Beginner; best place to start

[Graham Wilcox]

Hello all,

I'm a newcomer to Historical European Martial Arts and I've a few questions.

I've contacted a study group in my area (the Rochester European Longsword Club) and so I'm getting ready to begin my study of the German tradition, as that is what this club focuses on.

My questions to you scholars are short, but important.

1) What equipment should I acquire to start out? Besides work-out clothes obviously. I know this group does not use wasters, so I need a reliable steel trainer to use. Any other equipment I may need? Fencing mask is obvious, as is groin protection.

2) To supplement group training with my own solo study, what books should I acquire? I hear Tobler's interpretation is fairly good; should I start there?

3) What advice, as experienced martial artists or even as beginners like myself, would you give to me as a total newcomer?

[Dylan Asbury]

First off, I'd like to congratulate you and wish you the best of luck.

As far as the equipment and texts you're going to use, you should get in touch with your group and ask them. At least at first, you want to be using the same material they are.

Being a rapierist, I can't give any advice oh whose interpretation of longsword techniques.

As far as other equipment, I would recommend forearm protection. Definitely hand protection of some kind...even just some kind of leather glove.

As for newcomer advice, learn to enjoy pain and forget everything you ever saw in any movie or computer game ever.

Just my two cents. Good luck!

[Doug Marnick]

There's a lot of info on this site.
Click at the top for the Where to Start page.

That should help you the most. Good luck to you.

[Jonathan Newhall]

I started in the same tradition myself, and once fairly skilled intend to branch out into other Longsword and sword interpretations.

To answer your questions:

1) I would recommend hand protection thoroughly if you're going to be involved in free sparring or even rote sparring (drills et c.) Even the old masters knew that beginners at swordplay very often had their hands exposed when they shouldn't. Even if you begin with a steel blunt, a waster is still helpful (for instance, training in public. The police may take exception to you waving a metal thing with a handle around in a park or some such :p) NSA Wasters is obv. the best for that backup-waster purpose. As for the steel blunt, I've heard great things about Albion or Arms and Armor (if applicable). Those links are available on ARMA's main page via the links page.

2) I have used Tobler's book and it is indeed fairly good from what I've seen of it. It's succint, concise, with good pictures (most of the time). It functions very well as a fast reference book and covers a bit of everything, I recommend it highly as a good place to start.

3) Footwork, stances, cuts, in that order. That is what I'd recommend for the order of learning. Drills will be very important, but don't forget about freeplay. Practice really does make perfect, and I certainly don't get enough (I'm at the point where I really desperately need another person to practice with and against, so that's my problem, but it sounds like you're getting around that quite well!)

Also, I'm afraid to inform you that you will no longer enjoy movies that involve swordfights. It's an unfortunate side effect of the craft.

[Jaron Bernstein]

Hello all,

I'm a newcomer to Historical European Martial Arts and I've a few questions.

I've contacted a study group in my area (the Rochester European Longsword Club) and so I'm getting ready to begin my study of the German tradition, as that is what this club focuses on.

My questions to you scholars are short, but important.

1) What equipment should I acquire to start out? Besides work-out clothes obviously. I know this group does not use wasters, so I need a reliable steel trainer to use. Any other equipment I may need? Fencing mask is obvious, as is groin protection.

2) To supplement group training with my own solo study, what books should I acquire? I hear Tobler's interpretation is fairly good; should I start there?

3) What advice, as experienced martial artists or even as beginners like myself, would you give to me as a total newcomer?

1. A good 3 weapon fencing mask
2. If your budget allows, get an Albion Lichtenaeur or Meyer federschwert.

http://www.albion-swords.com/swords/alb ... enauer.htm

Otherwise NSA and Raven make good wooden wasters. Brian Hunt makes plastic wasters if you are so inclined. I would save up for a good steel blunt rather than getting a bad one for less.

3. A set of heavy duty motocross gloves.

4. Manuals: There are many available for free online. If you have a particular interest I can put together a reading list for you. Read this one first before all others:

http://www.thearma.org/Manuals/dobringer.html

Dobringer is THE conceptual manual around which the rest of the Lichtenaeur tradition revolves.

Then look at Master Sigmund Ringeck. Make sure to read Ringeck's actual text closely and consider the modern interpretations with a critical eye. Svard and Linholm have one published translation and interpretation in two volumes:

http://www.amazon.com/Sigmund-Ringecks- ... pd_sim_b_3

http://www.amazon.com/Sigmund-Ringecks- ... pd_sim_b_2

Tobler has another published Ringeck translation/interpretation.

Secondly, Meyer:

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Combat-German ... 381&sr=1-1

You can spend years of your life with this manual.

Finally, watch the webdocumentary on this page by John Clements. The best academic overview of the whole field is Dr. Anglo:

http://www.amazon.com/Martial-Arts-Rena ... 920&sr=1-1

[mgudelis]

I find the link posted by Doug the most useful one in this thread. Good job, thanks a lot. I am a newbie myself.

[Shane Smith]

I find the link posted by Doug the most useful one in this thread. Good job, thanks a lot. I am a newbie myself.

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