You have two hands to punch and grab, and two legs to kick with. Kicking is common in many martial arts from the Eastern Hemisphere, but most are unaware of the foot-centric Western Martial Art that is still practiced today called savate. The third week of our introduction to Bartitsu adds kicking to our arsenal.…
Over the last few years we have seen an upswing of archery featured in film and fiction. We have the zombie-killing archer Daryl Dixon from The Walking Dead--and of course, who can forget Oliver Queen from the hit show Arrow--but men haven't been the only ones hitting bull's-eyes with bows and arrows. The Hunger Games:…
Read More... from Badass Babes with Bows -- Woman Archers from Mythology to the Silver Screen
This week, we are thrilled to have Academie Duello play host to internationally acclaimed, award-winning martial artist and author Luis Preto. Luis will be teaching a 25-hour, week-long intensive on the Portuguese stick fighting martial art Jogo do Pau. Many people were unable to find the time to convince their employers to give them a week off…
Panic! Something went horribly wrong in your stage fight. First off, assess the situation. "Horribly" is a matter of perspective: serious injuries can happen, which is truly the worst-case scenario. Problems with a fight scene might derail a performance, which can seem catastrophic, but should be handled calmly. Let's take a look at broken swords and…
Horsemanship Level 3: Coolout Procedures Just like you, your horse needs to cool down gradually after strenuous exercise to avoid stiffness. Unlike you, your horse, with his larger mass to surface area ratio, is especially prone to overheating. A very hot horse that isn't allowed to cool down properly could go into shock, colic, or…
This post was originally published on the Terminal City Duellist blog. A few years ago, Luis Preto was living in Vancouver, getting his Masters in Coaching Sciences at the University of British Columbia, and stopping by Academie Duello every week or so to get some practice time in with either myself or the school's director, Devon Boorman,…
Defending against a punch is a priority for many people when learning self-defence. We are aware both instinctually and through the media that an unarmed person can lash out with a fist and knock out teeth or render a victim unconscious with a blow to the head. Our second beginner's lesson in the Bartitsu program…
It’s that time of year again. Autumn is in the air and today is Hallowe'en! For the past few weeks, shops have been filling their windows with jack-o-lanterns, mannequins have been dressed in spooky costumes, and cheap candy seems to be on the shelves at every grocery store. We also saw the season 5 premiere…
Read More... from The Walking Dead: What Weapons Would Western Martial Artists Use Against Walkers?
You want to get action hero roles, so you're going to audition. There are two types of audition in today's industry for a casting director to get a first look at you: a live audition or a taped one. This week, we'll discuss the difference between a taped audition and a reel, and some tips…
In 1898, E.W. Barton-Wright combined his own name with the term "jujitsu" to describe his new hybrid self-defense system: Bartitsu, the first martial art to combine Asian and European fighting styles. Over a century since its creation, many people recognize immediately that Bartitsu is known for cane fighting and that Sherlock Holmes stories feature his…
This is a special guest blog post from the internationally acclaimed, award-winning martial artist and author Luis Preto, who will be talking about his upcoming week-long intensive workshop on Jogo do Pau. http://vimeo.com/107810727 Greetings everyone! Regarding the upcoming course at Academie Duello, I’d like to start by stating that I am very excited about this project. Not…
Read More... from Guest Blog Post on Jogo do Pau from Luis Preto
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
Mark your calendars for the biggest upcoming stage combat events in Canada! Paddy Crean Program dates: December 29, 2014 - January 3, 2015 Registration deadline: November 19, 2014 The Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff, Alberta This workshop is an opportunity for master teachers, researchers, and movement artists to get together and share in the…
It's that time of year again. The leaves on the trees are changing colours then falling to the ground; pumpkin-flavoured everything is in stores; the smell of mulch and woodsmoke are in the evening air; and retail stores are flooding the aisles with Hallowe'en costumes galore! People aren't the only creatures gearing up for a…
A rational person may become violent for many reasons, but the general explanation is that they realize they cannot get what they want through verbal negotiation. Emotions play a big role in this evaluation of circumstances, so I'm not claiming that a calm and rational mind will clinically decide to attack after a cost-benefit analysis…
Fight scenes are undeniably complex and require a lot of rehearsal. Sword fights involve moving long metal objects at high speed toward another actor and demand sufficient time to ensure both partners are safe and accurate. How much time should a producer or stage manager set aside for these rehearsals? The FDC Standard A Fight…
The more you learn of different fighting styles from around the world and through history, the more similarities become obvious. Bartitsu and other mixed martial arts function not only because one style will fill a gap that the other leaves, but because many of the core concepts are shared. Today, we’re looking at the important…
Quick question: what's your primary weapon? If you said longsword, rapier, sidesword... sorry, but in swordplay, your body is actually the most crucial part of your martial practice! It's what makes it possible to then train with or without other weapons. We oil our swords, but what about basic body maintenance? More effective training sessions…
Read More... from Conditioning and Foundational Movement Skills Seminar