Schools

Links to WMA schools, associations, federations, and societies.

Sister Schools

The Chicago Swordplay Guild maintains close fraternal ties to many different Western Martial Arts Organizations. The following organizations are those with whom the Guild closely works to not only share resources and research, but to cross-pollinate curriculum and methodology. Each of these schools comes highly recommended.

Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts Toronto, Ontario, Canada
AEMMA's focus is the research and study of European medieval martial arts, centered on the 14th and 15th centuries. The foundation of the training is rooted with Fiore dei Liberi's tradition and includes all of the knightly arts including armoured and unarmoured longsword, grappling, dagger, poleaxe, spear, sword & buckler and mounted training. The emphasis is historical authenticity in the techniques which extends to armoured combat arms and armour. AEMMA's website includes an extensive online library containing many of the known historical treatises.

Alliance Martial Arts Ithaca, New York, U.S.A.
The purpose of the Alliance Martial Arts site is to raise the level of awareness of western martial arts, and to provide a resource of information, articles and events relevant to the martial arts. Alliance focuses on medieval close combat, bowie knife and American Heritage and Filipino martial arts.

The Mid-Atlantic Society for Historic Swordsmanship (MASHS) Maryland, U.S.A.
A Maryland based group of dedicated to the research, re-creation, and practice of Historic European Swordsmanship and Western Martial Arts. Their focus is on medieval weapon systems, Renaissance sword arts, and later period dueling weapons. Study methods include scholarship and research, drills, test cutting with replica weapons, and bouting with weapon simulators. Any direct questions should be sent to the administrator, Larry Tom, at lvitom@aol.com.

Northwest Academy of Arms Eugene, Oregon, U.S.A.
The Northwest Fencing Academy is a school which is engaged in the development and training of traditional fencing techniques including a classical curriculum Italian foil, épée and sabre. Other areas of research and instruction include shortsword, sidesword and rapier.

Order of the Seven Hearts Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.A.
The Order of the Seven Hearts is an Internationally-recognized research group devoted to studying and practicing Italian rapier and the historical fencing and dueling arts of old Europe. Named after the Chivalrous Order of which legendary fencing master Salvator Fabris was supreme knight, our mission is to conduct a methodical, philological research of the historical fencing and dueling texts of the 1500s-1800s period, perform the theory and practice of what we learn as faithfully as possible to the letter of the text, and to share our research with the growing Historical Western Martial Arts community.

Rocky Mountain Swordplay Guild Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Located in the Denver, Colorado area, the Rocky Mountain Swordplay Guild (RSG) is a daughter-school to the CSG, and uses its medieval curriculum and grading system. Training focuses on the longsword, abrazare and dagger of the dei Liberi tradition, with additional training in the American bowie knife, modern knife combatives and the spear.

Selohaar Fechtschule Oxford, Connecticut, U.S.A.
Our good friend Christian Tobler, the author of Secrets of Medieval German Swordsmanship heads this school, which has affiliated branches in Connecticut, Kansas, New York City and Washington state. Focus is on swordsmanship, armoured combat, dagger combat and wrestling as taught by the 15th century German masters of the Liechtenauer tradition.

Schools in the United States of America

Below is an alphabetical listing of Western Martial Arts academies, clubs and schools in the United States of America.

Academia della Spada Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
The Academia della Spada, Academy for the Noble Art & Science of Fence, was formed in August of 1999. The Academy teaches 16th century rapier techniques gleaned from study and practice of the period fencing treatises. To recreate this Western martial art as practiced during its time, they use reproductions of period blades and equipment. As students advance in their study of this art and science we recommend they obtain period clothes and accoutrements to further their overall education of the history, movement, rhythm, and mind-set which spawned this martial art.

The Black Falcon School of Arms Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.A.
The Black Falcon School of Arms' purpose is to re-construct the art of late medieval and early Renaissance English combat, with an emphasis upon the use of the longsword. To accomplish this goal, the group will make use of primary sources from England and other regions, when applicable.

