Fence with sword & buckler, longsword, saber or staff
MHFS practise HEMA (Historical European Martial Art) which is also called historical fencing. Our training covers historical fencing with sword & buckler, longsword, saber and staff. All the weapons we train are based on historical sources, from the Middle Ages until the end of the 19th century. Our staff training follows the traditional Portuguese form Jogo do Pau. Other weapons and combat systems can sometimes be included as extra elements in the regular training – for example, dagger fencing, unarmed wrestling and other staff weapons such as pole axe.
Historical fencing is a broad field that offers training with many different weapons and fighting systems, and training is far from straightforward. A balanced training method contains several of the points below – exactly which depends on each individual fencer’s own ambitions with their training.
- Solo drills to improve footwork and concentration
- Partner drills to improve technical execution and precision
- Sparring to evaluate and improve the ability to use techniques dynamically
- Competition to test the skills against strangers outside the group
- Test cutting with sharp weapons to get a feeling for how it works
- Theory in the form of the underpinning manuals to confirm that the historical basis is respected
Read more about the individual weapons in which we train, as well as the equipment used to safely practice historical fencing. When you start training with us, you are also obliged to read through and follow our rules of conduct.