If youre looking to learn something about long sword fighting fencing in the german. Tobler teaches stance, footwork, methods for gripping the sword, and stepbystep instructions for executing the core techniques of the liechtenauer tradition. A longsword also spelled as long sword or long sword is a type of european sword characterized as having a cruciform hilt with a grip for twohanded use around 16 to 28 cm 6 to 11 in, a straight doubleedged blade of around 85 to 110 cm 33 to 43 in, and weighing approximately 1 to 1. Most students soon want their own gear and we are happy to assist the student in locating appropriate equipment. Accompanying this material on liechtenauers long sword are additional sections detailing related teachings. Injury pro le of longsword fencing in historical european martial arts this copy is for personal use only distribution prohibited. To really excel at longsword fencing, one must be strong, flexible, quick, and in good cardiovascular shape.
Learn the ancient and noble art of fighting with the long or handandahalf sword according to the teachings of the medieval fencing master johannes liechtenauer. Hroarr resources for the historical european martial. Anyway, if we are talking about unarmoured combat, extremely effective. Hi i was wondering whether it is possible to source more free volumes for the step reader. Veritas swordplay academy hema training in german longsword. The hroarr site focuses on different aspects of historical european martial arts. Fighting with the german longsword by christian tobler is a modern training book for the. The german school of fencing is a system of combat taught in the holy roman empire during.
Ultimately, every technique mentioned in the manuals will have a dedicated page. Tobler teaches stance, footwork, methods for gripping the sword, and. Master johannes liechtenauers knightly art of the longsword. Meaning of longsword meaning of longsword the longsword was also known as the bastardsword and in later times as a hand and a half swords. On the other hand there is also a handful of really good free german textbooks out there, but they can sometimes be hard to find. Historical european martial arts, or hema for short, are the historical combat traditions of europe. First time longsword purchase from kult of athena, any. How to swing a sword how to swing the sword which we. Schwech weak german masters divided the longsword into two portions, the weaker section of blade from middle to point was known as schwech, used for most thrusting and slicing equivalent to the foible of later renaissance fencing. Nov 15, 2015 fighting with the german longsword tobler, christian on. The term the german school of fencing can be misleading, because there were and are multiple styles of german. This workbook looks at the four primary guards for german longsword as well as the normal attacks you can make from the guards. European martial arts weaponry techniques fick, steaphen on. The longsword was given the name due to the long handle which allowed for twohanded use and a longer blade.
How effective is a spear in combat against a longsword. The blade is fairly thin and the total weight of the sword will be rather low for its size, around some 1. You have a potential killing and maiming instrument in your hand, and must have the respect of a calm mind to instrument it correctively and precisely. Longsword fighting techniques pdf download ebook pdf. The two most widespread traditions are the german school attributed to johannes liechtenauer and the italian school of fiore dei liberi. By matt anderson and shane smith arma virginia beach. The primary study track of veritas swordplay academy is the german medieval tradition kunst des fechten art of fighting, founded in the 14th century by master johannes liechtenauer. Meyer also uses many of the lessons from the longsword as a basis for his other weapon treatises. Deutsch im blick deutsch im blick is an excellent free textbook for beginners.
In the interest of making class participation accessible and affordable, we have several sets of loaner wasters and masks, among other training equipment. They base their curriculum on the lichtenauer tradition. Jun 06, 2007 longsword some techniques ii old interpretation darkfury. All principles and techniques of fighting all are employed in relation to these postures. The manual also presents halfsword techniques as an integral part of armoured combat. The creation of new worlds and new universes has long been a key element of speculative fiction, from the fantasy works of tolkien and howard, to the sciencefiction universes of burroughs and asimov, to the tabletop realm of gygax and barker, and beyond.
The longsword, the choice weapon of the medieval knight, is the teaching tool of kunst des fechten and from it the techniques of the other weapons in the. At its core the hroarr site is a free online hema magazine with contributions from the whole community. How to swing a sword how to swing the sword which we know is. Ive always dreamed of wielding a real sword, but it never seemed possible. How to open and convert files with topx file extension. Additional chapters introduce students to wrestling, spear and armoured combat.
Where known, links to facsimile copies, transcription, trnslations and interpretations has been provided. S knightly art of the longsword libreria deportiva. Studying the german longsword techniques at true edge academy. It is a how to guide, one that presents the basics of footwork and body mechanics, and building off. Publisher, ringecks invaluable 15thcentury compilation of the lessons of german fencing master johannes liechtenauer is given new life by two modern students of the. Good times if you can spare a hundred a month or more.
