How to fence Epee - The fantastic 4 method is an explanatory concentration method to perfect his practice of fencing. It is the fruit of a reflection on several years of practice of epee fencing in competition at the highest level. A practical manual to help those who read it: - to understand the game via an innovative approach - to improve their competitive practice. This method is meant to be didactic, rational and adapted to all types of games. Rediscover fencing through a method designed to make you progress.

Completed in 1482, Johannes Leckuchner's Art of Combat with the Langes Messer (Messerfechtkunst) is among the most important documents on the combat arts of the Middle Ages. The Messer was a single-edged, one-handed utility sword peculiar to central Europe, but Leckuchner's techniques apply to cut-and-thrust swords in general: not only is this treatise the single most substantial work on the use of one-handed swords to survive from this period, but it is the most detailed explanation of the two-handed sword techniques of the German Liechtenauer school dating back to the 1300s. Leckuchner's lavish manuscript consists of over four hundred illustrations with explanatory text, in which the author, a parish priest, rings the changes on bladework, deceits, and grappling, with techniques ranging from life-or-death escapes from an armed assailant to slapstick moves designed to please the crowd in public fencing matches. This translation, complete with all illustrations from the manuscript, makes the treatise accessible for the first time since the author's untimely death less than a year after its completion left his major work to be lost for generations. An extensive introduction, notes, and glossary analyze and contextualize the work and clarify its technical content. Jeffrey L. Forgeng is curator of Arms and Armor and Medieval Art at the Worcester Art Museum, and teaches as Adjunct Professor of History at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

I wrote this book for two audiences: teachers and students. For fencing teachers, maybe you've spent years teaching the Bolognese art and are looking for a new perspective or a guide to a different weapon. Maybe you've taught Italian rapier or German longsword and are trying to expand your repertoire to something new. Perhaps you are just now starting to take those first steps from just being a student of the art to being in a position to pass it along and are looking for a how to guide by someone a little further down the path. Regardless of which of these describe you best, just know that you have found your way to a tool that represents years and years of intense dedication that will hopefully provide you with some helpful guidance as you find your way.

Maybe, though, you're not interested in trying to keep the attention of two dozen college kids all at once as you rattle off obscure Italian terms, and are instead just looking to hit people better. Well, good news, this book is for you too. Even if teaching others is something that doesn't particularly hold your interest, my goal is for this book to serve as a guide to a deep, rich art passed down to us by some of the worst writers in fencing history. I'm not exaggerating-just try reading Marozzo without looking at the intro or having a background in all of this. The Bolognese art contains thousands of plays, but the authors were clearly writing for an audience far different from our own.While it is always a noble pursuit to look back to the original material in any study, it can be helpful to have someone you have more in common with break that all down in a way that you can more easily digest. Of course, the best way for most people is to learn from a knowledgeable instructor face to face. However, that isn't always possible due to things like geography and finances. You also don't have to worry about waking the book up right after you get out of the shower and need to double check that one random thing before your brain will let you go to bed.

Regardless of where you are coming from in picking up this text, I hope that it will serve you well. While reading it straight through will definitely make more sense than just skipping around, particularly if you aren't previously familiar with most of the vocabulary, I don't really expect people to blaze through it in just a few sittings.In my own study, I treat most of the fencing books on my shelves as reference material. They are resources I can rely on to help answer this or that question, as opposed to novels with a clear narrative that goes from A, to B, to C.I suspect this book will largely be used the same. That said, now that this book has gone from my hands to yours, it is no longer mine to dictate how you use it. Here's hoping it serves you well.

