Time: 12:00am – 4:00pm
Where: 3233 De La Cruz, Unit F 
Santa Clara, CA 95054
Cost: $50.00 in advance

$60 at the door

When you arrive at the seminar please bring a release form for each participant.

You can also pre-pay using paypal for any of the Seminars.  Just follow this link to Paypal and pay $50 per person.  Please remember to specify the names of the people and the name and date of the seminar is question.

To half-sword is to hold the sword with one hand on the handle and the other hand on the blade. In the Italian tradition this is called ‘mezza spada’ and in the German tradition it is called ‘halbschwert’The art of half sword is used for leverage advantage when wrestling with the sword, as well as for delivering a more accurate and powerful thrust. Both of these are critical when fighting in plate armour, because a slice or a cleaving blow from a sword is virtually useless against iron or steel plate. Most medieval treatises show armoured combat as consisting primarily of fighting at the half-sword; the best options against an armoured man being a strong thrust into less-protected areas such as the armpits or throat or, even better, the same against a man who has already been cast to the ground.

The sword can be used as a sword with both hands on the handle, or as a dagger with one hand on the handle and one hand on the blade or it can be used as a hammer with both hands on the blade and striking with the pommel or quillons (the cross guard)

In this class we will learn different techniques from manuscripts like Fiore dei Libari, Filippo Vadi, Paulus Hector Mair, and Joachim Meyer.

To half-sword is to hold the sword with one hand on the handle and the other hand on the blade. In the Italian tradition this is called ‘mezza spada’ and in the German tradition it is called ‘halbschwert’The art of half sword is used for leverage advantage when wrestling with the sword, as well as for delivering a more accurate and powerful thrust. Both of these are critical when fighting in plate armour, because a slice or a cleaving blow from a sword is virtually useless against iron or steel plate. Most medieval treatises show armoured combat as consisting primarily of fighting at the half-sword; the best options against an armoured man being a strong thrust into less-protected areas such as the armpits or throat or, even better, the same against a man who has already been cast to the ground.

The sword can be used as a sword with both hands on the handle, or as a dagger with one hand on the handle and one hand on the blade or it can be used as a hammer with both hands on the blade and striking with the pommel or quillons (the cross guard)

In this class we will learn different techniques from manuscripts like Fiore dei Libari, Filippo Vadi, Paulus Hector Mair, and Joachim Meyer.

Mar 11 - Quarter Staff

This is will be a 4 hour workshop focusing on the use of the quarterstaff. This class is the first of a three part series on the use of the quarterstaff.

This month we will be looking at the use of the quarter staff as it was used in the late medieval and renaissance periods. The basis for this course is treatises from England and Italy. Some of the manuscripts that we will pull information from are;

• Joseph Swetnam (1617)
• George Silver (1599)
• Giacomo di Grassi (1570)
• And spear techniques of Fiore dei Liberi (1409)

We will learn the guards of the staff, the way to transition from one side to the other side whilst maintaining a defensive position of the staff, and the offensive use of the staff.
While we will not be doing an exhaustive study of each of these manuscripts, we will be able to look at the similarities and differences between the techniques put forth in them.
This class is a sample four hour class that will show the student some of the use of the quarterstaff in a martial use.

Equipment: Fencing Helmet, Gloves, Staff, Elbow Guard (not required)
If you do not have a staff, you can pick up a closet dowel at a hardware store for very little money. A 1 inch staff of approximately 5 – 6 feet will be the weapon of the day.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call me to ask. I look forward to seeing you at the class!

This is will be a 4 hour workshop focusing on the use of the quarterstaff. This class is the first of a three part series on the use of the quarterstaff.

This month we will be looking at the use of the quarter staff as it was used in the late medieval and renaissance periods. The basis for this course is treatises from England and Italy. Some of the manuscripts that we will pull information from are;

• Joseph Swetnam (1617)
• George Silver (1599)
• Giacomo di Grassi (1570)
• And spear techniques of Fiore dei Liberi (1409)

We will learn the guards of the staff, the way to transition from one side to the other side whilst maintaining a defensive position of the staff, and the offensive use of the staff.
While we will not be doing an exhaustive study of each of these manuscripts, we will be able to look at the similarities and differences between the techniques put forth in them.
This class is a sample four hour class that will show the student some of the use of the quarterstaff in a martial use.

Equipment: Fencing Helmet, Gloves, Staff, Elbow Guard (not required)
If you do not have a staff, you can pick up a closet dowel at a hardware store for very little money. A 1 inch staff of approximately 5 – 6 feet will be the weapon of the day.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call me to ask. I look forward to seeing you at the class!

June 24

In this class we will be looking at a combination of using the dagger in the forehand grip and the icepick grip. We will be looking at the similarities in different manuscripts such as Fiore dei Liberi, Joachim Meyer and Paulus Hector Mair and the practical changes from one grip to the other.

In this class we will focus on the movements and use of the dagger in the high and low line attacks and shifting between the two grips in the fight.

Dress of the day is sweats, a t-shirt and comfortable shoes.

July 15

In this class we will be looking at a combination of using the dagger in the forehand grip and the icepick grip. We will be looking at the similarities in different manuscripts such as Fiore dei Liberi, Joachim Meyer and Paulus Hector Mair and the practical changes from one grip to the other.

