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 The
ARMA is the Internet's Premier Educational Site for the Study and Practice of Medieval and Renaissance Fighting Skills | |||||||||||
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"With Knightly joy,
- Hans Hollywars The ARMA was the first comprehensive attempt at an organization established specifically to advance scholarship into, and practice of, Medieval and Renaissance fighting arts, and offer a modern historically based curricula. ARMA's intention is not the "play and display" way. We place concern exclusively on acquiring technical knowledge and physical skills, rather than theoretical or academic understanding focused only on form –as these were not what the craft historically was all about. The ARMA web site is structured for two primary functions. The first is to introduce ARMA's purpose and methods to interested parties, and the second is to educate the community while supporting individual Members & Study Groups. The ARMA idea is to allow people to freely and seriously practice this subject without the concerns of staged fighting and sporting play, or the distractions of role-playing and fantasy. For this, we have supplied general material on our training methods and sparring systems, noteworthy articles and essays, historical manuals and scholarly works, research material and suggested reading, relevant or worthwhile links, a listing of ARMA Members & Study Groups as well as other interested persons, discussion Forums, plus a range of other items from our international network of members and fellow enthusiasts within the historical European martial arts community. The ARMA website offers a "homebase" for sharing and exchanging information in the study of historical fighting skills and the function and use of historical arms and armor. Above all, promoting the accurate reconstruction and replication of our Western martial-heritage will be the site's mission. The ARMA Website features:
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Online Historical Manuals
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ARMA’s conceptualization
has been largely influenced by the work of Dr. Sydney Anglo as presented
in his monumental and revolutionary book, The Martial Arts of Renaissance
Europe (Yale University Press 2000). As our official senior
adviser, Dr. Anglo has been instrumental in retooling our vision of
historical fencing. His research, along with other recent advances
in this subject, has changed the face of fencing and martial arts and
had a profound impact on our subject.
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historians describe the Renaissance as beginning in the early
1400s or even prior. The idea of a “Renaissance”
is itself unique to Western Civilization. Only Western
Europe experienced this distinctive transforming period which
gave rise to so many accomplishments of human progress.
Although the Renaissance is considered a period of rebirth
in Western Civilization, it also saw greater devastation and
larger, bloodier wars than did either the Middle Ages or classical
ancient world. The ARMA is of course equally committed
to Medieval combat skills and Medieval fighting manuals as
it is to those of the "Renaissance period".
While the ARMA focuses on both eras, in this subject the two
ages are not that clearly separated. Medieval and Renaissance
fighting arts are intertwined and historians find it difficult
to offer a precise demarcation between them. The fighting
arts we study date from at least the 13th century
and show a clear continuity in principles and concepts into
the 17th. Since 1954, the Renaissance Society of America (www.rsa.org),
the leading academic organization in the Americas for the
interdisciplinary study of the period 1300-1650 in Western
history, has also used the same time frame for its working
definition of the "Renaissance."
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Weapon exercises were known to the Romans as Armatura. In the Renaissance, an Armígero was a bearer or professor of arms. A 16th century arms and armor making guild in Pisa was known as the Armaroli. In 1611, John Florio defined the Italian word A’rma as “any weapon or armor”. The motto of the 16th century Royal Artillery company in England was, Arma pacis fulcra – “armed strength for peace”, from the Roman proverb, “Arms are the props of peace”, meaning essentially peace through strength. This holds true for us today. The historical masters were "still participating in a living tradition" but "Nowadays, that option is no longer available to us." - Dr. Sydney Anglo, leading expert on historical fencing treatises. (The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe, p. 94) |
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We understand the choice of some to employ the label “Medieval martial arts” for Medieval fencing activities or those specifically pursuing later 16th & 17th century styles calling their pursuit “Renaissance martial arts”. Yet, while the civilian method of the later foyning rapier was certainly exclusive to the Renaissance, and knightly sword and shield combat all but exclusive to the Middle Ages, the methods used in the 14th and 15th centuries found continued application and refinement in the 16th. Rather than attempt to draw a distinct line between the combative systems of the Middle Ages and those of the Renaissance (or be forced to always say “Medieval and Renaissance martial arts”), we choose to apply the term Renaissance martial arts to the whole. Though each period had distinctive elements to their fighting skills, their overall foundation is one of continuity and shared legacy. Read more
here: |
"Cunning defeats any strength"
"Practice is better than Art, because your practice will suffice without art, while the art means nothing without practice." - Hanko Doebringer, 14th century |
