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To my knowledge the first MFFG practice in Pulaski TN just happened last Saturday on the 27th! Another one is scheduled for the 1st of May. These are not solo practices. I am thrilled to know that there are people in this area interested in the ancient German tradition of the longsword.

Mike Cartier is one of the most founding members of the MFFG. He has been personally working with me on the building of the last two study groups. He has patiently permitted me to bombard him with constant questions. He would face time and text me videos of him demonstrating things until I understood Meyer better. He is among the few who have significantly contributed to our authentic historical fencing community. I frequently read MFFG articles that I think are profound and then find he is the author of the article. He has helped build a legacy that inspires me and many others. His influence can be observed in our community across seas. His work cannot be ignored. He has left his mark on this community.

Here are a couple pictures of practice with the old group that I started before my move. I will miss the guys in this group and I wish them well.

But I have moved, its a done deal and the new group will start here in Pulaski. So the old group has just become the old group.

Notice the freeplay with light equipment?

Freeplay is an important part of testing an understanding of the master’s teachings. But that does not happen if we are not doing freeplay right. What is worse is that freeplay done wrong teaches that stupid things are a good idea. I could write volumes on this, but other people already have. Let me share something interesting with you. Here is a paper about the context of competition and men carrying swords in Meyer’s day. This really should be required reading before anyone studies Meyer. Understanding this is essential.

Read that article and ask yourself some questions about the differences between today’s competition rules and Meyer’s:

• What differences do you see?
• What caused a match to stop?
• Who was allowed to compete?
• How safe was competition?
• What targets were emphasized and why?

In Meyer’s day, martial sword skill mattered. The men who competed were also the same men were called on to use swords to fight and kill. Competitive sword fighting needed to be set up to complement that reality.

These are the things on my mind when I see people freeplaying and both suddenly stop fighting in close range as one gets hit in the hip; as if a judge just suddenly called “point” and everyone must now stop. It makes me shake my head.

I sometimes get asked things like this: Why does Meyer expect almost every attack to be coming at the head? Why don’t Meyer’s devices from Wrath Guard work very well when wearing a helmet?

Understanding Meyer or his teachings requires studying them in freeplay that resembles the context that Meyer lived in. Understanding that context is just critical and it can be done.

Many modern historical fencers probably think that our movement is getting more and more advanced, maturing into a more accurate historical martial art as time goes on. That is just wrong. All of the potential for a misguided community exists today that existed around the time that it originally became misguided hundreds of years ago. That is what happens when people doing it wrong stop dying for their mistakes and a new, popular, and fun sport rises up and eats the martial tradition.

What is the context of your freeplay?

Now days there is a lot of HEMA equipment that can be purchased at a push of a button. I have had many discussions about safety and the balance between protection and freedom of movement. Simply put, the more padding and protection, the more limited your techniques become. Fighters with elbow, forearm, plated gloves, masks with bulky neck protection, and heavy jackets don’t freeplay like those who don’t wear all that stuff.

Many articles have been written about this and I have seen the advice of the more experienced members of our community become validated many times. If your opponent is not going to exercise control or is going to ignore hits that are not hard then you might as well suit up into a bunch of gear and club each other. And by the way, the worst injuries I have seen in my study groups have all involved protective equipment we thought was going to protect from the injury that happened.

In the early years of doing this we had no confidence in our protective equipment. In fact, we hardly had any suitable protective equipment. We were careful and trained hard to have control.

And injuries seemed to be less serious and less frequent than what I have seen in the last 3 years.

The problem most HEMA practitioners face is this: in competition, you can expect your opponent who you have never met to care less about controlling his contact on you. He just wants that point. He is willing to swing as hard and fast as it takes to get the judges to see that he made the hit. If you are training for that, you are going to need to get used to all that padding and gear.

There is another way, but it is less glamorous. You could train in a smaller group with guys that you know and trust. People you actually care about. And you can practice control and develop an understanding of freeplay that makes hard contact unnecessary. Freeplay can be less about ego and more about simulating combat and testing out skills and interpretations of the sources.

I’m just saying that things could be that way. I have seen it that way.

Hello Pulaski Tennessee!  If you are reading this and it is the most recent post, I would like to offer some background.  After founding and running a very rewarding and enjoyable study group in VA, I find myself buying a home and moving to TN.  I can’t bring my loyal group of sword brothers with me, but I can replicate what I have done several times before.

I have been doing this for many years now, and there have been times and places I have lived that did not permit me the opportunity to train with others.  I had to train on my own.  And I did.

But times are changing for this martial art and I have found there are more and more people becoming interested in studying this.  It only takes one other person to unlock all of the lessons taught in the manuals and gain the ability to do all of the important drills in this art.  It amazes me what just two brothers in this art can accomplish.

That’s the story of how most study groups start.  On person who consistently practices meets another and shows them the path that sets the fire for them.  Once two begin to meet regularly it is only a matter of time before the group is 5 or more.

I’m moving in about 6 weeks of writing this and I’m moving to stay.  I have been doing this for a long time.  I will be here in Pulaski doing this for a long time to come.