Davenriche European Martial Arts School San Jose, California, U.S.A.
The Davenriche European Martial Arts School (DEMAS) teaches the unarmoured techniques as illustrated by the old masters, including longsword, rapier/dagger, & side sword. The period of focus ranges from the 15th through to the 17th centuries. DEMAS teaches the techniques illustrated and documented by the old masters in their historical fighting treatises including: Flos Duellatorum, Swetman, Marozzo and Talhoffer.

Gallowglass Academy, Inc. Leaf River, Illinois, U.S.A.
Gallowglass Academy, Inc., provides an eclectic variety of short classes and seminars to the Student of Defence. The Scholar of Western Martial Arts will find classes on Historic European Martial Arts as well as 19th Century American martial arts and workshops with guest instructors expert in other historical combat styles.

Higgins Armory Sword Guild Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
The Sword Guild practices techniques from medieval and Renaissance combat manuals with a unique combination of martial arts expertise with academic training. Currently, focus is on the techniques of the medieval longsword (also called the hand-and-a-half sword or bastard sword) as described by Joachim Meyer in 1570. Future plans include practice of the rapier and staff weapons.

The Martinez Academy of Arms New York, New York, U.S.A.
The Martinez Academy of Arms is a unique school that preserves the tradition of viewing fencing as the study of the sword in its realistic application in personal combat. Entering the school one steps into another era and finds a serious group of practitioners dedicated to the art of the sword.

Medieval European Martial Arts Guild Salisbury, Maryland, U.S.A.
'The Medieval European Martial Arts Guild strives to teach the combat system developed by the German Grandmaster Johannes Liechtenauer as accurately and efficiently as possible. Our studies focus mainly on the commentaries made by Sigmund Ringeck, Peter von Danzig, Jude Lew, as well as the techniques depicted by Paulus Kal and Hans Talhoffer. We have two locations; the main school in Salisbury, Maryland and a secondary branch in southeastern Pennsylvania'

New York Historical Fencing Association New York City, New York, U.S.A.
The New York Historical Fencing Association is an organization dedicated to the research, practice and proliferation of Historical European Swordsmanship (HES). We are primarily focused on the study of the medieval longsword, based on the teachings of the 14th century German master Johannes Liechtenauer and those that expanded upon his verses, including the works of Sigmund Ringeck and Hans Talhoffer.

Schola Saint George San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
The Schola's core curriculum focuses on Fiore dei Liberi's late 14th century longsword as the introductory module, but also focuses on techniques of wrestling, dagger, spear and poleaxe, with the last as an area of particular specialty. A significant number of the Schola companions also practice the armoured aspects of the art as well. “To study, practice and refine the arts of swordsmanship and horsemanship as they might have been practiced in the Middle Ages, supporting and incorporating the rich corpus of materials left to us by our ancestors in the medieval fechtbucher.”

St. Martin's Academy of Medieval Arms Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.A.
Bob Charron, the Academy's instructor is the foremost authority on the combat system of Fiore dei Liberi, and instruction is on all aspects of medieval combat —this includes wrestling, dagger and swordplay, staff, spear, poleaxe and various other staff weapons. The core program revolves around the study of basic combat principles in combination with the specific techniques and methods described by various manuals of the medieval period.

Tattershall School of Defense Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A.
The Tattershall School of Defense is a nonprofit corporation founded to meet the needs of the historical-oriented fencing community. The TSD exists to teach, preserve and support the art of the historical fencing (15th, 16th & 17th Centuries) as well as the classical period. Along with the teaching of the mechanical aspects of historical fencing, TSD will promote the study of the philosophical and social aspects of the historical and classical fencing eras.

Other Western Martial Arts Academies

Below is an alphabetical listing of Western Martial Arts academies, clubs and schools around the world.

