After their first night at sparring, a new student of mine engaged me in a conversation. He had enjoyed himself, but felt like he was flailing and a bit out of control. He thought perhaps he should return to simply doing drills for a while. Sparring is one of the primary ends of our art.…
"It's everyone from everywhere in one place." --Bruno Ramos, Knight's Blade HEMA Fresh from flying home from VISS at the end of last month, the statement above really resonated with my experiences with the Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium, and with my modest exposure to HEMA events internationally. Peers from all over the world fly across continents…
This coming Saturday, April 18th, we will welcome back Robert Borsos of Borsos Torzs Horse Archery for another day of ever-popular mounted archery. Beginner Horseback Archery takes place in the morning and is suitable for anyone, even if you've never shot an arrow or sat on a horse in your life. This workshop is a prerequisite…
Port Coquitlam is ready to engage! Have you always wanted to start swordfighting but our downtown studio has simply been too far away? Well, great news, we have now added another location for people to access our classes! Our two beginner swordplay courses will now also be offered at Clinch MMA and Fitness, a mixed…
Another long-awaited post about upcoming movies that I think will have great combat. Today, we’ll look at the trailer for the upcoming film Southpaw and compare it to other films in the genre to generate reasonable expectations for its fight choreography and performance. I try to look at the pedigree of the filmmakers to give…
You’ve just finished a sparring match. You were struck, but what happened? The ability to recall a fight in a useful manner is a different skill than those required to have that fight. Here’s a process you can use to develop fighting recall: Fight a pass. At the conclusion of the pass, pause and ask…
Read More... from Learning to Observe - How to Deconstruct a Fight
Riding Level 3: Rhythm and Forward Movement At level 3 we want you to ride with 7. Rhythm and forward movement at all three gaits. Walk on loose rein. Rhythm is the foundation of the Training Pyramid for dressage. First go and review this post on rhythm as it fits within the pyramid. As suggested,…
During my physical culture workshop at VISS last weekend, we looked at a few feats of strength. Some of these might be thought of as cheating, others are outright stage illusions. Victorian Classic Strength First up, classic feats from the Bartitsu Compendium I, in a section called "How to Pose as a Strongman". 1. Using…
As I write this, my baby daughter is currently asleep in her crib, beside my bed. Behind her, leaning against the wall, is my longsword. I started swordfighting in February 2014. I wanted to learn, but I also wanted to improve my health. My husband and I had been trying for a baby for almost…
Finding the rhythm of your training and simply enjoying the process is a beautiful state to work toward in your martial endeavours. However, most of us also want to see progress. There’s a natural desire to be able to do a technique more deftly, swing a sword more powerfully, or defeat an opponent you couldn’t even…
Along with the daffodils and bunnies, a new series of Cavaliere program classes are springing up in April! If you are completely new to the program, come out for the Intro to Mounted Combat, or just show up as a spectator at the Mounted Combat Playday on Easter Sunday. And if you are working on…
If you plan to improve in your martial practice you need outside feedback. Here are three quality sources that you can seek out to get the most of your training time: 1. Well-Designed, Feedback-Oriented Exercises Instead of having to self-observe whether your mechanics are correct, a good exercise and good training partner will give you…
The Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium is coming up this weekend. If you have any interest at all in western martial arts, whether as a current practice or from a historical point of view, this is an event you don't want to miss! Although there are no specific Mounted Combat workshops taking place at VISS, here's a…