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We
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Fight
School
Red
Cross First Aid
Get Yer
Irish Up! with Ken Pfrenger
Fabris
Basics with Tim Lyon
Medieval
Sword & Buckler from I.33 with Sean
Hayes
Scholars' Weekend (with
an ensemble of instructors)
Boarders Away! with
HMCA (cancelled)
Bowie
Knife Frolic
Introductory
Bartitsu
ARC
Certified Instructor Allen Reed will teach
American Red
Cross First Aid
When? January 27,
2007 – 9am - 1pm
Where? Room 108,
River Valley Center, 605 Main St.,
Leaf River
How
much? Materials cost – $30
How do I
prereg? Call
815-973-1064,
or send check payable to Allen Reed, c/o Gallowglass
Academy,
P. O. Box 201, Leaf River IL 61047
You are welcome to bring a
sack lunch or snack.
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Fight
School
When ?
Mondays 7:30-9pm, 8 weeks, new session starts 3-20-06
Where ?
River Valley Complex (formerly Leaf River
School), 605 Main
Street, Leaf River, IL 61047
Who ? Allen Reed, Instructor
$$ ? First class
FREE! $50 due second session Our space is limited, so please preregister by phone or
e-mail.
Throughout European and American history, students of the martial
arts have come together to train -- in German Fechtschulen,
London Maisters of Defence, salles d’armes of old New
Orleans, and on up to modern storefront dojo. Here we combine
traditional European and American techniques with Oriental
combinations into a coherent and powerful system for personal
defense in 21st-century America. This class will include
empty-hand and weapons defenses against armed and unarmed attackers.
Participants should be at least 18 years of age, and relatively fit.
Supplies/Equipment: Wear comfortable workout clothing,
including long-sleeved heavy-duty sweatshirt and gym shoes. Men
should wear a cup. Showers and lockers will be available.
Would you post a flyer for us? here's a .PDF with all the
details. Thanks! 
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June 16-17 (RESCHEDULED from
March)
Get Yer Irish up!
with Ken
Pfrenger
We will be covering
three basic areas this weekend; boxing, wrestling and Irish cudgel
play. While each of these can be practiced as a single art, combined
they create a very interesting method of self-protection. Let's look
at the core arts we will be studying this
weekend.
Classic Pugilism -
Boxing the from era of Broughton to the very early days of gloves.
The rules of old pugilism made for a very different fight than
modern boxing and one that i think works better as a means of
self-defense. We will look at the role grappling played in the old
style, as well as some powerful self defense/dirty boxing using the
elbow.
Wrestling - Rather
than wrestling for wrestling's sake (which I do often) we will look
at wrestling as it pertains to both pugilism and Irish stick play
with a focus on the Irish style of Collar and
Elbow.
Irish Cudgel play - An
art used by the Irish faction fighters of the early 19th century.
The use of the Irish cudgel offen called a bata or
shillelagh will be explored in a hands-on fashion, so make
sure you bring a cane-sized stick for the festivities. We will be
learning to use the stick in a very non-blade-oriented fashion.
Unlike many stick-fighting systems where the stick is a stand-in for
a blade, the Irish had a style of stickplay that was unique and
great for close-in fighting such as the crowded fields of the
faction-fighting days.
With any luck and no more
than a few smashed knuckles, by the end of this weekend you
will all be on the road to blending these three elements together
into a cohesive fighting style.
As usual, groin protection is
mandatory for men and highly recommended for Feisty Coleens. A more
precise schedule may be available closer to the workshop, but figure
on the usual 9ish to 5ish for the formal activities.
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April 7
An
Intro to Fabris
with Tim Lyon
Salvator Fabris, 1544-1618, was a
legendary rapier master from Padua in northern Italy. He taught
throughout Europe, instructing the Archbishop of Bremen and King
Christian IV of Denmark, among many others. His reputation was
unrivaled as he influenced and garnered praise from later masters
including Giganti, Alfieri, Marcelli, and Thibault. While in
Denmark, he published his groundbreaking rapier treatise Lo
Schermo, overo Scienza d'Arme (1606). This treatise provides a
glimpse into the concepts and practices of the teachings of Fabris,
which rely on precise understanding of measure, guards, tempo, lines
of attack, and the mechanical properties and angles of
blades.
This seminar will introduce students to these principles
focusing particularly on measure and tempo and their use in defense
and attack. We will start with the basic stances and counterguards.
