Interview with Rapier Marshal Lyon MacKeegan: Fighting in the Past and Recreating the Past, Part II

By the invitation of a high school friend, Lyon MacKeegan found himself being geared up for a Society for Creative Anachronism heavy combat bout. Shortly after, MacKeegan joined the rapier side of the SCA and continued has not looked back since. Throughout his thirty-plus years of active membership, he rose to the position of Rapier … Continue reading Interview with Rapier Marshal Lyon MacKeegan: Fighting in the Past and Recreating the Past, Part II

Interview with Sala Della Spada Founder Patrick Bratton: Blending the Historical and Modern in Fencing

First starting in Tang Soo Do and enjoying the weapon forms, Patrick Bratton gravitated towards more weapons work, joining Olympic foil and Society for Creative Anachronism heavy fencing, and later HEMA in 2013. From there, Bratton established Sala Della Spada, teaching both Olympic and historical fencing, where he implements modern training methods to keep students … Continue reading Interview with Sala Della Spada Founder Patrick Bratton: Blending the Historical and Modern in Fencing

Interview with Order of the Blade Founder Richard Hughes: From the Duel to the Battlefield

Richard Hughes really wanted to be competitive with a weapon in hand. After learning Shinkendo, Hughes found historical fencing and has stuck with it since. He thrived on taking apart a concept, boiling it down to its essential principles and implementing his discoveries into his training. Likewise, he enjoys using this method to reach each … Continue reading Interview with Order of the Blade Founder Richard Hughes: From the Duel to the Battlefield

Interview with SoCal Swords Founder RJ McKeehan: Training and Supplying HEMA Part II

Swords were always enticing to RJ McKeehan, especially after a friend from Europe told him about the historical fencing events being held in the continent. He finally got the chance to try his hand at historical fencing in 2010 when he attended California State University. There, he learned from Jonathan Mashar and Jason Taylor who … Continue reading Interview with SoCal Swords Founder RJ McKeehan: Training and Supplying HEMA Part II

Interview with Broken Plow Founder Josh Parise: Creating Your Own Culture in Western Martial Arts, Part I

Josh Parise has always been into the martial arts, ranging from Mixed Martial Arts to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and taekwondo, from kendo to Western Martial Arts. After leaving the Marine Corps and learning Army Combatives, he found some videos and manuals on historical fencing and never looked back. In his pursuit of historical fencing, Josh established … Continue reading Interview with Broken Plow Founder Josh Parise: Creating Your Own Culture in Western Martial Arts, Part I

Interview with Ars Gladii Founder Josh Little: Adventures of Historical Fencing in the Midwest, Part II

Josh Little began sword fighting when his high school physics teacher introduced LARP to him, which led Little to try out the Society for Creative Anachronism and Olympic Fencing. Later, in the late 1990s, he found historical fight manuscripts and never looked back. Around the same time, Little established his Ars Gladii, teaching a myriad … Continue reading Interview with Ars Gladii Founder Josh Little: Adventures of Historical Fencing in the Midwest, Part II

Interview with Ars Gladii Founder Josh Little: Adventures of Historical Fencing in the Midwest, Part I

Josh Little began sword fighting when his high school physics teacher introduced LARP to him, which led Little to try out the Society for Creative Anachronism and Olympic Fencing. Later, in the late 1990s, he found historical fight manuscripts and never looked back. Around the same time, Little established his Ars Gladii, teaching a myriad … Continue reading Interview with Ars Gladii Founder Josh Little: Adventures of Historical Fencing in the Midwest, Part I

Interview with Baer Swords School Baer Kenneys: Between Martial and Sport

Baer Kenney began his fencing career in high school with Olympic Fencing. That changed to LARPing with his children, then Society for Creative Anachronism, Association of Renaissance Martial Arts, and then Historical European Martial Arts. In that time, he has trained karate, taekwondo, and hapkido, and established his school, Baer Swords School of Western Martial … Continue reading Interview with Baer Swords School Baer Kenneys: Between Martial and Sport

Interview with Byakkokan Dojo Founder Sang Kim: Toyama-ryu in the United States, Part II

Sang Kim began studying battodo at the age of eighteen, after being inspired by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at a young age. What also helped him join was the fact that he used to hang out consistently at Bob Elder’s East Coast Martial Arts Supplies. From there, he joined the Toyama-ryu battodo dojo at Shindai … Continue reading Interview with Byakkokan Dojo Founder Sang Kim: Toyama-ryu in the United States, Part II

Interview with UK HEMAist Fran Lacuata: Tournament Growth in the Movement

Fran Lacuata began historical fencing in Bolognese sidesword and rapier rather than longsword because those were the only systems available, learning at The School of the Sword in Frimley, United Kingdom. In 2014, she inherited the school, opening the Godalming and Reading chapters. Lacuata also helped establish the competition community in the UK, assisting in … Continue reading Interview with UK HEMAist Fran Lacuata: Tournament Growth in the Movement