Remember the good old days when you would spend hours making that perfect mixed tape? You’d pick all the tracks, find good transitions from the end of one song to go into the start of a new song all while trying to make sure the mix fit perfectly onto both sides of the cassette without…
The Mechanical/Tactical Spiral for Skill Development
It’s easy in a technical art to develop a mechanic that functions as a solo action but fails when it meets the application environment. Yet attempting to develop a technique in a purely tactical environment can be overwhelming for many who are working to build governance of their body or in the absence of having…
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Swords and Arrows and Horses oh my!
It's going to be a full weekend down at Red Colt, with Games Practice, Horseback Archery, and Mounted Combat, Friday through Sunday May 2nd - 4th. Mounted Games Practice Our weekly Games Practice starts up again this month, and will run every Friday from 5 - 7pm right up until Carosella in mid-September. This is…
Beginner Courses: May Cycle
"What to say about Academie Duello? I didn't really know what it meant to belong, until I started taking classes here. The environment is one of acceptance, enthusiasm, and personal growth. I have made many awesome friendships that extend beyond the training floor. If you're even remotely interested, try a free lesson, and immerse yourself…
Devon's European Teaching Dates
I will be teaching and travelling in Europe (and Eastern Canada) in May and June. The following dates are confirmed. Please see the specific websites for workshop booking information. If you're interested in connecting up for a workshop in your area in between weekends feel free to be in touch. May 2 – 4 The…
Defending from the Mount
The second checklist item in the Swordplay from the Falsemount section is: Demonstrate proper defences and counter-attacks to all attacks from in-front on the far and near side. In this section we are looking for the ability to deal with descending, rising, and horizontal attacks on either side of the horse, performing core defences of…
Easter Hunt Sword Press
We seem to have a large number of peers engaged in some Easter-season hunt – be it for a new skill, a new experience, an old blade or even a national ranking! If ever you wondered if HEMA/WMA was just this seasons’ ‘flash in the pan’, We think that this weeks’ offering should demonstrate that…
Training the Top; Training the Bottom - Part I
In my post on Training the Ranges of your Ability I shared the idea that if you were to measure your martial ability on a scale of 100 you would never be able to pin point an exact value in a meaningful way because we all fluctuate on that scale based on our fitness, mindset,…
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Fun for the Whole Family with Introduction to Swordplay for Youth and Families
Spring is here and it is not just the bees that have started buzzing. The city is filled with flowers and blooming trees as we are treated by pink petal cherry blossoms that dance down to the ground covering the sidewalks. The weather is inspiring parents and children to get out of the house…
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Annual Bonfire and Work Party!
Friday 18 April at around noon we are planning to burn those piles of brambles. Providing the weather cooperates, those blackberries will be toast! Bring your work-clothes and your marshmallows and join us for some revenge! We also have several other chores on the to-do list, such as putting the lovely new trough in the…
Spring has Sprung Sword Press
For those of Us in Upper Canada that have recently dug out of a long winter, only to face the return of sub-zero temperatures tomorrow evening, We really envy those in the community that can practice their arts outdoors year round. Australia particularly. On the other hand, there is something to be said for one…
Controlling Audience Attention
I call stage combat the illusion of violence because I realized that convincing an audience that a fight is genuine while hiding the safety features is a magic trick. This is especially obvious if you watch magicians who saw their assistants in half or thrust swords through them. Misdirection About half of the effects in…
The Real History That Inspired Events in Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones. Whether you have read the Song of Ice and Fire books by George R.R. Martin or are glued to the tv screen every week when HBO debuts a new episode, one thing is clear: this is some of the best story telling out there. The characters feel so real and multifaceted- there…
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