Interview with MKDF Lead Instructor Jess Rozek: The East Coast Growth of HEMA, Part I

Jess Rozek just could not find what she wanted to do. She had tried a class or two of various martial arts, but they were not for her. Not until she watched Reclaiming the Blade in 2011, where it connected with her interests with fantasy and science fiction. From there, she found HEMA and Grunberg … Continue reading Interview with MKDF Lead Instructor Jess Rozek: The East Coast Growth of HEMA, Part I

Yearly Training: Another Kind of Reflection

As the year winds down and the holidays are in full effect, I usually take some time to reflect on the past twelve months. Training is one of the many aspects that I ponder as I go about this exercise. As I dive deep into my training, I separate it into a few different categories; … Continue reading Yearly Training: Another Kind of Reflection

Interview with Longtime HEMA Instructor Steaphen Fick: Sword Fighting and Teaching, Part II

Steaphen Fick was always interested in sword fighting, fighting at any chance he could get when he was a child. As he grew up, he found a touring fighting company in 1989, proceeding to participate in almost 2,000 duels and battles. It was not until the 1990s, where he found himself traveling all around Europe, … Continue reading Interview with Longtime HEMA Instructor Steaphen Fick: Sword Fighting and Teaching, Part II

Interview with Longtime HEMA Instructor Steaphen Fick: Sword Fighting and Teaching, Part I

Steaphen Fick was always interested in sword fighting, fighting at any chance he could get when he was a child. As he grew up, he found a touring fighting company in 1989, proceeding to participate in almost 2,000 duels and battles. It was not until the 1990s, where he found himself traveling all around Europe, … Continue reading Interview with Longtime HEMA Instructor Steaphen Fick: Sword Fighting and Teaching, Part I

A Layman’s Observation: Fencing and Japanese Martial Arts Principles

This is a second installment in an ongoing series of "A Layman's Observations" where I discuss my observations on martial arts and combat sports. Read the prior installment here. At the start of this year, I began learning how to fence the Olympic way and the beginning of May that I had the opportunity to … Continue reading A Layman’s Observation: Fencing and Japanese Martial Arts Principles