College study group

[Robert Kingsley]

Greetings all!
WMA has managed to grab my attention like nothing else. I recently stumbled across this site and have spent the last several days gobbling up all the wonderful articles and reading through the instruction manuals. I've been so inspired that one of the first things I am going to do when I go off to college in a few weeks is track down like-minded individuals and form a WMA practice group. So my question to you is threefold:

1) What does your average training session consist of?

2) Are there any practitioners near Amherst, MA, who would be interested in offering instruction?

3) How do seminars compare to workshops? Are they the same, but less intensive? Or just an "introductory" course meant to pique interest?

Currently my plan would be to kick things off by arranging a seminar (on-campus, if possible) to attract potential members as well as lay down foundations. After finding as many dedicated individuals as possible, I would like to have have formal meetings once or twice a week, starting with footwork and form drills, followed by free-play and focusing on a new technique. Ideally group members would meet informally more often to free-play, as well as practicing form and such on their own.

My overly ambitious dream is to have the group be a recognized ARMA study group by the end of my fourth year of school, able to host rudimentary training and events in the Boston area.

Any other comments, suggestions, corrections, etc would be most welcome.

Thank you.

[Matthew_Anderson]

Welcome Robert!

This is exactly how most of the study groups got going, just a few folks, working on stuff together. As far as practice sessions, we, and I'm sure most study groups, do a lot of drills and excercises, then generally move on to working on specific techniques for a while, then usually finish up with a good session of free-play. The best way to get started really is to hook up with another study group and see how they do things. Also, get yourself to a Longsword 1.0 workshop as soon as you can, or host one at your school if you can get enough interest going, this will be a good start and give you a lot of basic stuff to work on. Workshops are specifically geard to our curriculum and tiered training system and are for members only. Seminars are available to non members on a variety of topics. Here are a few articles that may help as well, good luck!

http://www.thearma.org/Practice/training.htm
http://www.thearma.org/methods.htm
http://www.thearma.org/essays/Way.htm
http://www.thearma.org/NTP.htm

[Keith Culbertson]

Welcome Robert, and good luck to your endaevors at college and to found a study group. It is very possible to start an ARMA study group as a martial arts sportclub or student group depending on how your school organizes things--we even get a bit of equipment funding now! Here at Ohio State I applied after we had several members already interested and could show how we could bring something new to the university. Since ARMA is also historical research, it is even possible to be invited or seek opportunities to be a guest in classrooms for medieval studies. Y0u will have to be patient and have presentations at school events that are geared to recruiting or showing what you have to offer to the students and staff (and even non-university folks, who can usually be sponsored by the university folks). You should indeed start by attending an NTP 1.0 so you then have the basis to introduce ARMA ideas soundly. Practice outside on grass or inside (with mats available as an option if possible). Study and practice hard. Get your group to share responsibilities as you grow, and by all means have fun!

cheers

[Robert Kingsley]

Thanks for your input (and more importantly, encouragement)!

I'll be going to Hampshire College, which is huge on independant study and self-motivation. I could use WMA as my senior project/thesis if I wanted to, especially the scholarly aspects. Secondly, it's part of the five-college consortium of Amherst, which means there's five student bodies connected by a free transit system within twenty minutes of each other. Hopefully I'll be able to find one or two other interested parties.

I would love to attend a workshop, but the website says they're only open to members of ARMA registered for 6 months. I've also been lead to believe that registration with ARMA takes a good bit of time and could be rejected. So how is a beginner to attend one?

[Rod-Thornton]

Hi Robert.

As others have already given you some advice on wrapping WMA and the unique ARMA approach around your desire to learn fencing as it was intended to be used, all I will say is that should you decide to pursue ARMA membership, I am myself in Rhode Island (Providence area) a couple of times for a couple of days each month. At that point I would be happy to train with you the times I am up there.

[Ben Strickling]

Hi Robert,

I'm also up in that area a couple of times a year. Although this doesn't solve your problem of finding people for a study group, I'd be glad to practice with you when I'm around. My wife is from South Hadley so we're in that area once and a while.

Ben Strickling

[Andy Spalding]

As one college student to another, the easiest way to recruit is to head to the quad and start swinging swords at a like minded partner once you find one. Practice is public and you will pull them in.

[Robert Kingsley]

As one college student to another, the easiest way to recruit is to head to the quad and start swinging swords at a like minded partner once you find one. Practice is public and you will pull them in.

Heh, something about college age boys and swords I suppose.

Any particular recommendations as far as which manuals to start with?

[Andy Spalding]

Any particular recommendations as far as which manuals to start with?

Books for someone with no experience...
Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Art of the Longsword is a well illustrated book that is newbie friendly. If you are going to be doing rapier, i like Fabris.

Once you know the basics enough to be able to read a text heavy book, and know the terminology, i strongly recommend getting the Meyer book.

Pay special attention to your footwork when starting your training. The only thing not moving in a fight is a deadman.

[Will Adamson]

Rod is a fun guy, and his daughter is tougher than any boy.

My wife and I have talked about getting back to Boston sometime soon. She went to Tufts and her dad is in RI, so it's not out of the realm of possibility for us.

It would be quite awesome if it worked out for all of us to be up there at the same time. (Hey, I can have my pipe dream!)

[Robert Kingsley]

Books for someone with no experience...
Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Art of the Longsword is a well illustrated book that is newbie friendly. If you are going to be doing rapier, i like Fabris.

Once you know the basics enough to be able to read a text heavy book, and know the terminology, i strongly recommend getting the Meyer book.

Thanks! I'm most interested in the broadsword- gotta establish that link back to my heritage.

-Edited to fix quote bracket-

[John_Clements]

Hi Robert

As it explains on our seminars page, the ARMA 1.o intro is an Open event. As it explains, anyone can register to attend. Only our follow on Workshops are members only events.

As it states on the application page, membership is not automatic, can indeed take 6-8 weeks or longer for approval, and is not guaranteed. If it were otherwise then we would have no standards, no sense of community or united approach under a established curriculum, and instead would just collect money from anyone who applied. Make sense?

The point is, it's easier to start a Study Group and get into things once some of us all meet and you've see first hand what we do and how we do it.
If you have any questions just email me.

John C.
ARMA Director

[Robert Kingsley]

The admissions policy makes perfect sense. I would expect no less from any organization trying to be true to its vision- It's one of the things that is very attractive about ARMA. I was only lamenting the fact that, assuming I sent in my application right now and was accepted, it would be almost an entire school year before I could attend a workshop.

You should indeed start by attending an NTP 1.0...

I thought he was referring to the workshop. The "Seminars" page doesn't refer to the seminars as such, in fact it makes several distinctions:

"These are presented as open events outside of the curricula of our NTP certification workshops for members."

" For ARMA members interested in holding a NTP Workshop go here:"

"Mr. Clements specializes in presenting introduction to Renaissance martial courses, ARMA open seminars, and our ARMA NTP series of member Workshops 1.0 to 4.0 "

I was trying to avoid asking questions easily answered by the website, but just ended up confused. Thanks for the clarification!

[Steve Lewis]

Hi Rob,
i am in Boston which is kinda far from Amherst but not impossible. Do you live in Ma or are you only going to be in state during the school year?

[Robert Kingsley]

Currently I live in D.C., but I'll probably move up to MA permanently sometime next year. It's actually really easy for me to find a ride into Boston, lots of students go at least once a month.