Saturday 3:00-5:00pm
Duration: Two days
Price: $20

Our beginner’s course is designed to introduce brand-new students to the world of historical European martial arts. This two-day course provides an overview of the three main weapon systems practiced at our school – longsword, rapier, and backsword. Students are introduced to the basic concepts and body mechanics which appear in every weapon system we train, including footwork, posture, stances, guards, and cutting mechanics.

This course is limited to ages 14 and older. All necessary gear, such as synthetic weapons and fencing masks, will be provided by the school. At the end of this course, students will be well prepared to attend any of our regular classes.

Monday 6:00-7:00pm
Monday 7:00-8:00pm
Saturday 10:00-11:00am

If you’re looking for a place to start learning historical fencing, look no further than the longsword. This versatile two-handed weapon has become iconic of modern HEMA, and for good reason. The longsword can be learned from a wide variety of sources and used in many different contexts, included armored combat.

The popularity of the longsword also makes it an essential choice for those interested in participating in HEMA tournaments. Students in this class will learn the fundamentals of common fencing in the German tradition, along with many body mechanics that are highly transferable to every other weapon system.

Thursday 6:30-7:30pm

This class introduces students to the use of the arming sword paired with a small shield, or buckler, held in the offhand. Students will begin by learning actions described by Andre Lignitzer for use with these weapons before proceeding on to the study of more complex systems.

Tuesday 5:30-6:30pm

This class introduces students to the Scottish backsword, a single-edged sword with a full hand guard used in war for centuries. Students in this class will be introduced to the regimental style of backsword once used to train soldiers how to duel with these weapons.

Our two intermediate longsword classes build upon the fundamentals of common fencing taught in the open classes. The Italian class follows the writings of Fiore de Liberi, while the German class incorporates techniques from Johannes Liechtenauer and Joachim Meyer.

Saturday 12:30-1:30pm

This class alternates between the one-handed components of the kunst des fechtens (KDF) system. The buckler is a small shield carried as a self-defense tool for nearly 400 years. The messer is a sword-length knife popular as a side arm in early renaissance Germany. Sword and buckler fencing emphasizes control of the opponent’s weapon before striking, while messer involves many aggressive, close-range actions such as grapples and disarms.

Thursday 5:30-6:30pm

This class focuses on the use of the rapier in the Italian style, as well as the off-hand weapons (dagger, buckler, and cloak) commonly paired with it. Rapier fencing requires precise control of distance and timing, and makes use of actions which are rarely seen in other systems, such as the lunge. Former or current Olympic fencers will feel at home with a rapier, and avid fans of The Princess Bride will find this class a dream come true.

Tuesday 6:30-7:30pm

The ‘Scottish Class’, as we call it, focuses on 18th-century weaponry tied to the backsword traditions. This sword often fought against a bayonet rather than another sword, which had a significant impact on the systems which were developed for its use. The two weapons are trained side by side during drills in this class.

Sunday 5:00-6:00pm

The quarterstaff has long been used as a weapon of self-defense, and for use as a sort of universal training tool for all polearms. The staff is used in a manner very similar to a spear, and many techniques apply to the poleaxe and halberd as well. Students interested in learning armored fighting techniques will find this class an excellent starting point, along with anyone looking for a great upper-body workout.

The Dagger class is an opportunity for those who want to make a study of the up close and personal side of our fighting systems. Covering sources from the 14th century up through WW2 combatives, students get the widest approach to one of the hardest weapons to learn. This class is invite only and requires students to have attended at least two in-house dagger workshops: Shanksgiving and Ides of March.

This is an advanced study group dedicated to fighting in armor harness, or harnischfechten. The Armor Team travels and competes in armor specific competitions and are required to have their own ‘Harness’ – a full suit of armor. Students invited join this practice must have a certain level of unarmored experience and can then be brought in while borrowing kit from the school’s armory, building their own harness with their experience over time.

Armor workshops occur throughout the year to teach students how to fight (and fall) safely in harness, develop their kits, and practice drills together in armor. These include Ye’H.A.W. specific workshops for team combat and introducing new fighters to basic armor skills.

Begins two months before major tournaments
Duration: Eight days

Our tournament prep course is mandatory for students intending to represent our school in competition. This class combines serious physical exercise with high-pressure drills focused on preparing students for common situations they will encounter during tournament fencing. Students wishing to join this class must have trained with the school for a considerable period of time, and must own a complete set of tournament-legal protective gear.