The final week of Warrior Fundamentals. It was all coming to an end. While I was sad that the course was drawing to a close, we finished on a high note -- first, because we had the opportunity to play with polearms, and second, because we finally had the chance to spar, an experience that confirmed all of…
Category: Adult Swordplay
Beginning Swordplay, Part Three
Week number three had me intrigued. Longsword was finally starting to make sense to me but now we were moving on to a new weapon? This could go either way. Longsword had been difficult at first, but the more time I spent on it, the more sense it made to me. Learning something new at…
The Value of a Symmetrical Learning Environment
When you choose to dedicate a significant portion of your life to acquiring an art, there are two primary types of martial learning environment in which you must spend time. One would be a symmetrical environment, where your training and sparring partners are doing (or trying to do) the same thing as you. The other is an asymmetrical environment, where…
Read More... from The Value of a Symmetrical Learning Environment
Three Types of Practice
I was talking with a student of mine the other night, encouraging them to start pushing themselves toward their next rank at my school. They commented to me that they felt like they were getting worse in their skills, not better. They felt that they were flailing, imprecise, and out of control. I personally had…
Beginner's Courses February 2015
As of the new year, we have a new schedule for the next round of beginner's courses! Prepare for swinging swords and pulling punches. We offer three different courses which cover three separate avenues of Western Martial Arts. Bartitsu is a complex martial art with many interlocking skills. Our four-week Fight Like Sherlock Holmes course gives students an in-depth…
Cueing and Consequence: Creating a More Accurate Training Environment
Being able to mechanically conduct a technique is important for establishing a combative base. However, being successful with a given technique requires a much greater level of understanding of its application. Every combative technique must be placed into its proper context with an awareness of time, space, and feeling (not intuitive but physical). To successfully strike…
Read More... from Cueing and Consequence: Creating a More Accurate Training Environment
Looking Like a Fool in Practice
This is one of our biggest barriers to growth. Who doesn’t fear looking like a failure in front of judging eyes? Who doesn’t see all eyes as potential judges? Even brand new students who have never held a sword before share experiences of feeling like they look stupid during their first class. Many resist ever…
30 for 30 Swordplay Challenge 2015 Edition
[Updated - Fixed link so it goes to correct facebook group - Dec 30, 2014] In the summer of 2013 I created a challenge, primarily for myself and a few senior students, to practice 30 minutes of swordplay each day for 30 days. The challenge went from my small initial group of invitees to a…
Read More... from 30 for 30 Swordplay Challenge 2015 Edition
What's Your Training Rhythm?
Regular practice is more important than quantity of practice. 5 minutes a day can be more profound for your long-term growth in a skill than 5 hours, once per month. Keeping a new skill in the active portion of the brain allows you to return to serious study of that skill (for example in a…
The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies--Martial Mistakes Movies Make
Everyone is buzzing about the release of the third installment of the Hobbit movie trilogy, set to premiere here in Canada on December 17th. The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies is bound to be filled with all of the amazing special effects, big battles, and action that Peter Jackson is famous for. Even though Jackson's Hobbit…
Read More... from The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies--Martial Mistakes Movies Make
Beginners Courses for Next Year/ January
A new year is coming so get into our next round of Beginner's Courses! Prepare for swinging swords and pulling punches. We offer three different courses which cover different avenues of Western Martial Arts: Fight Like Sherlock Holmes Bartitsu is a complex martial art with many interlocking skills. Our four-week Fight Like Sherlock Holmes course gives students…
Practice Symmetrical Development
Robert Borsos, my horseback archery instructor, raced down the lane and planted 12 arrows in the target. An impressive feat from horseback. As he rode past me back to the starting gate to do a second run, I noticed that he had passed his bow into the other hand and was going through a series…
Help Your Training Partner Discover Failure
I’ve recently become more aware of a helpful person in my classes at Academie Duello. This person is so helpful that they want to make sure that their partner never fails, never feels bad, and is successful in all that they do. One place I see this person in action is in target drills. In…
Read More... from Help Your Training Partner Discover Failure
Rank Examination Report - November 2014
Congratulations to everyone who examined in our November 28th rank examination at Academie Duello. This was a very special event as it not only had examinees within the Mastery program (our core adult martial arts program), but also had two members of our Youth Program who were the first ever to test for the Blue…
The Crucible of Full Speed Training
I love slow fencing and I think it is an essential part of training. It will help you develop strategic and tactical awareness, develop flow, and overcome your reactionary qualities and replace them with more effective responses. However, slow work on its own does not fully prepare you for combat. True martial combat exists without an…
Are your hips holding you back?
Working at the front desk of the world’s largest western swordfighting school for half a year has led me to observe something. When it comes to most weapons and styles, people have preferences that are based on a number of different factors, ranging from their training background to their childhood fantasies. Generally speaking no one seems to particularly dislike one…
Intro Courses beginning late October/ early November
Because winter is coming, our next round of Beginner's Courses are just around the corner! Prepare for winter by swinging swords and pulling punches. We offer three different courses which cover different aspects of Western Martial Arts: Fight Like Sherlock Holmes Bartitsu is a complex martial art with many interlocking skills. Our four-week Fight Like Sherlock Holmes course…
Read More... from Intro Courses beginning late October/ early November
Beginners Courses in October
Our next round of Beginner's Courses are just around the corner! Celebrate the start of Fall by swinging swords and pulling punches. We offer three different courses which cover different avenues of Western Martial Arts: Fight Like Sherlock Holmes Bartitsu is a complex martial art with many interlocking skills. Our four-week Fight Like Sherlock Holmes course…