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The ARMA Program What makes the ARMA’s knowledge and training program unique? The ARMA classes, workshops, and seminars utilize our continually revised system of established drills and exercises---Armatura. The ARMA is no mere Internet group of costumed reenactors that popped into existence with the recent explosion of the World Wide Web. Ours is not a curriculum derived from 19th century fencing styles or modern theatrical combat theories. The ARMA system reflects almost a decade of use in exploring the subject of Medieval and Renaissance arms and armor and associated fighting skills. From early in its formation our aim has been to re-develop genuine ability through serious study of surviving fencing texts. Too many martial arts today are watered down and hyped up while missing the vital middle ground. As pursued within the ARMA Study Approach, our historical fighting craft does not suffer this defect. The ARMA’s system is specifically designed for individuals training by themselves or learning alone without guidance. The ARMA Study Approach and Training Methodology: Our Study Approach is essentially a means of researching and interpreting Medieval and Renaissance martial arts. Our Training Methodology is a means of reconstructing and practicing historical fencing skills. Together they present an innovative and influential system for exploring and reviving our Western martial heritage. Drills & Exercises, Free-Play, Test-cutting: There is an interesting parallel to the ARMA method found within one of the world's foremost elite infantry fighting forces –the United States Marine Corps. To train its recruits in bayonet fighting skills, the Marines rely on three tools: steel bayonets, wooden bayonets, and padded bayonets. Actual bayonets are used for acquiring familiarity with the weapon and for practice in stabbing at targets. Wooden practice bayonets are employed for safer drills and exercises, both alone and with a partner. Finally, padded pugil-sticks are used in full-contact sparring lessons. The Marine Corps, ever known for the pragmatic no-nonsense approach to combat training, found the best instruction was gained from the combination of unique lesson provided by each tool. The ARMA believes understanding of Medieval and Renaissance fencing must involve much more than simply posing and “dancing” with a weapon, or scoring imaginary “points” in a game, and certainly far more than artistically “faking” a fight. To demonstrate sound fighting skills with documented historical techniques requires not choreography, nor 19th century duelling styles, but martial ability and historical authenticity. We felt a problem for the modern student of Medieval and Renaissance fencing was that, while there already was an established sport fencing community, an established theatrical fencing community, an established fantasy fencing and established living-history/reenactment community, there previously was no recognized and respected “Martial Arts” community. Approaching this subject more holistically, and as martial artists, not sportsmen, performers, or role-players, the ARMA felt these other communities only touched on, but they did not embody a martial arts approach (and certainly do not exclusively represent it). Thus, the ARMA (until 2001 known previously as “HACA”) re-established itself for individuals to pursue Medieval and Renaissance martial arts with like-minded colleagues sharing a love for historical European weapons and swordsmanship! Read more here:
The ARMA's main program consists of our research efforts and Training Program – A Western martial arts study system for Student Ranking or Instructor Certification. Using the ARMA Study Approach and Training Methodology, it offers students the chance to exchange ideas as well as benefit from the expertise offered by ARMA instructors and senior students. We have a developed curricula of classes and workshops. |
There
is no question that there were men in the age who were experts
at fighting. There is also no question some of them wrote down
how to do this. They described their teachings by giving names
to the actions and moves they knew and to the concepts they
devised for both. It is this very body of lost knowledge that
we now are attempting to learn.
Among
practitioners of historical fencing there are differing interpretations
(sometime radically so) over the source materials. ARMA feels
confident in ours precisely because we have a decidedly no-nonsense
martial approach focused on the true historical purpose and
function of the craft and following from an understanding of
the physical mechanics involved in the realistic handling of
actual weapons. What we seek is not esoteric scholarship for
scholarship's sake, but for the advancement of physical application
and performance of literary interpretations. Serious study of the traditional martial arts of Renaissance Europe has only recently begun to be explored and reconstructed in a credible and legitimate manner. For many decades the subject was portrayed as little more than concocted display and stunt performance at the same time it was ignored by scholars. While traditional Asian martial arts certainly have their own unfortunate share of the same kind absurd claims and fantasy role-playing surrounding their modern practice as their Western counterpart, they have also existed with many fine examples and credible experts. The same cannot be said for the teachings of genuine Renaissance martial arts. |
Further ARMA activities include:
Read more here: ARMA FAQ | |
Good martial arts training does not just build character, its reveals character.
Our
Credo of Renaissance Martial Arts Studies
Respect for History and
Heritage
Sincerity
of Effort
Integrity of Scholarship
Appreciation of Martial Spirit
Cultivation of Self-Discipline
In studying Renaissance martial arts, we hold the following to be paramount:
Our concern is for the reconstruction and replication of historical combat as safely as possible without forgetting the intention of training in a true martial manner. The ARMA methodology is systematic and innovative, but because the historical source materials are incomplete, either because they are not compressive or because we have only partial translations, our interpretations are tentative. Thus, we teach what we have and use our knowledge and experience to fill in the gaps. We must be ever aware that only the original author of a text knows exactly what he meant by each technique, concept, or illustration. Since the old Masters are not around to tell us, we must interpret their teachings alone. This is difficult, but also an enjoyable challenge.
- Offering instruction in a developed curriculum of Renaissance combat skills that is historically sound and martially valid.
- Offering an economically accessible Training Program for Members nationwide.
- Presenting workshops and seminars worldwide using the ARMA System.
- Providing for a safe, realistic and practical method of experiencing Medieval & Renaissance fencing skills.
- Having realistic and historically accurate Free-Play / Sparring Guidelines using a friendly, practical, and inexpensive approach.
- Conducting practice and test-cutting with historically accurate replica weapons.