I have tons of resources in pdf format and would love to view these within esword or access them within esword. A modern interpretation taking its inspiration from historical examples, it has an expertly heat treated and spring tempered 1060 steel blade that is exquisitely balanced, beautifully polished and handhoned to a keen edge. Standard arma longsword curriculum utilizes all of these in conjunction with other stances in our exercises and practice routines. Kunst des fechtens the german medieval and renaissance art of fighting, consisted primarily of the arts of the langen schwert or longsword, the messer a sort of twohanded falchion, and ringkunst or ringen wrestling. An overall length of 4448 with a 36 blade and a grip long enough for twohanded use is optimal. One of the most important elements of historical fencing study is that of basic fighting stances and guard positions. However most videos show it being done but have no real instruction on how to do it properly. There are also files for similar lists on the trinity, knowing our god, and knowing ourselves. Mairs german longsword 2 level 2, 4th revision this workbook begins looking at the longsword manual of paulus hector mair. Watch an interview with author christian tobler talking about fighting with the german longsword. After unearthing the immaculate historical artifact commonly referred to as a knights tale, brian asked around to learn more about the sword thing. Recommended software programs are sorted by os platform windows, macos, linux, ios, android etc. Many books and a few organizations have sprung up on the subject, but so far, no websites dedicated specifically to the subject.
Fencing with the german longsword has been a focus of historical european martial arts reconstruction since the late 19th century, when swordsmen such as alfred hutton first popularized the pursuit. The german school is the more popular choice amongst practitioners and has more modern books to. How to swing the sword which we know is introduced here. Mair is part of the nuremberg tradition and assembled his text in 1542. Wiktenauer, the worlds largest library of hema books and. Members of the true edge at a local renaissance festival. Long sword techniques introduction to joachim meyer a masteratarms of a marxbruder fighting guild in strasbourg, alsace, joachim meyer is the author of one of the greatest fechtbucher, or swordplay manuals, ever written. Begin these stances with a left leg leading, sword in right hand. The most important items for a beginner are a practice longsword known as a waster and a fencing mask. Fighting with the german longsword tobler, christian on. Weapon pages provide information about how a specific weapon. This document is intended to support about 46 hours of class time. The messer system is based upon a series of 23 parts that include.
Lichtenauer was a fencing master whose many students went on to pen their own fighting manuals, and this tradition pretty much defines the art of the german longsword. The longsword is the subject of the majority of historical fencing manuals from the medievalhigh medieval period. The german longsword an article by bill grandy despite the grandeur surrounding the idea of the sword, such weapons are often thought to be heavy and unwieldy. Reconstructed from 14th 16th c manuscripts and illuminations, the highly effective fighting techniques and principles of this elegant and deadly martial art are now available. For the left ox, position yourself opposite to this, that is, stand with your right foot forward, and hold your sword with the hilt by your head on the left side as i have said.
Please note of the facsimile links will be large pdf files. The longsword became popular due to is extreme reach and cutting and thrusting abilities. First time longsword purchase from kult of athena, any suggestions on how to put it through its paces. This is why ive collected my personal top 5 free german textbooks below.
Both schools declined in the late 16th century, with the later italian masters forgoing the longsword and focusing primarily on rapier fencing. For artists, writers, gamemasters, musicians, programmers, philosophers and scientists alike. This is a matter of distinction from eastern martial arts, popularly known in the form of such traditions as karate, kung fu, etc. The first of these masters, johannes liechtenauer, became well known toward the end of the fourteenth century anglo 12. Rapier, and target is a dutch drill manual illustrated by adam van. How to swing a sword there are many differences in the way of swinging a sword by school and so on.
The recital of the chivalric art of fencing of the grand. The last known german manual to include longsword teaching was that of jakob sutor, published in 1612. It is meant to serve both as a help to active hema practitioners and as a source of inspiration for people that are unfamiliar with this form of martial arts. More or less the same curriculum can be used for the singlehanded cutandthrust sword. The blade is some 96 cm long and the complete sword will be around 128 cm long. Click download or read online button to get longsword fighting techniques pdf book now. Emphasizing effective realworld techniques, the aes follows the teachings of several medieval and renaissance masters from all over europe, while focusing on the teachings of the great german master, johannes liecthenauer. This video was filmed on a mountaintop in shenandoah national park and contains some audio distortion, resulting from wind. Beginning with a short historical overview of the art, mr. The making of a long sword peter johnsson sword smith. The medieval german fighting tradition originating with master johannes liechtenauer stressed above all. The new lost arts series kicks off with a look at a diverse and multifaceted fighting style that spanned all of europe for approximately 200 years, european longsword fighting. How we stand guards in historical longsword fencing. Western martial arts offers one of the most wellrounded curriculums of any fighting style and includes weapons and grappling.
