Classes at Demas

People mistakenly associate the words ‘martial arts’ exclusively with Asian fighting arts. Currently, there is a renaissance in the study of historically accurate Western Martial Arts, from medieval fighting treatises. These treatises have revealed a well-established, highly sophisticated European fighting system, employing swords, rapiers, daggers, shields, pole axes, and more.

Unfortunately, theatrical and popular media portrayals have reduced European martial arts to the myth that combatants merely crudely bludgeoned, hacked, and slashed savagely at their opponents. In reality, European martial arts integrate footwork, avoidance, and the ability to use timing and distance to exploit and enhance the sword's inherent cutting and thrusting capabilities. These skills include techniques for grappling, wrestling, kicking, throwing, and disarming of the opponent. European martial arts are distinctly different from modern Olympic fencing and Asian martial arts.

Enthusiasts of modern fencing, historical reenactment and role playing games are now starting to focus on historically accurate methods of medieval and renaissance fighting skills. The differences between the English, Italian and Spanish schools of rapier and sword play have been studied at length. How to properly wear your weapon, particularly when in a crowd, and knowing when not to use it, are two of the skills a swordsman must have.
Weapons safety was as important to the Renaissance swordsman as it is to us today.

For training in the sword school o f the past, full armor was not conducive to the fine sword work of rapier and some of the other weapons, but a variety of protective gear, including (padded) jackets, gauntlets, boots and helmets, were routinely used. In addition, practice weapons with blunted edges and points, and more flexible blades have been used as well.

Today in our school we use wooden swords (called wasters), fencing helmets to protect the head and face, and gloves and padded jackets to protect the hands and arms. Safety is a primary concern, so we work very hard on mixing the medieval and renaissance martial arts with the safety concerns of the 21st century.
When you join our school, you will get to study the European tradition of martial arts while you learn how to use different kinds of swords and daggers. And, in the process you may pick up some history, physics, and geometry, and have fun while you are learning these skills.

DEMAS teaches the techniques illustrated by the old masters in the historical fighting manuals:
— for long sword, Flos Duellatorum (The Flower of Battle), written in 1410 by Fiore dei Liberi.
— for rapier and dagger, techniques by England’s Joseph Swetnam, circa 1610.
— for side sword, Opera Nova, written in 1536 by Achille Marozzo.
— for these and many other weapons, Fechtbuch aus Dem Jahre 1467 (Medieval Combat), by Hans Talhoffer.
— for pugilism, Treatise on Self Defense, by Mendoza circa 1790 and The Art and Practice of Boxing, circa 1743
— for billhooks and quarterstaff, DiGrassi's His True Art of Defense, and Silver's Paradoxes of Defence, circa 1599