Page 30 of 33
Recently a group of Academie Duello members participated in a rapier tournament called Ursulmas, hosted by the SCA in Washington state. The tournament was based around the concept of martial challenges, that the organizer called “labours”. These challenges pitted individuals up against an opponent who outmatched them in some way, whether with a challenging combination…
Devon Boorman ·
A couple weeks ago I wrote a piece called “Three Things You Should be Saying to Your Martial Arts Students” where I encouraged teachers to reinforce for their students that practice matters more than talent. I received a lot of great feedback and got into some great discussions. The piece was even translated into French…
Devon Boorman ·
Over the month of January, myself and Academie Duello hosted a training challenge that set a goal of 30 minutes of swordplay training per day for 30 days. Whether this was over and above your usual training, or simply an extension of it, was up to each participant. Specific additional training goals could also be…
Devon Boorman ·
One thing I enjoy about shooting swordplay videos is that it gives a tangible output to the martial arts work that I do. I enjoy teaching—in fact I love teaching—and I realize the payoff of my work will always be the many excellent practitioners that have come out of the school. However, before publishing, the…
Devon Boorman ·
We're one week into the 30-for-30 swordplay challenge and here are a few things I’ve been reflecting on: The appeal of swordplay is broad. Participants who have been reporting to our group have been from all over the world including Russia, Serbia, Germany, France, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, N. Ireland, Brazil, and all over…
Devon Boorman ·
Hello everyone! I hope you’re all having a good holiday and looking forward to the new year as much as I am. This year I’m hosting the third annual 30 for 30 Swordplay Challenge and I wanted to invite you to be a part of it. You’ve heard of 30-day yoga challenges. Well, this is much cooler. I’m a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions to help me kickstart my new year with a boost of energy. The challenge: Practice swordplay for 30 minutes per day for 30 days in January from the 2nd to the 31st. This requires no experience and is open to newbies and experts alike!
Devon Boorman ·
Phew! It’s done! It was an intense and satisfying experience teaching a full week in Academie Duello’s first formal instructor training intensive. Thirteen aspiring instructors came to Vancouver for a five day, 50-hour intensive to kick off their ongoing instructor training. Attendees came from the local area and across North America with varying levels of…
Devon Boorman ·
Our psychology has a tremendous impact on our performance whether in a competition, or even in practice sparring or drilling. Many people who are perfectly capable performers on one day or in one environment can find themselves falling apart in different circumstances. A large contributor to this is one’s internal dialogue. Mindset can feel chemical…
Devon Boorman ·
This weekend was a momentous event for Academie Duello: our first Silver Cord (aka Provost) examination. A provost is one step below Maestro/Master and it represents an enormous achievement. Provosts are expected to demonstrate a high level of effectiveness within the school’s system, a demonstrable and defensible understanding of the school's pedagogy and theoretical approach,…
Devon Boorman ·
Questions and Secrets: Understanding a Martial Art | No matter how many classes you come to you will never fully discover my art this way. The art is not contained in a syllabus or a curriculum. I’m not saying there isn’t value in classes and teachers – there is tremendous value. Without them there would…
Devon Boorman ·
