Page 5 of 33
Twice a month Academie Duello hosts a sparring night we call Open Floor. Members from all of our programs come out on this one night to train, practice, and fight. One of the more interesting and entertaining explorations is the meeting of different weapon disciplines. In this post I want to explore one of the…
Devon Boorman ·
In the Western martial traditions the master of a school was typically an employee of the student, like a hired coach or tutor. In an art where a successful instructor was teaching many people above their own social station, the bowing and scraping usually came from the instructor—just the opposite direction to what we see…
Devon Boorman ·
A question came up in a webinar once from an instructor in Indonesia about how to get by when minimal training equipment was available. This is a problem that many groups face if they’re in areas of the world where HEMA equipment is hard to import or expensive to acquire. But even for those who…
Devon Boorman ·
It’s been nearly a week since the 2022 Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium and I’m finally back on my feet enough to write up a brief report about this amazing event. This year we decided to run a “mini” event with a focus on Bolognese swordsmanship, which we dubbed the Quincentenary in honour of the 500th…
Devon Boorman ·
Historical European Martial Arts come from a rich historical tradition that includes a wealth of instructional books written from within the period where those arts were most actively practiced. Picking up an ancient fighting manual is by no means necessary to learn, practice, and enjoy these martial arts, but doing so can offer a significant richness to that practice.
Devon Boorman ·
When the blades are in contact, small movements and having a better sword position (one that applies leverage and body structure in your favour) are essential to victory. You must also develop a heightened sense of "feeling" through your sword so you can respond quickly and easily to adjustments in your opponent's pressure.
Devon Boorman ·
Rapiers and longswords are both swords, but aren't they as distinct as sky diving and skin diving? I think it's a great question, and I'd like to answer it in a few parts across multiple posts.
Devon Boorman ·
There are many ways that you might look at sparring: As a simulation of life-and-death encounter, as an effort to kill or be killed, as a competition for points, as a game, or as a kind of dance. Each type of framing brings with it a particular attitude, set of assumptions, and way of seeing…
Devon Boorman ·
When training, there are long periods where even well-disciplined chunks of movement are not organized into useful overall models. Much of your mind will still be occupied with managing what’s going on inside while you try to respond to what is happening outside. This can be a very frustrating stage, especially in swordplay.
Devon Boorman ·
Everything tends to be uncomfortable when you are learning something new. The challenges loom large. The postures are new, the terms are unfamiliar, and the coordination of the actions can be difficult. Fortunately the novelty and excitement of doing a new thing—like sword fighting—tends to give us the energy to push through these discomforts and…
Devon Boorman ·
