HEMA at Home - British Military Swordsmanship Part 1

An introduction to training at home, especially during the Covid-19 crisis. Tips and recommendations, as well as some footwork and cutting exercises for you to learn and/or use to stay HEMA strong at home!
This series will mostly follow the manual of Roworth (1798-1824). However it will be useful to a range of HEMA fencers to stay fit and conditioned.

[@S.Grenier]

This series is going to be gold. Thank you so much for sharing this with us, at a time like this we all could use it.

[@AcademyofHistoricalFencing]

No problem, I hope you enjoy it. The second video is already live, and more are on the way.

[@Malilus]

I really appreciate how detailed your discription of the footwork is, because it's really good to improve it not only at Speed, but at the techniques. (As an modern/olympic fencer I know how important it can be.)

[@NK_Customs]

I was hoping a series like this would pop up! Sadly enough under the current conditions. I want to start to do Hema for a while, without clubs nearby while I do not know anyone nearby nor am I in the position to start one myself... it makes it harder to start. Thank you for these online lessons and sessions which give me the possibility to learn in solo practice

[@angelsfallfirst7348]

Wait, which country and in what province do you live?

[@NK_Customs]

@@angelsfallfirst7348 the Netherlands, oost-Gelderland

[@corrugatedcavalier5266]

Yup, my right shoulder is definitely sore after a solid 10 minutes. Thanks for the great video!

[@edwardgrylls01]

Thanks Nick. I'm self isolating at home as I'm ill but as soon as I feel better I'll get on this.

[@jonathandbeer]

This is brilliant, thanks very much. I'll look out for the rest of this series - good luck with the lockdown.

[@Gunfreak19]

This one has helped so much, I've been doing the 6 cut cutting drill on and off for a year and can do it very quite well, but it's more of a "trick" It's just something my body can do. But I've not translated it into something useful... But by doing this I feel I get much better control, now I'm actually cutting and not just doing a showy trick. I get so much more force behind the cut 1 and 2 now. But I've done the 6 cut drill so much, I had problems stopping myself from going into cut 2 after cut 1 when I started this.

[@lowbro7202]

Been doing a ton of sword work, also been training with Indian clubs.

[@IAmTheSupremeEmperorOfFails]

I will start doing this in lockdown, except I will be using vr blade and sorcery for some training using these techniques

[@swalker157]

All sharp all the time. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and your friends will think you are super edgy with interior design. Pun intended.

[@ochs-hema]

Massive good advice cut No.2 recovery Into outside guard 😍 will definitely grind my Dussack play 👏🏽

[@levifontaine8186]

Really good advice. Thankfully I'm fortunate enough to always in be contact with my instructor online if I have a question but this is going to be very helpful for anyone who isn't, especially as you have a large following. I totally agree that the footwork would suffer the most if one were to just stop practicing for 2 or 3 months. Mechanics are most certainly vital. Maybe this will result in more people dedicating more time to basic training, and perhaps create fencers with cleaner and stronger technique than before.

[@erichusayn]

Very helpful video. Thanks.

[@juanggarza]

I have dulled a cheap machete with the tip rolled for an improvised training instrument.

[@juanggarza]

@@izzygarcia4303 No, I dress like a Mexican Machetero and start dancing.

[@linusspjutsberg]

Nice! Thank you, looking forward to more.

[@jarenkiser8050]

This is really great! That number 2 is tricky. Could you make another video and do those cuts slower please?

[@AcademyofHistoricalFencing]

See this older video I did on the six cut drill, I think it will help you. I really exagerate the moves in that one, so draw some info from it, but then come back to the recent videos with less arm movement - kzbin.info/www/bejne/eWbKempjrrieqLc

[@KirkWilliams300]

Oh HEMA at home training videos, that’s a good idea, mind if I borrow it lol

[@Waggadudewagga]

Epic, thanks. :)

[@ar2uro787]

ha! today i speak with my friends how to training at home. i come back turn on yt and voilà I get it :D THX

[@ochs-hema]

Short question: is in the system „outward“ cuts included. For example the cut no.2 from outside guard into outside guard is a „inward“ circle so the blade is directed inside of the elbow. Now when I go from inside guard do the cut into outside guard do you circle again inside of the elbow or outside of the elbow. Both end nicely in the outside guard.

[@HobieH3]

French 1866 sword bayonet works well.

[@pe003]

Daft question, where is the illustration in the top left of the screen from, ? two gentlemen, red coats, tricorne hats, spear vs broadsword.

[@AcademyofHistoricalFencing]

It is from Girard's manual of 1740.

[@user-kl8lf1cs2n]

Which sword model are you using? I want to buy a same one.

[@robertvondarth1730]

What is the functional purpose of keeping the lead foot pointed strait vs a slight angle inward?

[@AcademyofHistoricalFencing]

A better lunge (distance, speed and recovery) that is also more gentle on the ankle and also helps better align the knee straight, which it needs to be for the same reasons, a good lunge and knee health. Most people are also much more mobile with a forward facing front foot than the turn in which plants them.

[@labbyshepherdpuppy5943]

Lol it’s like prison, nothing to do but workout 🏋🏽‍♂️🤺

[@levifontaine8186]

Nah we've got so much more than prisoners