Teaching swordmanship

So...a lot of my upcoming scenes will be taking place during a class on weapons and fighting. Specifically, but not limited to, swordplay.
Anyone know where I can find information on how beginners were taught swordmanship? And fighting with staffs? And other weapons?
I took a little fencing in college, and have read a ton of fantasy books (thinking specifically of Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness and Protector of the Small quartets, as well as Mercedes Lackey's Heralds of Valdemar)

So I know footwork is a big thing. Fencing started us with footwork- the lunges and the arm movements and stuff- long before we ever touched a blade of any sort. But looking for more things I can touch on so it sounds like I know what I'm talking about, lol.

Since swordplay and medieval styles of fighting will be a major part of my MC's life going forward, I was looking for a resource which discusses swordplay (and other types) from basics to mastery, so when I'm writing about her farther down the line it still sounds realistic.

Otherwise, it looks like I'm re-reading Alanna: The First Adventure (Tamora Pierce), Exile's Honor and Exile's Valor (Mercedes Lackey) again...

 

There is a great series of books out there called The Chivalry Bookshelf that was basically a how to of Western Martial Arts. The books covered mostly quarterstaff and several different sword styles for nations and eras. Written mostly for recreationists, they were full of useful explanations and diagrams as to how to actually fight with historical weapons.

 

Seems to me the answer to this would vary a lot depending on what period of history/what culture you're talking about. I've only done a slight amount of research on this for my own WIP, but I think instruction in swordfighting/fencing only gradually became standardized...I'm thinking of the instructional manuals that started being published in Europe around the late medieval/early modern period. That's when you start getting into things like standardized parries, etc.

Before that I think it was probably a lot more, shall we say on-the-job type training. Or else, if you were someone who knew they were going to be doing a lot of fighting (like a son of a noble family), you might have had some instruction just from hanging out with older veterans (I always think back to the scenes in The Dark Tower where young Roland is being taught by Cort). But I don't think it would've been a classroom type deal.

And of course, that's just in Europe. I really don't know much about this topic in other parts of the world.

 

Well, see, this is where I have some wiggle room, because I'm writing a fantasy story that's rather loosely based off medieval Europe. I suppose I can make most of it up as I go along, so long as I am at least familiar with the basic concepts. I just don't want to be like, "And then she pirouetted, swinging her sword in the complex 'dragon in flight' move, and sliced him in half vertically from a squatting position" and having my readers go..."WTF?"

 

Here's a decent intro pdf:
An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Combat - WPI
are a couple of YouTube sources that I use:
https://www.youtube.com/user/SkallagrimNilsson

https://www.youtube.com/user/scholagladiatoria

 

The web is full of decent resources on this! ...But I can't find any at the moment, because the old fencing club website has changed since I worked on it. >.< Maybe later.

Off the top of my head, I'll always remember one thing Coach Ybarra used to tell us: nine times out of ten, the more aggressive swordsman will win. The other time, it'll be the one who is more skilled, and that'll never be you, so you damn well better be aggressive.

That stuck with me because in the four years I spent with the club (back in college), I consistently got to see new fencers learn the parries and the footwork and get stabbed mercilessly on strip for the next six or eight months because they just didn't do anything. I'd say that little detail is the number one thing people leave out of fiction: the fact that the average person just doesn't have the wherewithal to go up there and hit the other guy with a sword. Not even a fake one!

Killer instinct (even simulated killer instinct) takes awhile to teach.

 

Fencing and Sword fighting are a tad different. The styles are different,
seeing the former is a sport that uses a much lighter weapon that is akin
to a car radio antenna with a grip and guard, and the latter is a 2-3kg
high carbon steel instrument used to cut and cleave.
Also it was not uncommon in those days to take the sword by the blade
and use the hand guard like a war-hammer to kill an enemy. Or half-swording,
where you hold the blade in one hand with the other on the grip to strike your
opponent with the guard or to block an attack. And no you will not cut your
fingers off doing this, despite popular belief.

Depending on how in depth you get with it, you might have to learn several
styles based on each type of sword. Broadswords are for making cuts, while
a rapier more more for making thrusts.

Good luck, there are hours of content on swordplay.

 

Well, sometimes they do. But you have to admit that sounds like a good way to win!

 

I took taekwondo in college, and during the summer breaks I practiced at a dojang run by one of my old high school teachers. I was an...orange, maybe blue belt, not terribly far along, but I'm also a former Marine, which impressed the shit out of the college kids; I had trouble finding even higher-belt people who were willing to no-contact (club rules below black-belt) spar with me.

Then I went to the summer practices. There was a kid there, maybe 15-16 years old, yellow belt, who would chase my ass all over the room. Probably about a hundred thirty pounds soaking wet, again, no-contact, but this kid was just aggressive as hell.

Then one day his older brothers picked him up after class. Large gentlemen, with lots of tattoos that indicated their affiliation with a local young men's social and entrepreneurial club, and it all became clear.

ETA: When I mentioned that I was a Marine, I wasn't trying to imply that I was a badass, just that my classmates thought I was. After my last round of hand-to-hand combat training in boot camp, my drill instructor said:
"Aschendale, you shot expert, right?"
"Sir, yes, sir!"
"Save the last round for yourself."

 

lmfao

 

Hand to hand? I was a 13F in the U.S. Army. My idea of hand to hand was a 'danger close CAS mission'.

 

Renaissance Martial Arts Web Documentary
Commentary by John Clements

The Renaissance Martial Arts Web Documentary was my pet project over the past four months of mid-2008. I became engrossed in it and focused on it almost exclusively for six days a week. As with other areas of my personal interest in this subject, I got to the point where, after waiting and waiting, I realized no one was going to do this kind of thing, or, would do it the way it deserved or that I envisioned. So, finally, I decided I could and should just do it myself.

http://www.thearma.org/Videos/RMAWD.htm#.WaoLxyiGOUk

The ARMA’s website is the Internet's premier source for historical European fencing and fighting arts. ARMA focuses on researching and reviving the forgotten teachings of the historical Masters of Defence and fighting schools.

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Over 650 original combat treatises (1300-1945) linked from our database

The source database on the Schola Forum is a massive compilation of all the known combat treatises that are to be found for free online, in all languages and formats. It has been created with the help of forum members and the list is constantly being updated and growing. Please help us continue in making this the most complete database of HEMA sources on the internet.

http://www.fioredeiliberi.org/topics/
http://www.fioredeiliberi.org/fiore/translation-images-getty.pdf

 

I was just wandering around reading some of these threads and I realized that this is going to be important for me as well. One of my male characters learns to fence later in his life. (Becoming multi-disciplined) Thanks for the posts on knowledge and references guys! Goes to show I don't even have to post a question I can browse and find things quickly!

 

My best advice for you is to consult your local chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism. Here's the link:

http://www.sca.org/geography/findsca.html

Medieval martial arts (sword, shield, spear) is a big part of their schtick. Go to a fighter practice, watch them, ask a lot of questions. Nothing, but nothing, beats hands-on experience, and these people will probably have you in (borrowed) armor, swinging a practice sword, from the moment you meet them, practically.

 

That graffiti script says IVH

 

Is that avatar image from The Mighty Boosh? Seems like something they would do.

 

I have no idea. I just googled "evil four leaf clover" or something similar and found it, then went to a graffiti generator for the lettering. "Young men's social and entrepreneurial club" indeed. (although it's coeducational)

 

Haha, thanks everyone for all the tips and links...and the humor. I love this forum.