We will explore the basic methods of attack and the proper defenses.
We will move on to finding the blade and attacking in tempo,
culminating in the use of feints and
invitations.
Students are recommended to read at least the “Introduction”
and “Book One, Part One” of The Art of Dueling by Tomaso
Leoni before the seminar.
Tim Lyon has been playing with swords
since his college days 30 years ago. Although he started with sport
fencing and moved on to the Society of Creative Anachronism, he has
taken advantage of the growing interest and scholarship in the
Western Martial Arts to pursue more historical studies. He has
studied with some of best scholars in the burgeoning movement
including Bill Wilson, Ramon Martinez, Bob Charon, and Tom Leoni. He
has experimented with many styles, but has lately focused on the
early 17th century and the rapier system of Salvator Fabris. Mr.
Lyon is a technical writer and an avid sailor.
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April
28-29
Medieval Sword &
Buckler from I.33
with Maestro
Sean Hayes
New Venue:
Mt. Morris Coliseum
The Art of Fighting Well: Principles,
Techniques, and Tactics of Royal Armouries Manuscript
I.33
This seminar will focus on
developing a tactical implementation of fighting skills based on the
technical swordsmanship skills of Royal Armouries Manuscript I.33.
We will develop our understanding of the key concepts of tempo and
measure directly from the manuscript itself, by examining the plays
for the information they contain about these critical elements of
the fight. Each "play" in the manuscript is a lesson that
encapsulates specific rules of the art concerning time, measure, the
means of manipulating both, and the use of these to establish
initiative in and control of the fight. These concepts were later
expressed as vor, nach, and indes in the German
traditions, and as tempo and contratempo in the
Italian systems.
I.33's division of guards into Custodie
and Obsessiones offers a means of directing and controlling the
adversary's intent, similar in nature to the stabile,
instabile and pulsative of Fiore's poste. With these
tools we can analyze the nature of the fight and derive tactical
lessons from them, which we can then employ in the fight. I have
used this format successfully in seminars in the US and
abroad.
"It was an excellent seminar, in which
he covered the main tactical concepts, the core techniques of the
system. He then developed the student's ability to apply these
techniques according to the concepts in increasingly advanced
tactical drills. It is unusual to see such attention to the
practical use of a system; I am confident that any one of the
attendees could now if necessary defend themselves with reasonable
success, and in recognisable 1.33 style, in any sword and buckler
context. It was lovely watching a professional at work." - Guy
Windsor, School of European Swordsmanship
Although we will be very careful with our
friends and fellow students in the class, this class will involve
exercises that may result in some bumps: be prepared:
Equipment: A stout gambeson, good
head protection, forearm and elbow protection and good gauntlets or
similar are required. Street hockey, motocross and martial arts
protective equipment acceptable. Steel or aluminum trainers are
preferred to wood. Email seanhayes <_at_>
northwestacademyofarms <_dot_> com with questions.
The weekend workshop will be divided into
five exercise units and one lecture/presentation. All integrate with
each other, and include tactical exercises to prepare us for the
final unit of the course.
Fundamentals of I.33: The Three Key
Plays of Prima Custodia
The concepts of time & measure
are fundamental to any martial system, and yet they are often not
discussed or presented to the student in the depth required. Royal
Armouries MS I.33 gives a framework for understanding and practicing
the crucial elements of time & measure. We will first examine
techniques within a mechanical drill framework and analyze them for
what they say to us about time & measure. Following this we will
bring the drills into a tactical framework, using a simple
decision-tree exercise to analyze the partner’s offensive, defensive
or counter-offensive choice, and immediately decide on a course of
action.
Presentation: The Martial Image in the
Medieval Pedagogic Text: an examination of Royal Armouries
Manuscript I.33
To develop a fuller understanding of the art
of sword & buckler fencing as developed in Royal Armouries MS
I.33, and the rules by which it operates, we need an understanding
of the cultural context in which it was produced. Central in this
presentation is the reality that MS I.33 is culturally remote from
us. We must study the uses to which text and image were put in the
middle ages so as to arrive at a fuller understanding of the
conception, construction and use of MS I.33. Art produced in the
context of the Late Middle Ages was not "naturalistic" or
photo-realistic, but was conceptual in nature. Medieval art in
general reflects the use of the ars memoria, the system of study,
retention, and explication of philosophy and theology practiced by
scholars in the middle ages. As a product of this culture, I.33
naturally employs these modes of presentation. We will examine the
use of image composition and presentation of physicality in the
manuscript as mnemoic aids, and discuss the application of these
concepts to the requirements of presentation in a medieval martial
arts text.
