Consulting Swordsman
It is possible to spend thousands of pounds on training gear. Possible, but unnecessary. There are sword-like-objects everywhere, and all sorts of conditioning opportunities that do not require expensive equipment. I’ve shot a short video discussing some of the options as part of the Solo Training course. (Which you can get for 4% of the … Read more
I know you’ve been thinking about nothing else for the last few days. Not the pesky plague. Not economic uncertainty. This, and only this: What the hell is that thing Guy made? Dale Belcher, of Independence, Kansas, in the USA was the first person to answer, and the only person to get it right! Well … Read more
In a sword fight there is no time to think. You see, you act. The essence of training is to adjust your instinct so that the instinctive response is also the correct one. I’ve spent decades training my instinct, and I apply this to literally all parts of my life. I don’t decide what to … Read more
Britain went on lockdown this week, about a month later than it should have done, three weeks later than my parents, and a week after my household. I have some thoughts, as you may imagine. But everyone else on the internet has thoughts too so I won’t blame you if you skip mine. There won’t … Read more
Train at home, obviously! The current situation regarding the corona virus is not unprecedented. Plague has swept various parts of the world regularly since time began. What is new is that we are experiencing this phenomenon with a completely safe and so-far quite reliable way of communicating with each other. I know that many of … Read more
Producing a book is a marathon, not a sprint, but the finish line for From Medieval Manuscript to Modern Practice: The Longsword Techniques of Fiore dei Liberi is in sight! I’m in my study plodding through the first draft of the the laid-out print file. This is simultaneously very exciting (my NEW BOOK! HURRAH!), very … Read more
A hundred and four years before Marie Kondo was born, William Morris wrote: If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful. Which I think is a better rule of thumb than does … Read more
The proof-read draft of my new book previously titled “The Longsword of Fiore dei Liberi” came back from the proof reader on Friday literally tied up with red tape! I’m thinking of re-titling it “From Medieval Manuscript to Modern Practice: The Longsword Techniques of Fiore dei Liberi”. This describes the book better, and hopefully using … Read more
I’m in that funny limbo state between a book being finished and being published. My translation and interpretation of Fiore’s longsword plays (of which the current working title is now From Medieval Manuscript to Modern Practice: The Longsword Plays of Fiore dei Liberi. What do you think?) is back from the editor, his 2,370 comments … Read more
A month ago I posted about Invisible Women, and suggested changing the cover of my book The Medieval Longsword to make it more inclusive, and especially to make it clear that women can and should practice the art of arms if they so wish. Shortly after that the socialz exploded with backlash against the dimwitted Andrew … Read more