Achievement Unlocked: Instructor at Arms in Foil
Fresh off my return from Sonoma, I'm happy to announce I passed my instructor-level test at SSU's Fencing Master Certificate Program and am now an Instructor at Arms in Italian foil.
Visiting the Salle d’Armes Coudurier, the Oldest Fencing School in Paris
I recently went back to Paris to celebrate my 40th birthday. While there, I swung by the Salle d’Armes Coudurier, the oldest fencing salle in the city, for a few nights of traditional French fencing.
Taking a Marcelli Rapier & Dagger Lesson with Maestro David Coblentz
At RASP 2023, I took a fantastic lesson with Maestro David Coblentz on Francesco Antonio Marcelli's rapier & dagger. Marcelli was a Southern Italian (Neapolitan) fencing master in the latter-half of the 17th Century.
Comparing Alfieri’s & Fabris’s Rapier & Cloak Guards
To cap off Cloaktober, we do a quick comparison of Alfieri's and Fabris's sword & cloak guards.
A Quick Look at Alfieri’s Rapier & Cloak Guards
Welcome to Cloaktober! Let's examine the basic guards & postures in rapier & cloak, as described by Alfieri.
It’s Free Swords! Disarms in Rapier & Smallsword
Sure, hitting your opponent with a great lunge is cool but know what's cooler? Taking their sword away via disarms. Here's a selection of plays for rapier & smallsword.
Visual Representation of Why You Want to ‘Find the Blade’
We all know you should find the opponent's blade and we may even think we understand why, but you truly get a sense for the why once you've looked down the business end of a sharp antique.
Random Acts of Violence: Weird Plays in Rapier & Smallsword
While there are “bread and butter” players found repeatedly in the Franco-Italian-inspired fencing systems, sometimes you run into plays that are weird, different, or very unique. These are a collection of some those plays, including weird engagements, mismatch weapons forms, and two-handing the rapier.
Improving Tactical Decision Making with a Random Cues Drill
One of the keys to improving a fencer is making the drills feel closer to a real bout. This “random cues” drill is a nice step in that direction. It’s like a very unstructured option drill.
Picking an Assault with Someone Not Your Own Size
Not all tactics are created equal. This online workshop covers historical tactics for approaching opponents who are taller, shorter, strong and weaker than you -- plus a bonus faster fencer.