How do you start?

[Jacob Collstrup]

I've been reading the 'New to ARMA?' article and 'Study of Renaissance Martial Arts' and I'm a wee bit confused.

There is no ARMA group in Denmark, so I can't join an existing group. So I'm wondering: What would I be doing if I join ARMA.

My goal is to learn to handle swords. Mainly the bastard sword and the two handed great sword. And of course unarmed self defense.

But since I'll be mostly alone with this, is this the place to start?

How do you practice the unarmed techniques, parrys and such when you're alone?

Jacob Collstrup

[Sal Bertucci]

Well, all these things depend upon the basics. The basics can generally be done alone. Learning proper stepping and cutting can only be done by doing proper drills in a repetitive nature.

Once you become a member we have drills that have been tested and proved to build these basic skills. There are also videos to watch that give instruction.

The way that groups get started is that one person starts out, and then slowly attracts like minded people to themselves. There wasn't a group where I am either, but thanks to the work I've put in and the help of my ARMA friends we're now getting something started here.

Also, though you may be the only person in Denmark, you are not the only person in Europe. Being a member would allow you access to ARMA events in Europe where you could receive even more instruction.

Ultimately, it takes a bunch of creeks to make a mighty river. Join the flow.

[Jonathan Newhall]

I personally started with footwork, then guards, then basic cuts. At that point you should need to find a practice partner, but you can practice those things literally for ages before you can consider yourself to have "mastered" them.


ARMA, as Sal said, would also help with training materials, suggestions, et c. for this solo period. I'm starting solo myself and have an app underway for just that reason.

[Paolo_Troiani]

so true, we have to put ourself in searching of interested people, the first problem is that historical rievocational associations are more appealing than just HMA assosiations.
So try with kendokas (i've seen a lot of guys in this forum who have a kendoka past), attract them in the WMA's net, people who has a strong passion in middle age and reinassance (my brother likes baroque but isn't interested.... it happens ). Here in italy there are a couple of serious groups like the Sala D'arme Achille Marozzo,Nova Scrimia or Arme Antica ,that have a personal interpretation about Paulus Hector Maior, but they're too far away to attend regularly to their classes.
Then let's decide how introduce the subject ( like trying to have a girl become your partner )


Sorry for my poor english, i can catch everything you say but when i have to type,write or talking is much more difficult.

[Donald Pike]

You're in the same boat I am; for much of my study it's been me solo. I just found a sparring partner for the longsword, and my brother is willing to work with me on some quarterstaff fighting. Though it's more an east vs west deal there, as he's trained in the bo staff, while I'm studying the European Quarterstaff. There are some noted differences, which we saw tonight.

The thing to do is get some wasters, or wooden (and now there's plastic, but I won't vouch for those) practice swords. Get a few books that you're interested in, and start trying to follow what they say. There are videos galore on Youtube and such sites, I even have another site that lets me download off Youtube. I have about 3 gigs of video on various martial arts now.

Go on to social websites such as Facebook or Myspace and look for groups dedicated to the art. From there, you can seek out fellow students in your area.

I'm not a member of ARMA, so I can't comment on what they have to offer the solo student. I'm wanting to join, but I have my usual reservations. The main one is that there are no groups remotely near, or any real organized anything I can find for WMA. Best I can find is a RP group.

Not a whole lot of good (and by that, I mean not fly-by-night guarantee a black belt in a year "karate" schools, many of which advertise being part of the American Tae Kwon Do Association...) MA studios period. In about 15 years, I've seen 3. One of which is no longer teaching.

[Jaron Bernstein]

I've been reading the 'New to ARMA?' article and 'Study of Renaissance Martial Arts' and I'm a wee bit confused.

There is no ARMA group in Denmark, so I can't join an existing group. So I'm wondering: What would I be doing if I join ARMA.

My goal is to learn to handle swords. Mainly the bastard sword and the two handed great sword. And of course unarmed self defense.

But since I'll be mostly alone with this, is this the place to start?

How do you practice the unarmed techniques, parrys and such when you're alone?

Jacob Collstrup

There is plenty of good historical fencing in Europe. There is ARMA in Poland and Greece and a number of other good WMA folks in the UK that I am aware of. One thing about historical fencing is that there is a quality spectrum just as in any other martial art. I suggest getting in touch with a good WMA group that is within reasonable travel distance of you and visit them for a day or so to get a base to start your training.