Good news Friends,
We have started our new German Historical Fencing course!
German Historical Fencing, or our Deutscher Historischer Fechtverein, explores the Augsburg school of swordsmanship, a tradition of historical dueling arts originating in the southeastern region of what is now Germany. Students will be instructed in the art and techniques of the Longsword, Messer, and Bauernwehr.
This series is designed to guide students towards a fulfilling hobby of Historical Fencing that includes elements of fitness training, skills, and free-fencing bouts. Additionally, students wishing to compete in HEMA Tournament settings will find this class helpful as it builds familiarity with organized fencing exchanges, judging, and score-keeping.
All the German Historical Fencing classes are Beginner Friendly
and are designed for
students of all levels of experience.
Newer students will be introduced to fundamental skills and general lessons while experienced students will engage in more advanced practice.
This course runs on Saturdays and is comprised of three related sessions:
- Sword Fitness
- Skills
- Applications
About Sword Fitness
Students will learn various exercises to strengthen the muscles and mechanics needed for swordplay. Class materials would include: Bodyweight exercises (ex. Pushups, crunches, planks, squats, Plyometrics, Yoga, Weighted trainers, Footwork and balance, and Limbering exercises and stretches.
This is not a fencing class, and no swords will be used. However, the class will focus on building strength and stamina for better fencing in our other class offerings. Everything in this class will carry over into any Gotham Swords class!
Skills
In this session students will learn and practice the foundations, concepts, techniques, of the German Dueling system.
Applications
Applications sessions will focus on providing an avenue to put the
materials from the Skills classes to work in an uncooperative fencing
environment. Students will be expected to fence, judge exchanges, and
keep score of matches.