Australia

Australian Academy of Arms Australia
The ACA is an organization that is promoting the art of Western Swordsmanship by adopting an eclectic approach to training. This training revolves around the mastery of those three key bladed weapons of Western Europe from the 14th through to 17th centuries, those being the Sword, Longsword and Rapier. These weapons are taught as part of a structured training syllabus that is based upon or extrapolated from period texts.

Gemeiner Academy of European Combat Arts Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Craig Gemeiner is a savate instructor whose academy also teaches canne, baton and swordsmanship.

Stoccata School of Defence Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
The Stoccata School of Defence is based in Sydney, Australia, and is dedicated to the study of European swordsmanship using replicas of historic weapons, and techniques drawn from manuals of the period. They conduct regular classes in rapier and sword, including the use of companion weapons.

Austria

Dreynschlag Vienna, Vienna, Austria
This school, although not specifically a historical martial arts school base their training on the style of Liechtenauer delivering historically authentic fighting styles to their spectators. They train and fight principally in armoured longsword fighting techniques of the 14th and 15th centuries.

Canada

Academy of European Swordsmanship Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
The Academy of European Swordsmanship or AES pursues the academic and physical study of European swordsmanship. They strive to further their knowledge and the dissemination of knowledge regarding the rich heritage of historical western martial arts. The AES strives to offer a legitimate martial experience to all those who express an interest in the European martial arts. They emphasize the use of historical sources, accurate replica weapons, and effective, realistic practice without fantasy, choreography or sporting concerns.

Ottawa Medieval Sword Guild Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
The OMSG is an AEMMA Associate Group focused on the study, practice and training in the armoured fighting arts within the period of 14-15th century Europe.

Finland

School of European Swordsmanship, Helsinki Helsinki, Finland
The School of European Swordsmanship, Helsinki or SESH, has as its purpose to train students in a correct and complete method of European Swordsmanship, firmly grounded in historical techniques, and maintaining a constant awareness of the truly martial nature of this art.

France

Ancienne Escrime France
The folks at Ancienne Escrimme are focused on the medieval tradition and have many useful transcriptions, articles and manuscripts on-line.

Germany

Die Freifechter Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
A group of historical fencing practitioners operating out of Cologne, Germany, who base their work and training on historical fencing treatises from the 14 - 17 centuries. An excellent site for modern German textual transcriptions for initially a couple of historical German texts include Sutor and Meyer.

Hammaborg Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
"Hammaborg originates from a training group that was founded in Hamburg by re-enactment swordfighters in 1999. Meanwhile, the group dedicates itself exclusively to reconstructing and training historical European martial arts. The sources we work with are transcriptions and facsimiles of German manuscripts from the 14th and 15th century: MS I.33 for instance, the oldest known fechtbuch (fightbook) of the world, as well as several manuscripts in the tradition of Johannes Liechtenauer, a master of martial arts in the late 14th century."

Krifon - Historische Fechtkunst & Rüstzeug Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Krifon was created in 1999 and is focused various fighting styles including longsword, staff and arming sword. The school studies the various fechtbücher of the period, concentrating on Hans Talhoffer's fechtbücher, whose blended sources of Liechtenauer and Ott provides the school with a solid grounding in the German school of fencing.

Ochs - Historische Kampfknste Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Ochs with key members in Bayreuth, Simbach and Dusseldorf was created in 1999 as a historical European martial arts school that is principally focused on the study, research and practice of the German school of fighting arts between the 14th and 16th centuries which include longsword, dusack, grappling/wrestling and dagger techniques.

Zornhau! - die Frakfurter Freifechter Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, Germany
Zornhau is a historical European martial arts school dedicated to the study and training of historical fencing focused on the period during the medieval and later eras.

Hungary

Orden des Schwertes Hungary
'an independent Hungarian group which studies and teaches Medieval knightly combat with longsword, dagger, spear, rapier, unarmed wrestling and reflex-bow. Its goal is the collection, transcription, translation and interpretation of Medieval source-texts about European martial arts, while holding on to knightly philosophies and traditions.'