Extending the Principles: Prima
Custodia, Krucke, and the Langort Plays
The principles and
techniques established by the three key plays are the foundation for
all the later work in the manuscript, and are developed further in
the Krucke and Langort Plays, which form the second major grouping
of actions within the text. We'll use the same principles of
manipulation of tempo, measure and initiative to examine controlling
the fight from either side (Prima Custodia or Langort).
Controlling the Adversary's Intent:
Secunda Custodia vs Secunda Obsessio
The plays of the Secunda
Custodia demonstrate responses to a quickly shifting initiative, and
develop strategies for analyzing and neutralizing these situations
by probing into them, discovering the opponent's response, and
applying a counteraction. The counteractions of the Secunda Custodia
include many wounding, rather than incapacitating, actions.
Employing the Priest's Special
Langort: What makes it "long"?
We will use the specificata
custodia sacerdotis que nuncpatur langort, or "Priest's Special
Langort," to employ the principles of the Prima Custodia plays from
a position of relative disadvantage: when "lying spent" after a
failed attack. The Special Langort shows how an apparently
vulnerable position can be quickly transformed into a strong
position.
Advanced I.33: Tactical Approaches to
Winning the Fight
These tactical drills are the summation of
the previous work. We will use Prima Custodia plays, the Langort
plays, the plays of Secunda Custodia and the Priest's "Special
Langort" to develop a tactical framework for exploring the fight,
assessing the adversary, planning a strategy and developing the
specific tactics necessary to survive and win the fight. At the end
we will engage in training bouts (using a pair of shinai-based
arming sword simulators) to test the prinicples and our
understanding of them.
Short Bio: Maestro Sean
Hayes was born in 1962 and raised in the Midwest
region of the United States. He initially studied classical French
fencing under Maitre d'armes Adam Adrian Crown in Ithaca, New York;
and also pursued studies of rapier and dagger under Maitre Crown. In
1995 he began his studies of classical Italian fencing at
California's San Jose State University Fencing Master's Program,
under the direction of Dr. William M. Gaugler.
Maestro Gaugler, a graduate of the Accademia Nazionale di Scherma
in Naples, employs the system of instruction developed by Masaniello
Parise, first director of the celebrated 19th century Military
Masters School in Rome (Scuola Magistrale di Scherma), with certain
elements drawn from the methods of the earlier Military Fencing
Masters schools in Parma (directed by Cesar Enrichetti), Milan
(directed by Giuseppe Radailli), and from the later Livornese school
(as exemplified by Eugenio Pini and Beppe Nadi).
Maestro Hayes apprenticed under Maestro Gaugler from 1995 to
1999, and was trained to think critically about the details of
fencing theory and the application of fencing theory in actual
practice, to work with students closely and carefully, and to
observe the most minute aspects of their performance in the lesson
and when fencing. He earned his Fencing Master's diploma in May of
1999 after passing a rigorous series of yearly written, oral and
practical examinations, including the preparation of an academic
thesis.
Maestro Hayes' examination for Master At Arms was conducted by an
international board of 6 fencing masters representing the United
States, France, and Italy. The examination included oral and
practical components: intense questioning on the smallest aspects of
classical Italian fencing theory; the candidate required to teach
group lessons, individual lessons, take individual lessons; and
finally to teach any actions or combination of several actions in
any weapons desired by the board to a fellow candidate.
Maestro Hayes teaches a strictly classical curriculum of Italian
foil, épée and sabre at Northwest Academy of Arms in Eugene, Oregon,
and through the University of Oregon and Lane Community College. He
also researches and teaches Italian Rapier of the early and late
17th century and 18th century; the medieval martial arts system of
Fiore dei Liberi; German Sword & Buckler from Royal Armouries
Manuscript I.33 (ca 1295 AD, the oldest known fencing manuscript);
and the English shortsword of George
Silver.
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August 18-19
Boarders Away!
taught by a crew from Historical
Maritime Combat Assn
In the ever
expanding field of western historical martial arts, the HMCA leads
the way in the use of weapons of a maritime nature. Our classes have
been taught across the USA and Canada. Now you have the chance to
host a class at your school or fencing salle. With instructors in
Oregon, Michigan and Maryland, and Acknowledged Instructors across
the country and abroad, a local seminar can be easily
arranged.