Looking back almost 1,000 years, the mists of Japan's chaotic past shroud the development of a way of life, an ancient struggle waged against fierce feudal lords who ruled the island nation with swords of steel and a code of death before dishonor. The people of the mountainous regions of what is now Iga prefecture wanted to live in peace, but their lords had other plans-so the people learned the martial arts of self-defense and used their meager farm tools as weapons against the samurai blades of their oppressors. Nine traditions of the ninja arts grew out of this seemingly endless struggle, and legends were told of the supernatural abilities of the ninja fighters. The ninja never gained the kind of power that topples tyrants, but they gained a reputation that made tyrants cautious. And they gained the kind of power that makes the spirit endure and the mind the master of its fate. Told in actual stories of past grandmasters and in dojo lectures on techniques-with photographs, drawings, and paintings-the last surviving grandmaster of the ancient art of ninjutsu, Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi, presents Essence of Ninjutsu: The Nine Traditions. In it, he explains why, after more than 900 years, the art of the shadow warriors continues to inspire and serve practitioners from around the world. Dr. Hatsumi's book contains historic ninja scrolls and describes techniques for self-defense, and it debunks tricks that are attributed to the ninja but actually derive more from the circus than the martial arts. Essence of Ninjutsu is a fascinating, authoritative look at the roots of ninjutsu and how it continues to enrich the lives of its practitioners today. Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi is a bone doctor, artist, and writer, as well as the 34th grandmaster of the nine schools of the ninja arts in Japan. He has toured the United States in recent years to help Americans better understand the ninja and their way of life. His articles have appeared in all of the major martial arts magazines.

Anyone interested in historical weapons or the art of fencing will want to own this classic study of swordsmanship in the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries. Written in the late nineteenth century by a British officer, antiquarian, and noted scholar of the sword, the work was intended to provide military men with essential training in the art and science of fencing.
Drawing upon the methods used by master swordsmen over three centuries, Hutton presented the tactics of the ancient masters in a form comprehensible to swordsmen of his own day. His extensive, detailed instructions cover the use of the two-hand sword, rapier and dagger, broadsword and buckler, rapier and cloak, and dagger and cloak.
Complemented by nearly 60 illustrations, including instructive diagrams and rare woodcuts of classic fencing positions, this excellent introduction and its valuable information will be welcomed by scholars, theatrical directors, and sword-play enthusiasts alike. The book will also appeal to general audiences and anyone interested in an ancient form of self-defense still regarded by many as an art form and recreational pursuit.

The martial heritage of Scotland and its legendary swordsmen have captured the imagination of readers worldwide for centuries. Likewise, enthusiasts of swordsmanship have cherished classic Scottish fencing treatises by those such as William Hope and Donald McBane. However, up until now, a number of obscure Scottish treatises on the use of the sword have evaded the notice of authors, scholars and researchers. Presented here are five such texts, now published again for the first time in more than two centuries. They include:

I. Examination & Vindication of the Highlander's Manner of Attacking and Fighting the Enemy in a Day of Action. -- Though not a fencing text, this is an unique early eighteenth century manuscript on battlefield techniques that has never before been published, and is now presented here with the permission of the Royal Library at Windsor Castle. Authored by an anonymous Highland veteran, it includes a spirited defense of the native manner of fighting, and provides new insight into the use of the targe during the period of the great Jacobite conflicts.

II. The Sword's-Man; Containing a Series of Observations on the Use of the Sword. -- This treatise, authored in 1788 by Edinburgh fencing instructor John Ferdinand, contains instruction in the use of the most popular side-arms of the period: the broadsword, small-sword, and spadroon.

III. A Dictionary, Explaining the Terms, Guards, and Positions, Used in the Art of the Small Sword. -- This useful and interesting glossary on the art of fencing is embedded with numerous instructions, and was written by Hary Fergusson, a native of Aberdeenshire who taught fencing in Edinburgh and North America during the 1760s and 1770s.

IV. A Treatise on the New Sword Exercise. -- This treatise on the use of the cavalry saber was first published in 1797, shortly after the widespread adoption of the 1796 pattern cavalry sword. Its author was Sholto Douglas Sorlie, a native of Edinburgh, Sergeant in the 7th Queen's Own Light Dragoons, and later a veteran of Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrennees, Navelle, Orthes, and the Peninsular War.

