Starting HEMA as an Adult
A friendly, honest guide to starting Historical European Martial Arts as an adult. How fitness, age, and late-career beginnings actually work in the longsword world.
From the Blog Articles & Field Notes
The Blog
Articles on HEMA, Fiore dei Liberi, and the art of the sword.
The Getty Manuscript: Fiore's Most Famous Book
MS Ludwig XV 13, the Getty Museum's copy of Fiore dei Liberi's Fior di Battaglia, and why this illuminated manuscript is the primary source for armizare.
Indoor Activities in Cornwall
A friendly guide to indoor activities in Cornwall. Museums, galleries, classes, clubs, and the quiet joys of a wet Cornish afternoon indoors.
Evening Classes in Penzance
A friendly guide to evening classes in Penzance. Languages, arts, crafts, fitness, martial arts, music, and dance. How to find your weekly fixture.
Things to Do in Penzance on a Tuesday Evening
A friendly guide to Tuesday evenings in Penzance. Classes, clubs, pubs, walks, and the ways to make the quietest weeknight feel unexpectedly alive.
Clubs in Penzance: A Local Guide
A friendly guide to clubs, classes, and weekly activities in Penzance. Sports, arts, crafts, music, community groups, and the quiet joy of finding your people.
Martial Arts in Cornwall: Where to Train
A friendly guide to martial arts in Cornwall. HEMA, karate, judo, kendo, jiu-jitsu, and more. Where to find a club, what to expect, and how to choose.
Fiore's Students: The Condottieri He Trained
The famous mercenary captains Fiore dei Liberi trained for their duels, and what their historical fights tell us about the art of armizare in action.
Posta di Bicorno: The Two-Horned Guard
Fiore dei Liberi's Posta di Bicorno, the Two-Horned Guard, and why this elevated forward position is one of the most powerful binding guards in the longsword.
Posta Breve: Fiore's Short Guard
Fiore dei Liberi's Posta Breve, the Short Guard. Malicious, unstable, and the close-range position every Fiore practitioner must learn to inhabit.
HEMA Jacket: Choosing Your First Fencing Jacket
A practical guide to choosing your first HEMA jacket. What the jacket needs to do, the brands to know, and what to spend on your torso protection.
Posta Frontale: The Crown Guard Explained
Fiore dei Liberi's Posta Frontale, the Crown Guard, and why the sword held overhead is the quiet king of defensive positions in the twelve guards.
Posta Coda Lunga: Fiore's Long Tail Guard
The Long Tail Guard of Fiore dei Liberi, posta coda lunga, and why the sword hidden behind the body is one of the most deceptive positions in the twelve guards.
HEMA Mask: What to Look For in Your First Fencing Mask
A practical guide to choosing your first HEMA mask. The CEN ratings, the overlay question, the fit issues, and the mistakes to avoid.
HEMA Gloves: Choosing Your First Pair
A practical guide to choosing your first HEMA gloves. Why hand protection matters most, the main models on the market, and what to avoid.
Sword in One Hand: Fiore's Spada a Una Mano
Fiore dei Liberi's one-handed sword section, the spada a una mano, and how the same longsword mechanics work when only one hand holds the blade.
The Exchange of Thrusts: Fiore's Elegant Counter
Scambiare di punta, the exchange of thrusts, and why Fiore dei Liberi's elegant counter to an incoming point is one of the most important techniques in armizare.
Posta di Finestra: The Window Guard Explained
Fiore dei Liberi's Posta di Finestra, the Window Guard, and why this high cunning position covers and wounds in a single motion.
HEMA Longsword: The Heart of Historical European Martial Arts
What a HEMA longsword is, why it sits at the centre of the whole discipline, and what it feels like to train with one in Fiore dei Liberi's tradition.
Posta Longa: Fiore's Long Guard of Deception
The Long Guard of Fiore dei Liberi, posta longa, and why the sword extended forward is the most deceptive position in the twelve guards.
Fiore's Horseback Combat: The Mounted Master
The horseback section of Fior di Battaglia. Mounted lance, sword on horse, grappling from the saddle, and the spear-versus-cavalry plays that complete armizare.
