Interview with Bartitsu Practitioner Michael Sanders: Learning a System that Practices What it Preaches

Michael Sanders first began longsword almost half a decade ago and wanted to find something he could train during the summer months, without dying inside the sparring gear. He stumbled on Bartitsu, a Victorian-era martial art blending self-defense, striking, and grappling techniques, and has yet to look back. Sanders sat down to share his insights … Continue reading Interview with Bartitsu Practitioner Michael Sanders: Learning a System that Practices What it Preaches

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 Rapier Marshal Lyon MacKeegan: Fighting in the Past and Recreating the Past, Part I

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 I

Interview with Montgomery County Historical Fencing Founder Peter Concannon: The Historical Fencing Community

Sword fighting was something Peter Concannon always wanted to do, ever since his youth. He gravitated towards Society for Creative Anachronism and stage combat, but they were not the stuff he was looking for. Later – two and a half decades later – Concannon received a Groupon for German longsword lessons and was hooked, training … Continue reading Interview with Montgomery County Historical Fencing Founder Peter Concannon: The Historical Fencing Community

Interview with Historical Fencing Mentor Peter Haas: Involvement in the HEMA Community

Peter Haas began training historical fencing in 2015 at Sword Class NYC in the middle of some life changes. Additionally, he studies Toyama-ryu, which has expanded his understanding of swordsmanship. In the year that followed 2015, Haas created Kollektiv des Messerfechtens and Squinting Rabbit Productions, and teaches at Gotham Swords, striving to be a mentor … Continue reading Interview with Historical Fencing Mentor Peter Haas: Involvement in the HEMA Community

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 Capital Kunst des Fechtens Instructor William Buschur: Changes in Training Approaches in Historical Fencing

After seeing a more martial version of stage combat on YouTube, William Buschur was hooked on trying to find a place to do that. Unfortunately, there was nothing around him until he relocated to Northern Virginia and stumbled across Capital Kunst des Fechtens, studying under the tutelage of Jake Norwood. Once Norwood relocated for his … Continue reading Interview with Capital Kunst des Fechtens Instructor William Buschur: Changes in Training Approaches in Historical Fencing

Interview with Ram’s Head Fencing Founder Josias Arcadia: Lineages and Competitions, Part II

He had to train in secret at first, but after a move to Minnesota, Josias Arcadia found a school to practice historical fencing. In an effort to learn more of the German tradition of longsword, Arcadia began his Ram’s Head Fencing and began training with James Riley in the Kunst des Fechtens tradition. Recently, he … Continue reading Interview with Ram’s Head Fencing Founder Josias Arcadia: Lineages and Competitions, Part II

Interview with Ram’s Head Fencing Founder Josias Arcadia: Lineages and Competitions, Part I

He had to train in secret at first, but after a move to Minnesota, Josias Arcadia found a school to practice historical fencing. In an effort to learn more of the German tradition of longsword, Arcadia began his Ram’s Head Fencing and began training with James Riley in the Kunst des Fechtens tradition. Recently, he … Continue reading Interview with Ram’s Head Fencing Founder Josias Arcadia: Lineages and Competitions, Part I