V. This final chapter explores the life and career of Donald McAlpine, a soldier from Inverness and officer in the famed Queens Rangers (an early Special Operations unit), who taught the use of the back-sword in Boston during the American War of Independence. His student sketched what is currently the earliest known illustration of fencing technique in the American colonies. The full, original page containing the illustration of McAlpine's instruction is faithfully reproduced herein for the first time ever.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

I. Introduction and Notes by Paul Macdonald
II. Examination & Vindication of the Highlanders' Manner of Attacking and Fighting the Enemy in a Day of Action
III. John Ferdinand by Ben Miller
IV. The Sword's-Man by John Ferdinand
V. Hary Fergusson by Ben Miller
VI. A Dictionary, Explaining the Terms, Guards, and Positions, Used in the Art of the Small-Sword by Hary Fergusson
VII. Sholto Douglas Sorlie by Ben Miller
VIII. A Treatise on the New Sword Exercise by Sholto Douglas Sorlie
IX. Donald McAlpine by Ben Miller

About the Contributors

First published in 1948, Modern Fencing was used to train generations of fencing students at the U.S. Naval Academy. It is unique among fencing manuals because it contains separate lessons in all three weapons-the foil, épée and sabre-rather than just one. Modern Fencing is still considered one of the best fencing manuals ever written and is often cited by modern fencing masters for its concise lessons and excellent photos.

This edition has over 80 digitally restored photographs and clear and concise instructions for fencers of any level.

lished

Dr. Sotaro Honda (R7-dan), student of H8-dan Masatake Sumi-sensei, has been a longtime contributor to Kendo World, and has spent much of his kendo career helping international kenshi. His latest book is a must have for all practitioners and instructors, and explains various aspects of kendo training in a way that is both accessible and eye-opening. He covers the basics from footwork, to various keiko methods such as kakari-geiko and ji-geiko, and offers many useful hints for shiai strategy.

In From Medieval Manuscript to Modern Practice, renowned historical swordsman Guy Windsor demystifies one of the greatest martial arts books of all time, Fiore dei Liberi's Il Fior di Battaglia (The Flower of Battle).

In the late 14th century dei Liberi, an Italian knightly combat master, wrote Il Fior di Battaglia (The Flower of Battle). This magnificent, illustrated manuscript described how to fight on foot and on horseback, in armour and without, with sword, spear, pollax, dagger, or with no weapon at all.

Windsor spent the last twenty years studying Fiore's work and creating a modern practice of historical swordsmanship from it.

In this book, Windsor takes you through all of Fiore's longsword techniques on foot without armour. Each technique (or play) is shown with the drawing from the treatise, Windsor's transcription and translation of the text, his commentary on how it fits into the system and works in practice, and a link to a video of the technique in action. The book also contains a detailed introduction describing Fiore's life and times, and extensive discussion of the contexts in which Fiore's art belongs.

From Medieval Manuscript to Modern Practice is essential reading for all martial artists and historians of the medieval and early Renaissance.

Readers today are familiar with the gladiators of ancient Rome who fought to the death in the Coliseum. Very few, however, are aware of the resurgence of bloody gladiatorial combat which took place in 18th century Britain, in which the so-called Masters of the Noble Science of Defence, full of fire and bravado, demonstrated their expertise with sharp broadswords, daggers, shields, quarterstaffs, flails, two-handed swords, and other antiquated weapons before rabid audiences, while risking brutal mutilation and sometimes death for fame, glory, and prize money. Despite the immense popularity they enjoyed during their heyday-which lasted for almost a century-the gladiators have received little attention from scholars and historians, confined instead to a mere chapter in the back of Victorian-era fencing histories.