In this class we will focus on the movements and use of the dagger in the high and low line attacks and shifting between the two grips in the fight.

Dress of the day is sweats, a t-shirt and comfortable shoes.

August 12

In this class we will be looking at a combination of using the dagger in the forehand grip and the icepick grip. We will be looking at the similarities in different manuscripts such as Fiore dei Liberi, Joachim Meyer and Paulus Hector Mair and the practical changes from one grip to the other.

In this class we will focus on the movements and use of the dagger in the high and low line attacks and shifting between the two grips in the fight.

Dress of the day is sweats, a t-shirt and comfortable shoes.

Sept. 9 – Be SAFE Escape and Evade Class

We have all heard about the person who has become a statistic. Most of you figure it’s not going to happen to you. You’re right, chances are it won’t. However, we have to hope for the best, and prepare for the worst. We are on the road a lot, traveling, meeting people, and some have kids that are preparing to go off to college or high school. 

You can take this class for your own peace of mind, or give the gift of safety to someone you care about. If you know of anyone that you think would enjoy this class, pleas pass the information onto them or give me a call for more information.

Self defense does not require a lot of physical strength, if you understand how to use an attacker’s strength against him. You don’t need to be stronger than your attacker, nor do you need to be a black belt to be safe. Learn ways to protect yourself with a 600 year old Italian Martial Art. Be safe in the future, while drawing from the strengths of the past.

Effective use of your hands and everyday objects around you for your personal protection is easy to learn and practice. Regardless of your age or physical fitness, it is never to late to learn to be safe, NOT be a victim.

The Be S.A.F.E. class is a set of awareness, assertiveness, verbal skills with safety strategies and physical techniques that enable someone to successfully escape, resist and survive violent attacks. The course provides psychological awareness and verbal skills, not just physical training.

Empowerment is the goal of this class. When you feel free and empowered, you are better able to go where you need to and do what you need to do without fear or unease because you have options, techniques and a way of analyzing situations that help you to Be S.A.F.E.

Dress of the day is sweats, a t-shirt and comfortable shoes.

Oct 14 – Be SAFE Escape and Evade Class

We have all heard about the person who has become a statistic. Most of you figure it’s not going to happen to you. You’re right, chances are it won’t. However, we have to hope for the best, and prepare for the worst. We are on the road a lot, traveling, meeting people, and some have kids that are preparing to go off to college or high school. 

You can take this class for your own peace of mind, or give the gift of safety to someone you care about. If you know of anyone that you think would enjoy this class, pleas pass the information onto them or give me a call for more information.

Self defense does not require a lot of physical strength, if you understand how to use an attacker’s strength against him. You don’t need to be stronger than your attacker, nor do you need to be a black belt to be safe. Learn ways to protect yourself with a 600 year old Italian Martial Art. Be safe in the future, while drawing from the strengths of the past.

Effective use of your hands and everyday objects around you for your personal protection is easy to learn and practice. Regardless of your age or physical fitness, it is never to late to learn to be safe, NOT be a victim.

The Be S.A.F.E. class is a set of awareness, assertiveness, verbal skills with safety strategies and physical techniques that enable someone to successfully escape, resist and survive violent attacks. The course provides psychological awareness and verbal skills, not just physical training.

Empowerment is the goal of this class. When you feel free and empowered, you are better able to go where you need to and do what you need to do without fear or unease because you have options, techniques and a way of analyzing situations that help you to Be S.A.F.E.

Dress of the day is sweats, a t-shirt and comfortable shoes.

In the sword and shield class we will look at the use of the round and the heater shield along with the single handed sword. We do have some loaner shields that can be used in the class, but if you have a round or heater shaped shield I encourage you to bring it to the class.

We will study defensive and offensive use of the shield for fighting as well as the use of the sword. There are no known surviving manuscripts detailing the use of the large shield for combat, however there are the Nordic Sagas as well as artwork and architecture reliefs showing the shield as a fighting tool. The erliest manuscript that we know of using a small shield, called a buckler, written in the 1290s, and it is called the I.33 for its catalog number in the Tower of London library.

The techniques we will be studying in this class were learned from years of practice and study fighting with, and against, the sword and shield. We will look at the types of techniques used by the Viking and Saxon shield techniques of the 8th-10th centuries, the battle field shield techniques of the Knights of the 14th century and the Scottish Highlanders of the 18th century.

In the sword and shield class we will look at the use of the round and the heater shield along with the single handed sword. We do have some loaner shields that can be used in the class, but if you have a round or heater shaped shield I encourage you to bring it to the class.

We will study defensive and offensive use of the shield for fighting as well as the use of the sword. There are no known surviving manuscripts detailing the use of the large shield for combat, however there are the Nordic Sagas as well as artwork and architecture reliefs showing the shield as a fighting tool. The erliest manuscript that we know of using a small shield, called a buckler, written in the 1290s, and it is called the I.33 for its catalog number in the Tower of London library.

The techniques we will be studying in this class were learned from years of practice and study fighting with, and against, the sword and shield. We will look at the types of techniques used by the Viking and Saxon shield techniques of the 8th-10th centuries, the battle field shield techniques of the Knights of the 14th century and the Scottish Highlanders of the 18th century.

Other upcoming events you might be interested in.