School Project.

[Sam Nankivell]

I need to make a presentation on Renaissance Martial Arts for my grade 11 French class summative. So far, I have worked out the following plan:

1. Introduction to European Martial Arts
2. Wars and Duels in the Renaissance
3. Overview of Common weaponry used
4. Martial Art: Basics of the Longsword
5. Martial Art: Rapier Basics
6. Martial Art: Hand to Hand combat
7. What happened to these Arts?
8. Conclusion, references for further reading.

This is the basic skeleton of my presentation. For examples, I am bringing in a Longsword waster and a blunt Rapier.

I am wondering if there is anything that I should add or delete. (presentation should be around 15 mins. max)

[Allen Johnson]

With that short ammount of time, I personally feel your topic is too broad. Rather than try and skim the surface of 6 or 7 topics dig in really deep on just one. Maybe just the development of swords in the 15th century or something like that. Or the difference between sword tactics in armor and without.

[Will Adamson]

I couldn't even get through one of those topics in 15 minutes!

[Jon Wolfe]

I think that just an introduction to European Martial Arts and what happened to them would be perfect.

[LafayetteCCurtis]

I'd suggest cutting it down to 1, 3, 7, and 8. Even when cut down like this, the presentation can quickly grow to unmanageable length--just imagine what would happen if you include the more specific issues as well.

[Sam Nankivell]

I do agree that this is a rather large topic to cover, but I feel that it would be interesting to leave in some examples of stances for the longsword or rapier. Otherwise, it seems just like a history lesson. I want to give the class the feeling that these arts are practical.

I want to give an overview because it will probably interest the class more, rather than getting very deep into something such as swords or a single text which can get confusing for people who have no previous experience in WMA. (Although someone who is already has knowledge of WMA would probably be quite a bit more interested in specifics.)

[LafayetteCCurtis]

Well, a rapier or longsword stance or two probably wouldn't hurt as long as you don't go too deep into it.

[Jason Taylor]

I'd say touch on all the basics stuff so lightly that it takes virtually no time--say, 30 seconds to a minute for each weapon. I.e., longsword isn't a broadsword, isn't a sharpened club, and is used with either one or two hands, generally used in wars but also in judicial duesl, Blossfechtren and Harnisfechten and what they are. Enf of longsword.

The rapier doesn't really cut. Most movcies have this horribly, horribly wrong. Designs, differentiation, and uses. End rapier.

Grappling is most of hand-to-hand. Useful in armor fpor throws followed by half-swording or a dagger finish. Etc.

With this kind of "basics," you'd be okay. If you get into stances and guards, you're done. Save the specific technicalk stuff for Q%A or after class; most people don't want a lot of technical detail, anyway.