This, then-the product of nearly two decades of research-is the first book devoted to the lives, writings, and techniques of the 18th century stage gladiators, whose ranks included a number of women (the Mistresses of the Science of Defence), fighters of African descent, Native Americans, as well as numerous Irish, Scots, Welsh, and English. Central to this world was the redoubtable James Figg, the most famous of all the gladiators, who managed the infamous Bear-Garden amphitheater, and who played a major role in the popularization and dissemination of gladiatorial combat. Joining Figg in his endeavors, and also featured in this book, are a number of other colorful and legendary gladiators, such as the extraordinary Donald McBane of Scotland, Captain James Miller (who penned a treatise on gladiatorial combat), Edward Ned Sutton (one of the few men to ever defeat Figg), the Invincible City Championess Elizabeth Stokes, and Thomas Barrett, an Irishman said to have fought 600 and odd Battles before finally meeting his gruesome demise on the stage.

Presented as a primary sourcebook rather than a dense narrative history, this text not only contains the largest number of firsthand accounts and challenges pertaining to the gladiators ever compiled, but also includes the writings of the gladiators themselves (including treatises on technique), a selection of essays, poetry, and songs from the period, a chapter on bare-knuckle boxing (a deadly form which finally superseded gladiatorial combat during the mid eighteenth century), obscure accounts of gladiatorial combat in New England and South America, as well as more than sixty engravings, sketches, and paintings relating to the gladiators from between the years 1680 and 1770. As one author of the period observed,

Look you, the Bear-Garden is preparing, and the Gladiators coming out to entertain the People. And here every thing is dull without Mischief, the Blood must run about to give satisfaction; and all the Pleasure lies in slashing and cutting of Throats...Thus Men are stabbed to divert those of their own Kind; and to kill handsomely goes for Skill, Commendation, and Improvement. Thus Barbarities are not only practised, but taught as a Science: It is an Art to be well prepared, and a Glory to execute the Murder...

Debunking the sport's rumored reputation of being outdated, this newly revised edition explores the ancient yet powerfully rich and entertaining art of fencing. Covering Olympic-style foil, epee, and saber methods, this comprehensive guide also features tips on safety, etiquette, and technique. With a brief history on the sport and an updated resource section, this examination tackles the fencing experience with humor and style.

This is a heavily-illustrated, step-by-step guide for how to fence -- and how to teach -- Hungarian sabre fencing, as well as how to use the fokos, or long-handled axe traditional to Hungary and East-Central Europe. It covers everything from basic stance work and tactics to complete synoptic tables and how to troubleshoot students who are having difficulty with the material. The manual also provides translated comparative material in order to demonstrate how the lineage the author learned is -- and is not -- like other methods of fencing taught in Hungary and at the Wiener-Neustadt cadet school in the mid-to-late 19th century up through World War One.

Domenico Angelo also known as Angelo Domenico Malevolti Tremamondo was an Italian sword and fencing master. The son of a merchant, he was the founder of the Angelo Family of fencers. He has been praised as the first to emphasize fencing as a means of developing health, poise, and grace. As a result of his insight and influence, fencing changed from an art of war to a sport.

Aaron A. Warford published multiple How-To books in the 1800's including: How to Break, Ride and Drive a Horse, How to Stuff Birds and Animals, and many others.

Originally published in England in 1763, The School of Fencing (L'École des armes), was, and still is, seen as the most comprehensive book published on the art of Fencing. This definite text covers all aspects of fencing; Postures, Guards, Parades, etc. Whether you are a fencing novice or enthusiast, you will gain significant knowledge from this book. Of interest to historians, classical fencers, sport fencers looking for their roots, and other martial artists interested in expanding their repertoire.

Along with the original text this edition features 47 digitally restored versions of the original plates that were published in 1763.

Also included are two additional appendixes that would be of interest to fencing enthusiasts.

1. Chart of the development of the straight sword throughout history.

2. How to Fence: A straightforward and practical instructional guide to the art of fencing. Along with 20 illustrations this book covers the basic elements of fencing and the use of the broadsword.

This book contains a representation of an early 20th century typescript by A. F. Johnson, currently owned by the Howard de Walden Library and housed in the Wallace Collection, containing his unpublished translation of the 1606 treatise of Salvator Fabris. Since it is not possible to scan the book, it was photographed by Guy Windsor and these photos were carefully transcribed by Michael Chidester, and then formatted to resemble the original as closely as modern technology allows. No attempt has been made to correct spelling, grammar, or formatting errors present in the original.

