In the Western martial traditions the master of a school was an employee of the student. In an art where a successful instructor was teaching many above his social station, the bowing and scraping went the other way than we may see in other cultures. Having come from an Eastern martial arts background, this is…
Riding Level 3: Riding without Stirrups At all levels of riding we ask you to drop your stirrups periodically. There are two main reasons for this: You never know when you might lose your stirrups when riding. It's good to be able to keep your seat without them, and regain them on the fly. Riding…
Perhaps my opinion is biased, but I believe that one of the best things that takes place at Academie Duello is our Summer and Spring Break kid's program Knight Camp. Youth (ages 8 – 14) are transported back in time as they are taught the knightly arts in an engaging and safe environment by Academie…
Read More... from Kids Experience Hands-On History with Knight Camp
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…
Riding Level 3: Position It's one of the first things we teach you when you start riding, and something your instructors will continue to adjust throughout your riding career. Your position in the saddle is far more than just a matter of aesthetics. Good position is the foundation of effective riding. At level three we…
The Chinese New Year is upon us as 2015 enters into the Year of the Ram. I live in the city of Vancouver, which will be hosting a huge celebration and parade to ring in the Chinese New Year. People from many different cultures and backgrounds will be out enjoying the festivities. Living in a…
Read More... from When East Meets West: The History and Influence of The Silk Road
This past weekend a crew consisting of me and five senior students from Academie Duello headed down to the 2015 Ursulmas Championship tournament in Monroe, Washington. This is a tournament hosted by the Society for Creative Anachronism, an organization devoted to re-enactment of the middle ages and renaissance in various forms, including combat. (In the…
Riding Level 3: Tack Check The first item in the Riding 3 assessment is: 1. Mount independently. Adjust girth while mounted. We assume you learned to mount in Riding 1, and improved on it for Riding 2. At this level we expect you to be smoother and more organized. It doesn't matter whether you use…
In November, I started classes at Academie Duello. It was a long time coming as most of my friends have either attended in the past or are currently attending, and I had recently begun working there. I decided, for the sake of the full experience, that I'd have to see the school as a student…
As western martial artists we have accumulated numerous hours and days practising and training in our art. We practice solo drills involving cuts, thrusts, parries and lunges while looking into the mirror as we go over proper body mechanics and postures. We also pair up and practice structured martial drills with each other, working out…
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…
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
Over the next few months this blog will cover the Riding Level 3 curriculum. A Level 3 rider is one who rides safely and with confidence, is comfortable at walk, trot and canter with good position in all three, is beginning to jump cross rails and small vertical jumps, and can ride with precision in…