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…
There is a saying that "a tool is only as good as the person using it" but sometimes, it can be the other way around. Thanks to the wonders of technology, almost everyone has a camera on their cellphone that can record and post the instances where both tools--and the people who wield them--fail hilariously.…
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…
More information on the new Cavaliere Program courses: Mounted Combat Playday An opportunity to put your skills to work. The term 'playday' usually denotes mounted games and other fun events on horseback in a semi-competitive format. This day will include informal competitions as well as opportunities to practice mounted games, sparring and horseback archery. Assistants…
A poorly constructed house will not stand the test of time or the elements. Without being built on solid foundations that only then are added to, the home will be nothing more than a shoddy frame unable to do its job. The building of a good, strong and sound house is not unlike the path…
Read More... from Rapier: Body Mechanics and Control Workshop
To be grabbed or pulled can induce panic even if it isn't painful. You are trapped and it feels like a violation of your freedom. When an attacker grabs you, they have intent to follow that up with some other action. It may be to bring you with them, control your motion to make you…