He was the last major figure in the tradition of the german grand master johannes liechtenauer, and in the last years of his life he devised at least three distinct and quite extensive fencing manuals. A modern interpretation taking its inspiration from historical examples, it has an expertly heat treated and spring tempered 1060 steel blade that is exquisitely balanced. The true edge academy meets once or twice a week for about two hours to practice german longsword techniques. Advanced longsword fencing while going into the specifics of how to free fence is a broad topic, and largely dependent on the people you bout with, there are a few things to keep in mind, safety above all. Therefore, i want to increase detailed explanations and so on later. Meyers writings incorporate both the traditional germanic technical syllabus and contemporary. Long sword german longsword fencing sword fight techniques historical european martial arts medieval weapons fantasy weapons chivalry book projects what others are saying this poster, featuring hierarchy, colour, tone, form and text is hand made by appearance and is interesting in the way it shows off different stances when wielding a sword. The wiktenauer project started in 2009, later receiving sponsorship from the hema alliance, and is named for johannes liechtenauer, grand master of the oldest known longsword fencing style. Advanced techniques with the longsword christian henry tobler may 2009. Some musings on various longsword techniques youtube. The longsword, also called the bastard sword or handandahalf sword, was the classic weapon of the knight in the late middle ages. This is not just an collection of techniques from german masters in the liechtanauer tradition of fighting.
Longsword techniques and outline melee weapons blade. The handwriting is typical of the early years of the 15th century. A comprehensive introduction to the subject of sword fighting. This book is well illustrated and its stepbystep process makes the techniques easier to pick up on. Jackpotjoy slots itunes parx casino 2999 street road. The listing below, arranged by nation language and tradition details the known fencing manuals and masters from period. The german longsword is a highend, high performance sword for serious users and collectors. It was chiefly used in the 0s and 1400s, but survived as a sport weapon into the 1700s. In the last 2 decades, and the last several years in particular, there has been an amazing growth in interest in historic european martial arts particularly longsword fencing. A feder is a training blade for longsword fencing, with blunt edges and a blunted tip, but.
Advanced techniques with the longsword order of selohaar. It is also very important that the sword have a suitable weight and balance so that it behaves as a historical sword should when cutting. Meyers techniques are founded in the techniques of the many german masters before him. Master johannes liechtenauers knightly art of the longsword christian henry tobler june 2008 here begins the art that liechtenauer and his society created and used for all knightly weapons master paulus kals prologue. In this ebook, ive tried my best to show and acknowledge both german and. He lives with his wife in the united states, in rural oxford, connecticut, where he teaches a weekly class on medieval german combat, surrounded by far too many books and pieces of arms and armour for the size house that they live in.
Herbert schmidt explains the fundamentals of fighting with the long sword, the guards, cuts and master cuts, as well as advanced techniques and tactics for practical fighting. In addition to five plays, this workbook will include sections on additional guards and the five master strikes. Boxing, muay thai, systema, knife fighting, escrima between us weve got. The efforts of hema in the context of this article german and italian longsword. The trueswordsman the ebook written by adam sharp published by paul southren. A much smaller, but still important, body of material on the longsword survives from italy and iberia. Most practitioners of historical fencing have not extensively explored armoured fighting techniques. If a play says to set your left foot forward, then begin with your right leg leading and make the step as part of. Unlike modern fencing which keeps the front foot forward, german longsword tends to focus on passing steps. There are six in total and whilst being powerful techniques in their own right, they are also fundamental in breaking the four guards as described previously.
Jul 02, 2015 cory and tristan talk about several techniques with the german longsword. The exact weight will be worked out once the blade has reached its final form and the guard is forged, files and fitted. Longsword is the most popular weapon trained in todays hema. Fencing with the german longsword has been a focus of historical european martial. The first document of german heritage which shows fencing techniques is the. While many of the texts also describe other weapons, the longsword provides a common thread throughout. Pdf injury profile of longsword fencing in historical. Longsword some techniques ii old interpretation youtube. German longsword 1 initiate, 4th revision this workbook looks at the four primary guards for german longsword as well as the normal attacks you can make from the guards. Chinese long straightsword ancient techniques leopardhead. Im assuming that were talking about a hand and a half sword. In this introduction for beginners we demonstrate most of the guards or wards basic stances in the german longsword tradition, based on joachim meyer. Clearly in unarmoured fencing you wouldnt want to face a good spearman with a longsword.
It was chiefly used in the 0s and 1400s, but survived as a sport weapon into. Kunst des fechtens is a system of combat taught in the holy roman empire during the late medieval, renaissance, and early modern periods, as described in the contemporary fechtbucher combat manuals written at the time. German longsword workbook level 1 this workbook looks at the four primary guards for german longsword as well as the normal attacks you can make from the guards. Longsword techniques and outline free download as pdf file. Cvet, free scholler brian mcilmoyle and scholler david murphy for their input.
The manual is of great importance due to its clear and precise instruction on long sword, wrestling, sword lpngsword buckler, armoured combat, and mounted combat. It is often believed that the medieval warrior was crude, relying on brute strength more than skill to survive. Calgary has a guy who teaches people german longsword technique as well as wrestling and a few other things iirc atm. Hans leckuchner followed the traditional system of fencing as laid out by the german fencing master johannes liechtenauer.
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