A Plan of Thibault’s Académie de l’Espée

In this post, I share a rough plan of Thibault’s huge treatise intended to help navigate it.

Physics and biomechanics / Weapon design

Simulating Sword Properties

Over the years the topic of the simulation of the properties of swords has come up a number of times. This article describes a contribution I have made on this subject, and gives access to the code!

Physics and biomechanics

Measuring swords as pendulums

This article describes a pendulum setup that can be used to measure swords’ moments of inertia with more accuracy and precision than with the waggle test. The device used is designed to be portable and easy to build for anyone.

Modern training / Source analysis

Training with sharps, present and past

This small article is a discussion of Viggiani’s advice on training with sharp swords, focusing on the differences between the modern and the historical context.

Modern training

Risks and rewards

This post looks at the balance between risks and rewards in fighting situations. This balance is important to keep in mind when analyzing and comparing various modern training modes. For example, it explains the different reactions of period duellists and modern swordsmen when facing a sharp blade.

Priorité et Convention

Cet article traite des règles de priorité. Elles sont souvent vues comme un symbole de la sportification, mais j’en suis venu à les comprendre un peu mieux au fil du temps : ce qui est recherché, mais aussi leurs vrais inconvénients dans le contexte des AMHE, où les assauts doivent aider à la reconstruction d’arts martiaux.

Risques et gains

Ce post (traduction de celui-ci) s’intéresse à l’équilibre entre les risques et les gains dans les situations de combat. Cet équilibre est important à garder en tête lors de l’analyse et de la comparaison de divers mode d’entraînement moderne. Par exemple, il explique les différences entre la réactions des duellistes d’époque et des pratiquants modernes face aux armes tranchantes.

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Feeling and Sight

This post provides contrasting quotes about the two main modes of perception used in a sword fight, their properties and how they should be used. Comparing two historical approaches also gives some perspective on the tactical variety that can be encountered even in relatively close traditions that operated in the same context.

Priority and Convention

This post discusses priority or right of way rules. They are often seen as the symbol of sportification, but I have come to understanding them a bit better over the years: what they try to accomplish, but also what true shortcomings they have, especially in a HEMA context when you use them to inform the reconstruction of martial arts.

The Sword – Form & Thought

This post is a review of the exhibition and catalogue ‘The Sword: Form & Thought’. I have contributed a small part to both, working with Peter Johnsson on the computation and display of dynamic properties from his detailed documentation. The exhibition makes a beautiful display of various types of swords, and the catalogue contains a wealth of data and knowledge about the function and design of antique swords. Both highly recommended!

Capoferro weapon length

This post explores Ridolfo Capoferro’s advice about weapon length. Are the text and illustrations consistent? What measurements do they give? Are there original swords of such size?

The limits of experiments

This post adresses some of the difficulties that can arise when trying to experiment with martial arts. I feel these are important to keep in mind in order to avoid drawing overly broad conclusions from our modern experience, especially in the field of Historical European Martial Arts.

Rules of ‘la canne de combat’

La canne de combat (combat cane) is a French combat sport based on the use of a cane, a medium-length walking stick. It is visually quite original, very quick and athletic. It is also somewhat difficult to really understand from the outside, as the rules shape much of the action. This post provides a brief history and describes the main rules of the sport.

On Silver’s times

George Silver is the famous author of an early printed work on fencing and martial arts in English, Paradoxes of Defence (1599). He is often quoted for having layed out universal principles in the form of his hierarchy of true and false times. Sadly, the most common interpretation of these does not fit the whole text. This post provides the necessary quotes to understand the causes and key properties of true and false times, which are in my opinion more interesting and less open to interpretation than the hierarchy itself.