This is the illustrated edition, containing reproductions of Fabris' artwork on the blank verso pages, as might have been intended for the original. There is also an unillustrated edition, exactly matching the typescript.

Camillo Agrippa's widely influential Treatise on the Science of Arms was a turning point in the history of fencing. The author - an engineer by trade and not a professional master of arms - was able to radically re-imagine teaching the art of fencing. Agrippa's treatise is the fundamental text of Western swordsmanship. Just as earlier swordsmanship can be better understood from Agrippa's critiques, so too was his book the starting point for the rapier era. Every other treatise of the early-modern period had to deal explicitly or implicitly with Agrippa's startling transformation of the art and science of self-defense with the sword. Likewise, all of the fundamental ideas that are still used today - distance, time, line, blade opposition, counterattacks and countertime - are expressed in this paradigm-shifting treatise. This is a work that should be on the bookshelf of anyone interested in the history, practice or teaching of fencing. His treatise was also a microcosm of sixteenth-century thought. It examines the art, reduces it to its very principles, and reconstructs it according to a way of thinking that incorporated new concepts of art, science and philosophy. Contained within this handy volume are concrete examples of a new questioning of received wisdom and a turn toward empirical proofs, hallmarks of the Enlightenment. The treatise also presents evidence for a redefinition of elite masculinity in the wake of the military revolution of the sixteenth century. At the same time, is offers suggestive clues to the place of the hermetic tradition in the early-modern intellectual life and its implications for the origins of modern science. Camillo Agrippa's Treatise on the Science of Arms was first published in Rome in 1553 by the papal printer Antonio Blado. The original treatise was illustrated with 67 engravings that belong to the peak of Renaissance design. They are reproduced here in full. Mondschein has at last made available to English-speaking readers one of the most important texts in the history of European martial arts. Agrippa marks a turning point in the intellectual history of these arts.... Mondschein's introduction to his work helps the reader understand Agrippa - and the martial practices themselves - as pivotal agents in the evolving cultural and intellectual systems of the sixteenth century. 
Above all, Mondschein's translation is refreshingly clean and idiomatic, rendering the systematic clarity of the Italian original into equally clear modern English - evidence of the author's familiarity with modern fencing and understanding of the physical realities that his author is trying to express. Mondschein's contextualization of his topic points the way for future scholarly exploration, and his translation will doubtless be valued by both students of cultural history and practitioners of modern sword arts. - Dr. Jeffrey L. Forgeng, 
Paul S. Morgan Curator -Higgins Armory Museum, 
Adj. Assoc. Prof. of Humanities, 
Worcester Polytechnic Institute First English translation. Hardcover, 234 pages, 67 illustrations, introduction, bibliography, glossary, appendix, index.

Fencing: Steps to Success covers all of the essential skills of the epee and foil forms of fencing. This book will serve as the perfect training guide for less experienced fencers and students of fencing, as well as a valuable reference for instructors of this highly technical sport.

One of the most recognized fencing figures in the United States, author Elaine Cheris shares her expertise as both a fencer and instructor. In each progressive learning step, she carefully describes each major skill, presents sequential illustrations (approximately 150 in all) to show how to perform the skill, and then provides a series of drills to refine the skills through practice. The book's step-by-step teaching method is both challenging and fun for the student, promoting skills development and motivation to learn more. It's the perfect technique-development guide and a valuable reference.

Having made the U.S. Olympic team in both epee and foil, Cheris covers both forms in this book, giving you a well-rounded introduction to the sport. A highly accomplished instructor, Cheris owns and operates the Cheyenne Fencing Society and has been the chairperson for two World Championships. She has instructed many notable students, including pop music stars Neil Diamond and Jimmy Buffett.

See all the titles available in the Steps to Success Series.

The first and only English translation of the once secret text on samurai swordsmanship by Sasamori Junzō, headmaster of Ono-ha Ittō-ryū.