Longsword Weight: How Heavy Is a Medieval Sword, Really?
The real weight of a medieval longsword, the myth of the 20-pound battle blade, and why Fiore's techniques only work because the swords were light.
Sword Fighting Classes: What to Expect at Your First Lesson
A warm, practical guide to sword fighting classes. What really happens, what you wear, what it costs, and how to find a class that teaches the real thing.
Half-Sword and Mordschlag: The Longsword in Armour
Fiore dei Liberi's sword-in-armour section. The half-sword grip, the mordschlag inverted strike, and how the longsword transforms when the fight is against plate.
Fiore's Spear: The Weapon That Reaches First
The spear-on-foot section of Fior di Battaglia. Fiore's guards, his minimalist defensive sweep, and why reach changes everything when two polearms meet.
Zogho Largo and Zogho Stretto: Fiore's Two Measures of the Longsword
Wide play and narrow play in Fiore dei Liberi's longsword. The two measures, how the crossings differ, and why the fight changes character when the distance closes.
Dente di Zenghiaro: The Boar's Tooth Explained
Fiore dei Liberi's Boar's Tooth guard, the low rising-thrust position that drives upward into the face and returns with a cut to the arms.
Fiore dei Liberi in His Own Words
Fiore dei Liberi's most striking passages from Fior di Battaglia, with context: the master, the animals, the guards, and the blows speaking for themselves.
Choosing Your First HEMA Longsword
A practical guide to buying your first training longsword. Nylon synthetics, steel feders, blunts, and sharps, with honest notes on what actually matters.
Fiore's Pollaxe: The Art of the Azza in Armour
The pollaxe section of Fior di Battaglia, the weapon of the armoured duel, and the six guards Fiore gives to the weapon that finishes what sword and wrestling began.
Porta di Ferro: The Iron Gate of Fiore's Longsword
The Iron Gate guards of Fiore dei Liberi. Tutta Porta di Ferro, Porta di Ferro Mezzana, and the patient low stance that waits like a great fortress.
Fiore's Dagger: The Nine Masters of the Blade
An introduction to the daga section of Fior di Battaglia, the medieval rondel dagger, and the nine masters who teach you how to survive its dangerous art.
Abrazare: The Grappling at the Heart of Fiore
Why Fiore dei Liberi's system begins with wrestling, and how abrazare underpins every sword, dagger, pollaxe, and spear technique in the whole of his manuscript.
Fiore vs Liechtenauer: Two Masters, Two Traditions
An honest look at the two great HEMA traditions, the Italian system of Fiore dei Liberi and the German system of Johannes Liechtenauer.
How to Start HEMA
A warm, practical guide to starting Historical European Martial Arts. What to expect, what to wear, what it costs, and how to choose your tradition.
The Four Virtues of Fiore's Fighter: Lynx, Tiger, Lion, Elephant
Fiore dei Liberi's four animal virtues (Lynx, Tiger, Lion, Elephant) and what each teaches about prudence, speed, boldness, and fortitude in combat.
Posta di Donna: The Lady's Guard Explained
A deep look at Fiore dei Liberi's Posta di Donna, the Lady's Guard, and her four variations: destra, sinestra, soprana, and the posta that names herself.
Where to Learn Sword Fighting in Cornwall
A friendly guide to the sword fighting clubs, dojos, and schools of Cornwall. Medieval longsword, Japanese kendo, stage combat, and more.
Armizare: The Art of Arms Fiore Taught
What armizare means, what it covers, and why the complete fighting system of Fiore dei Liberi still deserves its medieval Italian name.
What Happens at a HEMA Class
A complete guide to what your first HEMA lesson looks like — from warm-up to sparring, what to wear, and what to expect when you walk through the door.
The Seven Swords: Fiore's Lines of Attack
The sette colpi della spada: the seven blows of the sword in Fiore dei Liberi's fighting system, from the cleaving fendente to the cruel and deadly thrust.
The Twelve Guards of Fiore's Longsword
A guide to the twelve poste (guards) of Fiore dei Liberi's longsword system, from the foundational Porta di Ferro to the versatile Posta di Donna.