Find Your Way Into the Art of Arms: A New Beginner’s Course in Historical Martial Arts
When I started out in Historical Martial Arts, it was an entirely new field. There were no maps, no guides, and no signs. Fast forward a couple of decades, and we’ve built a thriving, global community. That’s wonderful—but now the problem isn’t a lack of direction. It’s too many options.
There are dozens of systems, hundreds of schools, and more online courses, books, videos, and interpretations than ever before. For the curious beginner, it can feel overwhelming. Where do you start? Longsword? Rapier? Sword and buckler? Italian? German? English?
To help with that, I’ve created a brand-new course:
Introduction to the Art of Arms: Get Started in Historical Martial Arts
This course is designed as a clear, accessible starting point for anyone new to Historical Martial Arts. You don’t need prior experience, expensive gear, or an encyclopaedic knowledge of medieval fencing masters. You just need curiosity and a willingness to explore.
We begin with gentle, grounded instruction in the core principles of movement and mechanics—how to stand, how to move, how to hold a weapon. From there, the course expands into two complete beginner paths:
•Fiore dei Liberi’s Armizare: A system of knightly combat from 15th-century Italy, covering longsword, grappling, and dagger.
•Ridolfo Capoferro’s Rapier: A sophisticated fencing tradition from the early 1600s, ideal for those drawn to the elegance and precision of the Renaissance duel.
These two systems offer very different approaches to the Art of Arms. Having a grounding in both gives you a solid foundation and helps you discover what kind of swordsmanship you’re drawn to.
Once you’ve completed those, we move into the “tasting menu” section of the course, with short, practical introductions to other traditions:
•Vadi’s Longsword – bridging Fiore and later traditions
•Liechtenauer’s Longsword – from the German school
•Von Baumann’s Wrestling – late medieval grappling, straight from the manuscript
•Dall’Aggocchie’s Bolognese Swordsmanship – a Renaissance civilian sword style
•Sword and Buckler from MS I.33 – the oldest known fencing manual
Each of these tasters is designed to be doable, not daunting. You’ll get a feel for the system, the weapons, and the movement, without needing to dive straight into full commitment.
The idea is simple: give students a real, physical sense of what each system is like, before they choose what to specialise in.
Why So Much Content for So Little?
The course is available by subscription, at just $10/month. I don’t believe beginners should have to drop hundreds of dollars just to find out if Historical Martial Arts are for them. This format means:
•You can try it for the price of a couple of coffees.
•If it’s not for you, you can cancel anytime—no questions asked.
•You can explore at your own pace, with guidance and structure when you need it.
•And yes, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee—just in case.
Who Is It For?
•Complete beginners, curious about swords but unsure where to begin.
•Students returning after a break, who want to rebuild foundations.
•Instructors, looking for a structured, beginner-friendly course to recommend to new students.
•Writers, re-enactors, and gamers, who want to get hands-on with authentic historical movement.
Ready to Begin?
You don’t need to be a knight or a duellist to train like one. Just be curious, willing, and maybe a little sword-obsessed.
Let me know what you think of the new course—I’d love to hear your feedback.