The HMCA Boarding Actions
Seminar is taught by qualified instructors in historical maritime
weapons from the 17th thru 19th centuries. Nowhere else will you be
able to get hands-on training in such weapons as cutlass, boarding
axe, military sabre and fighting tomahawk, as well as a variety of
other maritime weapons. The two-day seminar spans over 12 hours and
includes all of the weapons above, taught in an individual format as
well as in mixed-weapon scenarios. You will have the opportunity to
learn the history and handling of these weapons in close
quarter combat practice and, with proper protection apply these
techniques against various opponents.
Typical Class Schedule:
Saturday
9:00
AM~ Weapons timeline and maritime combat theory
10:30 AM~
Military Sabre, Inst. John Lennox
12:00 AM~ Tomahawk and
Longknife, Inst. Steve Huff
1:30 PM~ Lunch Break.
2:30 PM~
Cutlass, Inst. Gareth Thomas
4:00 PM~ Naval Officer’s Sword
(Smallsword)- Inst. John Lennox
6:00 PM~ Workshop Closes for the
day
Sunday
9:00 AM~
Boarding Axe- Inst. Steve Huff
10:00 AM~ Mixed Weapon Class; All
Instructors
1:00PM~ Lunch Break.
2:30 PM~ Q &A with
instructors, Supervised bouts, The Assault
4:30 PM~ Workshop
closes.
Other weapon styles include: Pike,
Belaying Pin, Slungshot; Bayonet.
Required gear includes: mask,
jacket/doublet, gloves, and groin protection. Boarding axes are available from New Stirling
Arms. Splendid cutlasses are available from Popinjay; Absolute Basic
Acceptable Fallback is a 7/8" by 36" wooden dowel. Some loaner
gear will be available.
Read bios of the instructor pool of HMCA
here
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June 9-10
Scholars
Weekend
River Valley Complex, 605 Main St.,
Leaf River
9-5 each day (more or
less)
$30 pre-reg, $40 at the
door
Class Descriptions:
Karl Jacobs: Collar Grabs – Get Medieval!
Collar grabs are familiar to most people who have taken a basic
self-defense course or studied Asian martial arts. This sort of
attack was familiar to the medieval person as well. Fiore’s fifth
master of the dagger focuses on a collar grab combined with a dagger
attack. Drawing from the Getty and Pisanni-Dossi manuscripts, we'll
examine how to apply the principles of Fiore's system in dealing
with this type of attack.
Class size is
best limited to 10 people participating, but more are welcome to
come and watch. The class will involve some falling, rolling, and
throwing.
Required Gear:
comfortable clothing allowing freedom of movement (smooth-soled
footwear is very helpful), wooden dagger simulator or hardwood
dowel, 12 to 24 inches long, 3/4 to 1-1/4 inches diameter.
Optional Gear: water, notebook &
pen, fencing mask or other eye protection, padded (aka "boffer")
dagger trainer.
Michael Pennock: An Introduction to
19th-Century Military Sabre
In this class we will learn the art of swordsmanship as it was
taught to cavalrymen in the U. S. Army of the mid-19th century. We
will cover use of the sabre both on foot and mounted, based upon the
following manuals: Exercise for the Broadsword, Sabre, Cut and
Thrust and Stick by Brevet Major H. C. Wayne (1849) and
Cavalry Tactics by Brig. Gen Philip St. George Cooke
(1862).
Students will need gloves
or gauntlets and a sabre simulator (some loaner equipment will be
available). Exercises will be done in a slow and controlled manner,
but students may want to add a padded jacket or sweatshirt, a gorget
or other neck protection, safety glasses and/or a fencing mask or
helmet.
Horses will not be
required.
Tracy Kopecky: Pallas Armata Rapier
Play
An introduction to the rapier play of the treatise Pallas
Armata. We will begin with the division of the sword, stance,
guards, and, of course, footwork! Then plays as described within the
treatise will be discussed/performed/learned, paying particular
attention to the attributes unique to Pallas, dictated by the
students’ familiarity to other rapier
systems.
What you need: A
rapier, and what you feel comfortable wearing for slow drills:
gloves, cups for men and chest protectors for women are always
recommended. Masks may be employed for plays that require nearness
to the face. Feel free to bring a side/backsword with if you have
one, but all drills can be done with
rapiers.
