The sun is shining and I'm getting excited for a warm summer of swordplay. This week we are stepping into a new selection of topics. Green Cords will be working on techniques for receiving the opponent and inviting them into error, Blue Cords will be adopting the refused rapier posture, Red Cords are working on…
Contested Sword Press
So here’s the situation. Your intense match of ‘pokey chest’ with your salles’ alpha Red Cord did not go quite as planned; and your favourite side sword is now part of your estate being sorted by your executor. If you have any sort of social standing in your city or country, and your sword was…
Fight Scene Scripts
Fight scenes are first of all scenes, and we'd all prefer to act in well-written and exciting plays. Here's a selection of plays that have fight scenes, in no particular order. And it's certainly not exhaustive. They're not categorized by weapon, since you can often substitute weapons without ruining the meaning of the conflict. I…
On the Mark(ings)
Horsemanship Level 2: Identification Part II: Points, Colours and Markings Last week we looked at breeds and types, which is the most general way of identifying horses. This week we'll narrow down and look at more specific identification. Points Your horse's anatomy forms an important part of his identification and is helpful in communicating with…
International Interests Sword Press
Our HEMA/WMA community, along with our Japanese and Chinese peers, are not alone in studying and appreciating the art and techniques necessary to create beautiful and functional swords – and the techniques to use them. And though they don’t get as much press nor commercial interest as the ‘big three’; there are vibrant pockets of…
Duello.TV: Defeating the Offhand, Sidesword Parries, Breaking and Exchanging Longsword Thrusts
Welcome to bonus week on Duello.TV! What does this mean? Well our curriculum at Academie Duello works on a month by month 4 week rotation. This means that every few months there is a bonus 5th week. During this week we focus on integration and tactical exercises, applied combatives drills, and review. To fit this…
Drink Yer Water
Everyone has heard this one. You need to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Every health source will tell you that. So, do you drink that much water? I didn't think so. But this is the single most important nutrient you ingest every day, and the single easiest way to cleanse your…
Advice for Having Swords and Bows in Public
A recent article in the Vancouver Sun has brought a often discussed issue to the forefront again: Can I carry a sword or bow to class on public transit, or for that matter down the street in Vancouver? The short answer is "yes" but there are some nuances to be aware of and a few…
Read More... from Advice for Having Swords and Bows in Public
Training Videos Apr 22: Defenses Against the Cut, Sidesword Provocations IV, Longstaff Grapples
Greetings Duello.TV subscribers. We're wrapping up this month on Duello.TV and in classes at Academie Duello and is usually the case it is in this last week that we look at tying together all of the new skills that we've learned as we work to integrate drill into application. First level students are countering cuts,…
A Breed for Every Need
Horsemanship Level 2: Identification Horses come in many shapes and sizes; display strange colours, such as chestnut, bay, buckskin and skewbald; have exotic body parts, such as pastern, stifle, dock and chestnut (no relation to the colour); and have other interesting markings such as black points, ermine spots, snips and stockings. This is not just…
Real & Re-Created Historical Sword Press
One might think after watching Our peers file, buff, wax and polish their blades after an evening of training, that our swords were delicate and gossamer twigs capable of dissolving into mist if not cared for and fussed over daily. But history consistently proves that swords survive battle, weather, submersion, burial and the passage of…
Beginner Courses: May Cycle
Our next round of Beginner’s Courses start in a couple weeks! May is a month of growth -- the perfect time to challenge yourself and have fun with our unique, engaging beginner programs. Both our Beginner’s Courses, Taste of the Renaissance and Warrior Fundamentals, are 8-classes long and can be taken twice a week for one month or…
Fight Craft
I have been musing for the last year or so about the Art of Stage Combat. The question that keeps rolling around in my head is a combination of these elements: There is more to art than aesthetics or technique Other arts are appreciated both in isolation and as an element of theatre/film (dance, singing,…