing, which aims at being entertaining; nor do we study any form of sport fencing. Here you will learn the style of swordfighting used on the battlefields and duelling rings of Europe from the 13th to the 17th centuries.

As you are probably well aware, bladed combat became obsolete with the advent of gunpowder (the proliferation of armor also helped bring about its downfall). The techniques of the sword and other weapons were soon forgotten. They would have been lost completely had it not been for a few of the old masters who wrote manuals on their art.

As we rediscover and translate those old manuals from 14th and 15th century German, Italian and Latin, we are fascinated at the rich display of fighting techniques our ancestors used, as well as the complexity and completeness of their art. Please note that in the first paragraph we do not "teach" this art, we "study" it. The ancient fight manuals were not written for beginning students, nor is the written word a satisfactory substitute for a living teacher (think of golf; a pro can teach you the basics of a golf swing in a short time, but if you try to describe the act on paper, you will either find that you have missed many of the finer points, or you will write pages on even the simplest swing).

So, if you attend our classes, we will teach you what we know and have interpreted to date. It will not, however, be some dojo where you spend years always learning from the same black belt. Once you have developed an understanding and skill in the of the use of the longsword, you will be a scholar like the rest of us, on the path of constant learning and rediscovery of an ancient art.