Italy

Sala d'Arme Achille Marozzo Northern Italy
Marco Rubboli heads this school, dedicated to the study of 15th and 16th century Italian martial arts. Sr. Rubboli is the author of recent (Italian language) works on Fiore dei Liberi and Filippo Vadi and the Sala has several branches in northern Italy.

New Zealand

Historical European Martial Arts New Zealand
This site is dedicated to the almost-lost arts of unarmed combat, dagger fighting and close-quarters sword combat as they were practiced throughout Europe centuries ago. The site provides: a) basic information about historical European combat grappling and dagger systems, b) links to online copies and translations of the old fighting manuals, c) practical applications of the historical techniques, adapted for realistic self-defense and NHB-style competition, d) links to related organizations and resources.

Spain

La Asociación Española de Esgrima Antigua Madrid, Spain

Switzerland

Gladius et Codex Zürich, Switzerland

United Kingdom

The Boar's Tooth Folkestone, Kent, England, U.K.
The Boar's Tooth is a fight school based in . It is a society committed to the translation, study, and practice of medieval fighting techniques. At the moment training consists of longsword, sword and buckler, & wrestling in the German tradition.

The Company of Maisters Mill Hill, Barnet, Greater London, England, U.K.
The Company of Maisters was an affiliation of martial arts instructors (maisters of defence) who operated their own academies which were known to the English as "Scholes of Fence". In 1997, as part of his ongoing plan to re-introduce traditional English fighting systems to modern martial artists, Ancient Maister Terry Brown legally reformed the Company of Maisters. This organization, which is an English martial arts academy not a re-enactment society, will be run as closely as possible (present day legislation permitting) to the manner in which the original Company operated.

Dawn Duellists Society Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K.
The Dawn Duellists Society formed in 1994 to revive the ancient traditions of swordplay and other European Martial Arts, as well as the institution of Duelling. Historical Fencing & Swordmanship. Presently, their disciplines range from the 13th to the 19th century and include longsword (also known as a "bastard" or "hand-and-a-half" sword), great sword, side-sword, rapier and dagger, sword and buckler, poleaxe, cavalry sabre, dagger, case-of-rapiers, dussak and single-stick.

The Exiles CMMA Dagenham, Barking and Dagenham, Greater  London, England, U.K.
The Exiles CMMA (Company of Medieval Martial Artists) or TE. Training is principally based on the 1409 Fior di Battaglia manuscript of Fiore dei Liberi, and includes instruction in grappling, dagger fighting, one and two-handed swords and the poleaxe. TE also does some training in a "mixed" form of staff combat.

The Linacre School of Defence Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, U.K.
The LSD (a student society of Linacre College, University of Oxford) was formed in 1999 for the study of European martial arts, concentrating on the art of the sword as it was in Britain during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The purpose of training is to prepare students for the defence of their lives with sharps, and therefore do not practice sport fencing, stage combat, re-enactment or any form of choreography.

Macdonald Academy of Arms Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K.
The Macdonald Academy of Arms is solely dedicated to teaching most forms of Western swordsmanship and European martial arts. The Academy follows in the tradition of many popular Edinburgh fencing academies, such as that of Sir William Hope, a Scots fencing master who taught in the city from the late 17th to the early 18th centuries, and the Royal Academy of Exercises, which flourished in Edinburgh under the famous fencing masters John Xavier Angelo and George Roland from c. 1763 to 1870.

Schola Gladiatoria Ealing, Ealing, Greater London, U.K.
Schola Gladiatoria is an historical European martial arts group based in West London. It trains almost exclusively in the fighting arts taught in the early 15th century Italian book, Fior di Battaglia, but also Filippo Vadi's fighting book, De Arte Gladiatoria Dimicandi.

Chicago-Area Eastern Martial Arts Schools

Phil Nearing School of Wing Chung
An internationally renowned martial arts instructor for more than 20 years, Master Philip Nearing began his study of Wing Chun Kung Fu in 1983, and has been a student of Grand Master Samuel Kwok, himself the senior student and instructor for both Ip Ching and Ip Chun, sons of Wing Chun's founder - Great Grandmaster Ip Man. Today, his academy is one of the country's leading Wing Chun schools, and enjoys a reputation in Chicago as the definitive school for kung fu study.

