My new favourite book is called Jiu Jitsu Complete by Kiyose Nakae. Let’s take a look. Background I found this book at the auction of the estate of Alex Mahler. I didn’t know Alex well, but he was a valued contributor at Academie Duello, creating armour pieces for dozens of fighters, teaching others how to…
It's week two! At Academie Duello we are working on defeating posta finestra through engagement in longsword focus. In Green Cord we're using the cut to gain control of the opponent's rapier. In Blue Cord we are provoking the opponent through well placed attacks with the sidesword. At Red Cord we are working on striking…
Having completed our blog tour through the Green Spur, it's time to move on to Blue. Blue Spur candidates are able horse-keepers with basic equine first aid knowledge, and are riding at a level that includes cantering, small jumps, and a secure and confident seat. Swordplay from the falsemount and horse are part of regular…
Tis spring, and a young man's fancy turns to … tournament! Yes, the Battle of the Nations approaches … and hordes of heavily armed fighters will move west to cross the eastern border of France to … wait … doesn’t this road look a bit familiar? Are We Here to Fight, or to Talk? THE…
The weather is turning, the sun is shining and the city is heating up! What better time to warm up those muscles and try something new? Take a look at our upcoming workshops for April: Intro to Bartitsu Saturday, April 6, 2013 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Learn the mixed martial art of the Victorian…
Read More... from Upcoming April Workshops at Academie Duello
What's good for kids, especially your little actors? Why is the stage combat course age 16 and up? Physical, Mental and Emotional I do not have offspring, but I do have an opinion about how they should be raised. Maybe I should rethink this entire post. No, I have too many requests for kids' classes…
The final item on the Green Spur checklist is: Describe the mechanics required to keep your seat when striking from horseback. And here we come back to that Independant Seat once more. It keeps cropping up because it is probably the most important component not just of mounted combat, but of all your riding endeavours. …
We have a quadruple threat this month: Rapier, Sidesword, Longsword, and Quarterstaff. Yes some of our most senior students at Academie Duello in Vancouver are having their minds overloaded as they move through a day of classes -- now it's your turn at home to enjoy the same overwhelming sensation. Longsword Focus http://duello.tv/featured-videos/this-week-in-class/ This week…
Academie Duello is proud to announce a new program to take place at our Vancouver location starting this month. The En-guard program is a specialty dog training program based on the 1461 Hundekämpfe manuscript. I'm excited because this is one of the first times that we'll be drawing from German sources. Dogs were used by many European…
OK, I fibbed, We’re going to catch-up now. During the last VISS, there was some discussion amongst attendees about the number and variety of medieval/renaissance WMA/HEMA ‘salles’ that were being established of late. It is a reality of a business that it exists to fill a niche … and that there is a market out…
Luddites, ala lantern! We’ll try posting this again after being beat-up by technology … a week late. And we'll catch-up later this week if one of my peer's leaves me a space. There’s nothing this (last) week on WMA/HEMA; but we do have a wealth of links highlighting swords as symbols: of history; of trust; or honour;…
The traditional throws of Judo and Jujitsu are covered in many sources online. Although in Bartitsu class we never use the Japanese terms, we perform many of these throws. As an evolving mixed martial art for self-defense, Neo-Bartitsu also borrows from other traditions for the best combination of techniques, especially in the tricky realm of…
The Eight Cuts, Contorted for the Saddle Cast your mind back to the eight cuts which are available to the swordsman on foot. Now consider: ... which sword blows can and should be thrown from horseback to a mounted rider and a fighter on the ground As you face forward in the saddle, an immediate…