One of the things about swordfighting that I soon realized after I started practising Western Martial Arts is that not every swordfight stays strictly to being a swordfight. Sometimes you and your opponent get in close to each other and the game changes. Maybe your opponent decided to rush you, hoping to gain an advantage…
As discussed in my previous post on Stage Combat Trends, swordplay for the stage (and the mainly French terminology actors and stunt performers use) came initially from sport fencing. The first fight choreographers in film were fencing champions, and fencing was a part of most private schools and professional actor's training. The lineage looks like…
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…
'No hoof, no horse,' goes the common saying, which indicates how vital hoof care is to the soundness of your horse. For this reason, in Horsemanship Level 3 and up, there is at least one lesson in the curriculum (and a section of the exam) devoted solely to the foot and farriery. For level 3…
Our four-session introduction to Bartitsu includes the four component disciplines of the art: Jujitsu, pugilism, savate and walking stick self defence. However, there is a critical fifth component: the mind. Your brain directs your body in voluntary actions, and control of your focus, awareness and choices is critically important in dangerous situations. Your assailant likewise…
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…
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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…
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…
"It's the most wonderful time of the year!" At least that is what the classic song lyrics celebrate, but for some the holiday season can be very stressful-- especially when it comes to finding the perfect gift. If you have a swordfighter or HEMA practitioner on your list, Academie Duello has many items available in our…
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Horsemanship Level 3: Wound Treatment Last week we looked at when to call the vet and what to do until she arrives. In the case of wounds, some warrant a vet call and some don't; some need treatment and others don't. How do you tell, and how do you treat the wound before and after…
Throughout the history of cinematic fights, a variety of stunt coordinators have come to prominence, and with them their iconic styles. When a movie becomes popular and has fight scenes that are appreciated, the market is flooded with imitators. Sometimes their style is overgeneralized to apply to every weapon. These days, if you wield two…
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…
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Learn to fend off ruffians and rapscallions with Vancouver's most common weather-based accoutrement: the umbrella! With the rainy winter season returning to Vancouver we are pleased to announce the return of this very popular workshop. Loaner umbrellas and canes will be available, but we encourage to bring your own sturdy device, especially if there is…
Read More... from Practical Umbrella Self-Defence for Every Vancouverite