Historical European Martial Arts: the forgotten fighting traditions of Europe
Not re‑enactment, not stage combat. The fighting traditions of Europe, recovered from their own books.
Most people know about Japanese martial arts. Karate, judo, kendo, aikido. They know about Chinese martial arts: kung fu, tai chi, wing chun. What they do not know is that Europe had its own martial arts traditions that were just as sophisticated, just as well documented, and just as deadly. They were simply forgotten.
Historical European Martial Arts, or HEMA, is the resurrection of those traditions. We study the actual fighting manuals that medieval and Renaissance masters wrote down, and we train those techniques as a living martial art. Not re‑enactment, not choreography, not stage combat. Real techniques, tested against resisting partners, with real contact.
The earliest known European fighting manual dates from around 1280. It shows a monk teaching a scholar and a lady how to fight with sword and buckler. From there, the tradition stretches through the medieval period, into the Renaissance, and right through to the 19th century. There are hundreds of surviving treatises covering longsword, rapier, sabre, dagger, wrestling, pollaxe, spear, and mounted combat. HEMA is the umbrella term for all of it.
One master. One complete system. The longsword at the heart of everything.
At HEMA Penzance, we focus on one master: Fiore dei Liberi, an Italian knight and master‑at‑arms who completed his fighting treatise around 1409. His system covers the complete spectrum of medieval combat: unarmed grappling, dagger, longsword in two hands and one, spear, and pollaxe. It is one of the most comprehensive martial arts systems ever written down, and it all connects. The wrestling principles that underpin the unarmed work reappear at the dagger, at the longsword, at the pollaxe. Learn one part and you start to understand the whole.
The longsword is the heart of what we do. Every Tuesday session centres on it. But Fiore's system is not just a collection of moves with a sword. It is a complete approach to combat, built on principles of timing, distance, structure, and the ability to read what your opponent is about to do before they do it.
Vox Magistri · The Master's Voice
This Master signifies the seven blows of the sword. And the four animals signify four virtues. Who wants to do well in this art must have all parts of these virtues.— Fiore dei Liberi, Getty MS · Segno Page, Folio 32r
Longswords hit hard. The kit lets us train with genuine intent, safely.
If you have ever seen photos of HEMA sparring and wondered why people are wearing what looks like a mix of medieval and modern armour, here is the reason: longswords hit hard. Even blunt training swords deliver serious impact, and the techniques we practise include thrusts, pommel strikes, locks, and throws. The protective gear has to handle all of that.
The core of it is a gambeson: a padded jacket that absorbs the impact of strikes to the torso and arms. On top of that goes a fencing mask with a padded overlay for extra impact protection, because HEMA masks need to handle heavier blows than sport fencing masks ever see. Some practitioners use impact‑resistant polymer armour for additional protection on the forearms, shins, and shoulders.
It might look like a lot when you first see it, but every piece is there for a reason. HEMA is a contact martial art with real weapons, and the gear lets us train with genuine intent while keeping everyone safe. Nobody holds back because they are worried about hurting their partner. That honesty is what makes the training work.
Tournaments. Living history. The global community of people who found the same forgotten art.
HEMA has a thriving tournament scene across the UK and internationally. Competitors test their skills against practitioners from other clubs in structured bouts judged on clean technique and martial intent. Tournaments range from local one‑day events to major international competitions drawing hundreds of fighters. HEMA Penzance does not compete as a club, but individual members are welcome to enter on their own. Several practitioners have competed at events around the country — if competition interests you, Steve and Andrew can point you toward upcoming tournaments and help you prepare.
Beyond regular Tuesday training, the club takes part in living history events and medieval gatherings. These are a chance to bring the art out into the world: demonstrating techniques, talking to the public about what HEMA is, and spending a weekend in good company with swords in hand. Our instructors Steve and Andrew have been doing this for over a decade, and the club has a presence at events across Cornwall and beyond.
One of the best things about HEMA is the community that comes with it. This is not a mainstream sport with millions of practitioners — it is a global community of people who all discovered the same incredible thing: that Europe had martial arts traditions that rival anything from the East, and that we can still learn them today. That shared sense of discovery creates a warmth you do not always find in other martial arts. Whether you are in Penzance or Prague, the HEMA community will welcome you.
Three channels we recommend — for armour at full speed, for Fiore explained, and for our own Tuesday nights.
Non‑choreographed armoured duels at full speed and full power, shot at historical locations across Europe. No stage fighting. Real techniques, real impact, beautifully filmed. The closest thing to seeing what medieval combat actually looked like.
Watch on YouTube →An Italian HEMA practitioner who is genuinely excellent at explaining Fiore's system. If you want to understand the mechanics behind the techniques we train on a Tuesday evening, his breakdowns are some of the best out there.
Watch on YouTube →Closer to home, our own George runs this channel filming real sparring sessions between club members. Longsword, arming sword, rondel dagger, synthetic and steel, all filmed raw and uncut. A great way to see what our Tuesday evenings actually look like from the outside.
Watch on YouTube →Schools we share the art with — by lineage, by master, by love of the work.
The largest HEMA network in the UK, with clubs from Bromley and Barking up to Carlisle, all studying the system of Fiore dei Liberi. Steve trained their members in the early years, before they grew into the network they are today. The connection is one of family.
Visit The Exiles →The best way to know what HEMA is, is to come along on a Tuesday evening. Your first lesson is free, all equipment is provided, and no experience is necessary.