Since it was first published in Japan in 1965, the Secrets of Ittō-ryū (Ittō-ryū Gokui) has served as the essential text of Ittō-ryū, one of the oldest and most prestigious schools of samurai strategy and swordsmanship in Japan. Readers unfamiliar with this school and its history will be surprised by how much it influenced the techniques and philosophy of the modern martial arts of kendo, aikido, and others.

The author, Sasamori Junzō, was born into a samurai family a little over a decade after the warrior class was abolished. Well-known in the west as an expert in the sport of kendo, he was also the headmaster of three traditional schools of Japanese martial arts, chief among them Ono-ha Ittō-ryū. This book, Secrets of Ittō-ryū, distills his over seventy years of practice and painstaking study of not only the physical techniques but also the philosophical background and history of this 400-year-old school of fencing.

This book, the fourth in a series, covers:

A detailed understanding of the four scrolls containing the secrets of the school that form its foundational philosophy and teachings, information not accessible to English speakers until now.The original text of each scroll with detailed explanations of each lesson based on the author's extensive research and practical application.Dimensions and fittings for both the long and short swords used in the school.The author's summary of the key points in the four basic scrolls distilled into ten lessons.Insight into how these lessons shaped the modern martial arts of kendo, Daito-ryū, and aikido, providing essential context which will enrich one's practice in those disciplines.

With extensive notes by the translator, Mark Hague, a long-time student of the author's son Sasamori Takemi and the highest-ranking member of mainline Ono-ha Ittō-ryū outside of Japan, this highly readable translation is sure to become a key reference to those interested in Japanese culture, history, and the martial arts.

A portion of the proceeds of the sales of these books will go to the Reigakudo Foundation in Japan, an organization committed to preserving Ono-ha Ittō-ryū and other martial arts for future generations.

In From Medieval Manuscript to Modern Practice, renowned historical swordsman Guy Windsor demystifies one of the greatest martial arts books of all time, Fiore dei Liberi's Il Fior di Battaglia (The Flower of Battle).

In the late 14th century dei Liberi, an Italian knightly combat master, wrote Il Fior di Battaglia (The Flower of Battle). This magnificent, illustrated manuscript described how to fight on foot and on horseback, in armour and without, with sword, spear, pollax, dagger, or with no weapon at all.

Dr. Windsor has spent the last twenty years studying Fiore's work and creating a modern practice of historical swordsmanship from it.

In this book, he takes you through all of Fiore's wrestling techniques. Each technique (or play) is shown with the drawing from the treatise, his transcription and translation of the text, his commentary on how it fits into the system and works in practice, and a link to a video of the technique in action. The book also contains a detailed introduction describing Fiore's life and times, and extensive discussion of the contexts in which Fiore's art belongs.

From Medieval Manuscript to Modern Practice: The Wrestling Techniques of Fiore dei Liberi is essential reading for all martial artists, and historians of the medieval and early Renaissance.

Fundamentals of Italian Rapier: A Modern Manual for Teachers and Students of Historical Fencing offers a comprehensive theoretical foundation for seventeenth-century rapier fencing. This book pairs descriptions of fencing techniques with over a hundred images, explaining the underlying reasoning for each fencing action as well as offering drills and exercises designed to help students internalize the three fundamentals of Italian rapier fencing: modo, misura, and tempo (technique, measure, and timing). Through a synthesis of Italian fencing manuals for an English-speaking readership, Dori and David Coblentz offer a resource that is both sensitive to historical context and aware of modern trends in fencing instruction.

Charles Besnard's 1653 text marks both the start of the era of the smallsword and beginnings of the French school of fencing. The book clearly outlines the stances, strikes and parries taught during the transitional period between fencing with the rapier and the development of the lighter court sword carried by the nobility and upper classes as a mark of their status in society. The student of fencing history and the HEMA practitioner will find in this book much that is useful for understanding later French smallsword texts and refined explanations of the rapier techniques which came before them. The translation in this book also includes Besnard's polemic against the contemporary practice of duelling with pistols contained in the original publication.