Resources

The sources we study

Our longsword comes primarily from the German tradition. If you want to read the same material our practice is inspired by, start here:

• Joachim Meyer, Foundational Description of the Art of Fencing (1570) — our core early period text, in Dr. Rebecca L. R. Garber's translation.
• The Liechtenauer tradition & glosses — the foundation of German longsword.
• Salvator Fabris, Scienza d'Arme (1606) — the landmark Italian rapier treatise.
• Francesco Antonio Marcelli, Rules of Fencing (1686) — a cornerstone of the Italian rapier tradition, in Christopher Holzman's translation.
• Gusztáv Arlow, Sabre Fencing (1902) — Austro-Hungarian sabre, in Russ Mitchell's English edition.
• Wiktenauer — the free online library of historical fencing treatises. Nearly every early fencing source, transcribed and translated.

Organizations

• HEMA Alliance — the community organization that provides our club insurance and connects clubs across North America.
• Buffalo Historical Fencing Discord — our club's Discord. Say hello, ask questions, and keep up with sessions.
• International HEMA Discord — the largest historical fencing community chat.
• HEMA Ratings — tournament results and competitor rankings across the historical fencing world.
• GD4H — articles and games-based, constraints-led training methods for coaching historical fencing.
• HEMA Strong — strength and conditioning resources built for historical fencers.
• r/wma — the historical fencing subreddit for discussion and questions.

Where to buy gear

You don't need to buy anything to start. We lend gear to new students. When you're ready to build your own kit, these retailers are common in the historical fencing community:

• Purpleheart Armoury — swords, masks, and protective gear.
• SoCal Swords — steel swords, gear, and apparel.
• North Armoury — feders, trainers, and protective gear (Canada).

Ready to try it?

Reading only gets you so far — the art lives in the reps. Come to a session and put a sword in your hand. Try a free class →