It's a new month of curriculum at Academie Duello. Our focus this month is on Fundamentals pretty much all the way around. Mastery program classes at all three levels are working on single rapier foundations; longsword class is focusing on precision and posture in all the attacks; and Sidesword focus is working on the fundamentals…
Tag: video
Victorian-Themed Halloween
October is the month of death and candy in North America, so let's talk about a steampunk-Holmes-Victorian Halloween. Besides your best clockwork sky pirate garb, I don't have costume ideas, just some inspiration and factoids. Jack the Ripper Synonymous with the words "serial killer", Jack the Ripper murdered female prostitutes in the Whitechapel district of…
Video Lessons: Defeating the Offhand, Rapier-Dagger in all tempos, Dagger Strikes Pt. 2, Sidesword Cutting
We're into the last week of our rapier focused month at Academie Duello. Green cords are countering offhand parries, blue cords are exploring the diversity of rapier and dagger plays that can be found in each tempo, and red cords are concluding their unit on striking with the dagger. Also to keep your sidesword work…
Video Lessons: Rapier and offhand, advanced rapier guards, disarms, and posta di donna soprana with longsword
This week at Academie Duello and on Duello.TV we're looking at advanced techniques for the unified defence of rapier and offhand (green cord), the 5th and 6th rapier guards with dagger (blue cord), and employing the dagger within disarms (red cord). We also have some longsword exercises that pertain to some of the exercises students…
Lesson Videos: Rapier offhand, dagger, and disarms as well as sidesword cutting
This week at Academie Duello we're deepening our study of the rapier with further use of the offhand, dagger, and disarms. We're also checking in regularly on our work with the sidesword, this week with a series of excellent cutting exercises. Meanwhile we've started shooting new longsword content from our Longsword Focus classes. So look…
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Duello.TV for October 1st: Rapier offhand, dagger, and disarms, plus longsword sequence
It's the turn of a new month so again our curriculum focus shifts. This month Green Cords (level 1) will be learning to use their offhand to support their defence, Blue Cords (level 2) will be stepping into the fundamentals of Rapier and Dagger, and Red Cords (level 3) are working into rapier disarms with…
Choreography is a Physical Story
I just watched The Raid: Redemption (and I thought colons were only used for sequels, silly me!) which is a film that was hyped in martial arts cinema, and fits in the sub-genre of "Take The Castle". It's a fun genre. Troy is an excellent example: fortified city, army within besieged by an army without.…
Swordplay Videos this week: Counter-attacking, Second Assalto, Longsword Wrestling
Welcome to this week in training at Academie Duello. In our training at the studio we are looking at counter-attacking as a method of defence (Green Cord), the second assault of sidesword (Blue Cord), and how to enter into grapples with the longsword when you've lost the crossing (Red Cord). On Duello.TV we have…
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Rapier Receiving, Sidesword Guards, and Longsword Thrusts
Welcome everyone to another week of Duello.TV. This week we have videos on the rapier receiving, sidesword guards, and longsword pressure sensitivity and we'll be continuing with all three weapons throughout the month. This week at Academie Duello several of our instructors are preparing to go to Armizare Academy in Racine, Wisconsin. Devon Boorman will…
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[Videos] Rapier, Sidesword, and Longsword oh my!
It's September already! Many of our students in Vancouver are heading back to University for their new year and many old faces return after summer vacations. It's a great time to get back to fundamentals. This week we are focusing on rapier movement fundamentals, cutting technique with the sidesword, and core skills of giocco stretto…
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Academie Duello Appears on CBC French
If you speak French or at least like watching moving pictures, take a look at this spot that appeared last month on CBC Television French about Academie Duello, Knight Camp, and me. They did a fine editing job to make my French sound semi-reasonable. Also appearing are Sabrina and Cartson, french speaking Knight Camp students,…
Duello.TV: Recovering with Cuts and Refused, Double Sword Defence, & Longsword Cutting
Welcome to your training for this week at Academie Duello and on Duello.TV. Green cords continue their work on cutting, in this week using cuts to recover from bad positions; Blues recover from disadvantaged positions by passing back into refused; and Reds will be using two swords to cover against powerful cuts. Green Cord (Level…
Don't look down!
Back from holidays and back to business. This week our riding skill is: 8. Walk and trot over single ground poles and a group of 3-4 trot poles Riding over ground poles is the beginning of learning how to jump, but is also a useful exercise in and of itself for improving a horse's way…
Bartitsu Fitness
Training the fighting skills of Bartitsu can help with your fitness goals, but skill development should be your main focus in class. We set aside some time in class for strength and conditioning, and you should continue this work outside of class for the best results. Warm Up Always begin your physical activity regimen with…
Duello.TV Videos for This Week!
This is a momentous week for Duello.TV and Academie Duello: We recorded the last videos of our entire Level 1 to 3 curriculum! This project began mid-last year with us diligently recording classes each week as they were taught and it's amazing how quickly it has all built up. We're already hard at work recording…
Swordplay Training Videos for July 23 to 29
This week at Academie Duello we are looking at a fundamental strategy with the rapier, known as the True Fight; we are exploring deceptive attacks with the sidesword, designed to draw the opponent out of position; and we're employing the blow or strike with the side of the staff and learning how to counter them.…
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This week in class at Academie Duello - Vids
This post provides links to videos for every lesson we covered in the Mastery Program at Academie Duello for July 16 to 22. This week Green Cords (level 1) learn about control of the opponent's sword and take advantage of their opponent's movement to strike. Blue Cords (level 2) continue their work on provocations by…
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A post on posting
No, this is not about blogging, or fenceposts (that was last week), but on rising or 'posting' to the trot. The trot is a 2-beat gait in which the horse's legs move in diagonal pairs. It is the roughest gait to sit, which is why the technique of posting, or rising in the stirrups on…