- Organizing mock-combat practices and group battle sessions.
- Creating a membership where prestige and position is based upon combat prowess, scholarship, and leadership rather than mere longevity or association.
- Being a community-based, non-profit educational group with minimal membership fees while avoiding rigidity, bureaucracy, and authoritarianism.
- Concerning ourselves with development of real skill in free-play / sparring –not just getting good at “using a set of sparring rules.”
- Observing that our mock-fighting does not become idiosyncratic or stylistic.
- Encouraging the necessity of constant practice, improvement, and scholarship upon all members.
- Incorporating actual historical sources and experience with real weapons at every step of study.
ARMA's efforts stand out because we do not assume a priori that all methods and interpretations are always equal, and we are not about validating or accommodating every approach, but instead involved with setting standards for Renaissance martial arts practitioners while continually challenging students to do better. Our members recognize this perspective as one that's vigorous and exciting.
The ARMA is the only organization of its kind run by a professional instructor of historical European fighting arts with demonstrable mastery over its methods and techniques. But it is through the collaborative effort of a fellowship students and researchers that we can best train ourselves, then train one another. This requires a process whereby reconstructive interpretation of the historical teachings involves application of their methods and techniques with correct physicality (energy, speed, athleticism, martial spirit, and proper mindset).
In the ARMA approach to historical fencing studies we do not deemphasize the violence of the subject, we do not deemphasize the athleticism of the subject, and we do not deemphasize the necessary intensity required to practice the craft. Correspondingly, we do not exaggerate the pageantry, courtesy, etiquette, or ritual that may have sometimes surrounded it.
Being a part of the old fighting guilds and studying under a master in a Fechtschule was about much more than having the martial spirit and physical conditioning to skillfully execute techniques. It was also about shared values and issues of camaraderie, mutual respect, trust, and loyalty. Experiencing these things is as much a part of exploring and celebrating our Renaissance martial heritage as is learning fighting techniques. It is no less an aspect to revive than the skills themselves.
Read more here Doing Things the ARMA Way, and here
Core Assumptions and the Exploration of Historical Fencing"Though there are People of a bad Taste in every Art or Science, there are more in that of Fencing
than in others, as well by Reason of little Understanding of some Teachers, as of the little
Practice of some Learners, who not acting upon a good Foundation,
or long enough, to have a good idea of it, argue so weakly on this Exercise…"
- Monsieur L'Abbat, 1734
Earnest
interest in Medieval and Renaissance fighting arts has exploded in
recent years. Never before has so much information and effort
been placed into this subject before. We are at the beginning of a
new “renaissance” in the study of Historical European Martial
Arts. This is an exciting time to participate and be a part of a living
effort to revive a forgotten martial art. Come join us in celebrating
the art and science of Renaissance martial arts!
Joining ARMA as an official Associate Member offers many advantages to researchers and practitioners of Medieval and Renaissance combat. A range of special training tips and study material is offered in the private member’s section.
Go to the New Members page for details and application.
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About the ARMA 
The
ARMA’s efforts are directed toward resurrecting and
recreating a legitimate craft of European fighting skills
in a manner that is historically valid and martially sound.
We rely for our source material upon the dozens of rare
surviving manuals of Medieval and Renaissance Masters of
Defence.
The earnest
approach we advocate differs substantially from much of
the fluff and fantasy-oriented escapism that in the past
has occupied this subject. The ARMA does not conduct
costumed role-playing nor hold tournaments and sporting
competitions. We also do not perform choreographed
fighting stunts. Accurate investigation and interpretation
of historical European fighting skills is our primary objective.
Our emphasis is also on Spathology –the study
of swords.
The
ARMA is a leading voice in the resurrection and revival
of lost European fighting arts.
Why
ARMA?
The
word arma (pronounced ‘arm-uh’) in Latin as
well as Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese means, appropriately enough,
“weapon”. In the 11th century Anselm referred to Armati
or the "heavily armed ones". For knights in 13th
century France, it also referred to “the valor of a fighter”,
while in French it means to be armed. We specifically chose the word
“Renaissance” in our title because it is doubly appropriate,
not only in the sense of the historical period itself, but also the
idea of renewal and revival, of reawakening. The word Renaissance,
meaning literally “rebirth” or “renewal”, describes
the radical and comprehensive changes that took place in European
culture during roughly the 14th to 16th centuries. The Renaissance
is the name given the great intellectual and cultural movement which
occurred in these centuries. Rebirth was often a key concept
in Medieval and Renaissance literature, which spoke of “restoration”
and a “reflowering” of civilization. The notion of
a new age of rebirth itself actually began in the 14th
century with the poet Petrarch. This view took hold in the Italian
states during the 15th century and was termed the rinascità.
Currently we are witnessing an unprecedented resurgence and recovery—a
renaissance—in lost knowledge of historical European fighting
arts! 
However, since the vast majority of our source texts are
from post 1400, with the only evidence for “Medieval”
systems of fencing coming from a mere two or three earlier
texts, the phrase “Renaissance martial arts” is
thus actually more fitting and accurate for this subject.