Meyer’s Four Types of Fencers: How we conceive of them and ourselves
And the first are those who, as soon as they can reach the opponent in the Onset, at once cut and thrust in with violence. The second are somewhat…
A Wonderful Struggle: The 16th Century Art of Civic Combat, Part 1
There is a particular tension at play in the modern Historical European Martial Arts community regarding the the early and later period expressions…
On The Five Words and Withdrawal
Mark, this is that before all things you shall rightly undertake and understand these two things, which are the Before and the After, and thereafter…
Meyer Pilgrimage Part 2 – Basel
Almost exactly a year ago I was lucky enough to be taken on a small journey that has been a long time dream of mine; walking in the footsteps of 16th…
The Ringen of Joachim Meyer
This article shall group Joachim Meyer's Ringen into collections of similar throws. Hopefully this will better aid the modern student in learning…
A key to Meyer’s mechanics & footwork – part 1
Here is a rough diagram that tries to explain the core mechanics that go through all of Meyers fencing and which are the foundation for the…
Meyerozzo: The influences of the Bolognese method in German Rappier
There are many reasons why I devote much of my time and my energies on what Joachim Meyer has exhibited in his treatises. But the main reason I…
System vs Syllabus: Meyer’s 1560 and 1570 sidesword texts
As a professional educator as well as a long-time amateur martial arts instructor, one of the issues that fascinates me about the historical fighting…
The Onion – Basics of European Longsword: Part 9
This time I will speak rather briefly about stances and the ideas behind them. This does not just apply to the longsword, but is applicable to…
Meyer Pilgrimage Part 1 – Straßburg
We all share the same love for our personal and shared discoveries of a forgotten European martial arts tradition and studying it we all learn to…
The Onion – Basics of European Longsword: Part 8
Although not originally planned to be included in this series, I decided to add an article on a topic that deserves special treatment, since to…
The Onion – Basics of European Longsword: Part 7
This week we will be taking advantage of one of the greatest benefits from reading somewhat later masters, like Joachim Meyer and George…
The Onion – Basics of European Longsword: Part 6
Throughout history going all the way back from at least medieval times up until modern military bayonet training a diagram typically depicting four…
The Onion – Basics of European Longsword: Part 5
This week's article will be talking about the topic of various ways of counterstriking against an attack. Different masters and traditions handle…
The Onion – Basics of European Longsword: Part 4
This time we will start moving into somewhat more unexplored and unmapped territory, working with various clues gathered from different places, to…
The Onion – Basics of European Longsword: Part 3
Time for part 3 in the Onion Article Series, this time taking a closer look at the parts of the weapon and how it relates to handling of distance and…
The Onion – Basics of European Longsword: Part 2
Continuing with part 2 in the Onion series of articles we will now focus on the topic of controlling the fight, or lack thereof and regaining it. In…
The Onion: Basics of European Longsword: Part 1
For the last year or so I have been working on a group of primarily longsword exercises based on studying fechtmeister Joachim Meyer's…
The history of Joachim Meyer’s fencing treatise to Otto von Solms.
The Joachim Meyer fechtbuch named MS A.4°.2, a beautiful hand-written and watercolour-illustrated fencing treatise dedicated to Herrn Otto von…