The Treatise:
Pallas Armata is typically translated to "The Gentlemen’s
Armoire". Written by an author about which little is known except
the initials G.A., it was published in 1639. The author may have
been a scholar of western martial arts, as he misapplies the
invention of the dagger and disengage to Agrippa, as well as an
academic, as the text starts with many poems from scholars from
Oxford and Cambridge. The author seems to use techniques gained from
the prevalent Italian styles (ex: Cappo Ferro and Salvatore Fabris)
but either misunderstands them, misinterprets them or has modified
the techniques of the other masters. The author does appear to
distinguish the difference between rapier and "single sword" which
previous masters did not, and he explains how to defend against each
as well as how to "play" against both right- and left- handed
attackers.
The
Instructor: I got into Western Martial Arts on the ground floor
as I happen to pick up (sport) fencing at the same time as such
notable WMA figures as Paul MacDonald (who teaches much, but writes
little), and Guy Windsor (author of The Duelist’s Companion
and The Swordsman’s Companion) were also at Edinburgh
University, just beginning their own explorations into the world of
WMA in 1995. While in Scotland I also came into contact with Jared
Kirby (translator of Cappo Ferro-Italian Rapier Combat-Ridolfo
Cappo Ferro and the moving force behind the International Sword
fighting and Martial Arts Convention) at one of our events a couple
of years before ISMAC I ever happened. For three and a half years
still in Scotland I trained with the Dawn Duelists Society and took
private lessons from both MacDonald and Windsor every week. I also
gained my British Academy of Fencing coaching certificates in all
three sport styles, making me eligible to join the B.A.F. In 1998 I
moved back to the United States and have continued to train and
teach rapier ever since, as well as sport fencing (on the odd
occasion) with anyone who wants to spend a lot of time getting
things "right".
Patrick Bailey: Liechtenauer's Mounted
Combat
An exploration, demonstration, and experiential learning
experience of the mounted combat of Johannes Liechtenauer, as laid
down in Sigmund Ringeck's manuscript (relying principally on
Christian Tobler's translation).
The class will include lecture, demonstration, and an opportunity
to try the techniques in a controlled situation.
Allen Reed: The Cane as a Weapon
The cane has long been considered an excellent
defensive weapon. Its advantages are that it is legal to carry, can
be carried in places that a knife or other weapon cannot, and it is
a powerful force multiplier in a
fight.
This class will be based on
the 1912 publication by A.C. Cunningham, who had long experience as
a fencer.
Participants in this
class will need a crook-neck cane, walking stick or one 1"-diameter
3-ft-long dowel rod. Required protective equipment will include a
fencing mask or other full face head protection and gloves. Forearm,
knee and elbow protection are also recommended. Some loaner
equipment will be available.
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October 20 (one day only)
Fahtin' wi' yer Bowie Knahfe, Suh!
with Allen Reed
$50 before October 15; $75 at the doa
The Bowie knife in the hands of a well trained fighter is one of
the most devastating weapons ever developed.
Named for James Bowie, who killed his mortal enemy Norris Wright
with a large knife at the Vidalia Sandbar Fight in 1827, the Bowie
knife came to be carried by soldiers, mountain men and settlers
throughout the United States.
This seminar will introduce a system of using a Bowie knife that
is practical and efficient.
Students should wear comfortable work out clothes including a
heavy duty sweatshirt, fencing or other light gloves, rigid eye
protection and forearm protection. All men must also wear an
athletic cup.
Students may also want to bring a fencing mask or other full face
protective device.
Some loaner gear will be available.
Allen, Patrick, Geordan, and Carlos doin' the Bowie Knife Frolic
 
 
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November 17 (one day only)
Introductory Bartitsu, with Allen Reed
Bartitsu is an eclectic mixture of English pugilism, Japanese
jujutsu, French savate and the Vigny system of using a cane or
walking stick for defense.
Developed by E.W. Barton-Wright during the 1890's, it was taught
in London by Barton-Wright and his instructors at the Bartitsu Club
until the early part of the 20th century.
This seminar will work on teaching the participants various parts
of the system and then integrating them into one dynamic self
defense system useful even for the 21st century.
Students should wear comfortable work out clothes including a
heavy duty sweatshirt with all men required to wear an athletic cup.
Students may also bring a fencing mask or other full face protection
such as a boxing helmet, a light cane or walking stick, and focus
mitts.
Some loaner gear will be available.
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