Every historical martial arts club should have something that defines it. Something that is imbued to the students at every training session, and that permeates the classes and the teaching they receive regardless of the style or weapon they have in their hand.
This is especially true for Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA), which is at this time such a diverse and unexplored field, that it invites a variety of approaches to the fencing art.
Over the past years we have built Signum Corvus on principles that we consider to be fundamental to our club and that are enforced in our classes, drills and instruction, maybe not always in an obvious manner. These are principles that have been guiding us on our own path of the sword and we believe are essential for us to call ourselves a Historical European Martial Arts Club.
Our students are expected to understand and respect these, and follow them diligently in their practice, be it a solo drill or a duel with an opponent, in the club or at an outside event.
The following are the 3 tenets of the Signum Corvus School of Arms.
(1)
Respect the Weapon
The sword will be your first teacher.
The sword or other weapon in your hand shapes the manner in which you wield it. It trains your muscles and your mind how to move it, how to control it and ultimately how to make it part of your body.
Throughout history, the sword was a deadly weapon, aimed to kill, wound or dominate the adversary. Even in its blunt version it is still dangerous to your opponent, and without proper skill, can also be dangerous to yourself. Respect its deadliness when you use it to practice historical martial arts and handle it with the care it deserves and requires.
Only with a proper sword, can you practice the art truthfully. Choose the wrong one for your practice and it will change the way you use it. There were many different kinds of swords throughout the ages. Each with its proper method of use, and with the historical, cultural and social background in which it existed. Choose the wrong sword and it will fail to guide you toward the goal of your effort.
To succeed in your practice, you should use the most accurate replicas of the actual weapons available for training. At Signum Corvus, we use training weapons with accurate dimensions, weight and handling, to allow you to gain an understanding and skill as to how it was meant to be handled and controlled.
(2)
Respect the Art
Just holding the sword in your hand or having the ability to hit someone with it, does not make you a fencer or martial artist.
Using the sword properly requires a skill and knowledge that can only be attained by a dedicated effort, as with many other disciplines of human endeavour. Learning the art of sword fighting involves not only practical training, but also theoretical study and mental focus.
While there may be different approaches to fighting with the sword, to call yourself a historical fencer requires not only the use of authentic techniques recorded in primary historical sources, both during the training and sparring, but also approaching combat with the mindset of a historical combatant. This involves making decisions based on the potentially fatal consequence of your failure that you would face should your opponent have a sharp sword in hand.
At Signum Corvus, we teach the art of sword fighting based on the historical principles and techniques described by fencing masters of the past. We recognize that in our training we will never use the sword in a life-or-death situation, but we strive to adhere to the authenticity of sword fighting with the sword’s historical purpose in mind.
(3)
Respect the Opponent
Give proper respect to the fighter you face. He stands against you to help you grow.
Take responsibility for their safety in the same way you do for your own. In the past, your life may have depended on your opponent and their skill, today it is your skill and progress that is at stake.
In the modern fencing practice, you should not be relying on protective equipment to keep your opponent safe from harm. Protective equipment is there to protect us as we learn to control our handling of the sword, not to let us justify use of excessive force or compensate for our lack of self-control.
If you harm your opponent by your lack of care or skill, you have failed on your path of the sword.
HEMA students need to recognize, that while they are eager to test their skills in combat, it usually takes months to achieve the skill level, where they can do this safely and in manner that supports their learning.
At Signum Corvus, everyone’s safety is of utmost importance, and we structure our training approach cognizant of each student’s skill and ability.
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