Shinjinkai: The Japanese Martial Arts Society
Shinjinkai, The Japanese Martial Arts Society, is a community united by a common purpose: intensive training in classical and modern martial arts arising from Japan's warrior tradition. Our mission: to make the benefits of this practice - for mind, body, and spirit - available to all. Our headquarters is the Shinjinkan, founded in the mid 1980's and now a beautiful traditional dojo on Chicago's north side. The facility is also home to Daiyuzenji, a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple, which offers training in meditation and traditional fine arts such as tea ceremony (chanoyu) and calligraphy (shodo). In addition, we oversee programs at other locations in the Chicago area, including Mt. Prospect, Chicago Public Schools, Northwestern University in Evanston, and the Chicago Police Academy. We conduct training seminars internationally.

Associations, Federations, and Societies

American Heritage Fighting Arts Association U.S.A.
The AHFAA is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Western fighting arts as they evolved in America, and as they were practiced in the countries that the New Americans were leaving behind. This includes both academic research and practical training with a number of historical weapons; blackpowder shooting, unarmed combat skills, physical culture, and traditional health exercise are practiced as well.

Association for Historical Fencing U.S.A.
The Association for Historical Fencing is a nonprofit corporation founded to meet the needs of the classical- and historical-oriented fencing community. The AHF exists to encourage and preserve the arts of classical, historical, and ancient fencing. To these ends, the AHF plans to organize seminars, lectures, workshops and similar programs, and to disseminate knowledge and basic factual material to its membership. To raise pubic awareness we will host exhibitions and demonstrations. The AHF, to the extent practicable, will ensure the availability of qualified masters and instructors in order to teach workshops, etc. We hope to promote the growth of schools and academies both nationally and internationally, but most importantly, we wish to provide a venue where practitioners and interested parties can unite to foment the growth of the classical, historical and ancient fencing community.

Australian Historical Swordplay Federation Australia
AHSF is an informal alliance of the principle historical fencing organizations throughout Australia. It also helps the member bodies coordinate the annual Australasian Historical Swordplay Convention.

British Federation of Historical Swordplay U.K.
The British Federation for Historical Swordplay (BFHS) is a national, non political, umbrella group for all individual UK societies involved in the research, study and practice of historical fencing and the European Martial Arts. The BFHS is comprised of individual societies researching, teaching and practicing historical fencing from the 13th to the 19th centuries with a martial approach, that is the weapons are regarded as sharp and students are prepared for facing an encounter with live blades.

The International Hoplology Society, Inc. U.S.A.
The aim of the International Hoplology Society is the development of hoplology--the study of the evolution and development of human combative behavior. Hoplologists and, consequently, the International Hoplology society, have aimed at developing a systematic study of man's combative culture in all ages.

The International Masters at Arms Federation Canada
The International Masters at Arms Federation is an organization of professional teachers of Historical and Classical fencing, that is to say, fencing of the 14th through the 19th centuries, based on surviving traditions and historical documentation. As teachers, they are not interested in agonistic competition, but rather in preserving the historical and martial aspects of European fencing and swordsmanship.

The International Order of the Sword and Pen Canada
IOSP is a service organization those around the world who study and practice staged violence for theatre and film. The IOSP has a specific interest in the education of fight directors in historical combat methods and acts as a WMA "ally" in the theatrical world.

Nova Scrimia Italy
An organization dedicated to the celebration, preservation and proliferation of the Italian martial tradition. Beginning with the earliest treatises of the XIVth century and continuing through to the modern day, Nova Scrimia promotes training in both a traditional manner, and adaptation of these classical arts to modern self-defense. The curriculum includes the cane, long and short stick, one and two-handed sword, rapier, knife and unarmed combat. The organization maintains branches throughout northern Italy.