Reach for the Highest Level of Tai Chi Practice You can achieve the highest level of tai chi practice by including tai chi sword in your training regimen. Here's your chance to take the next step in your tai chi journey. Once you have attained proficiency in the bare hand form and have gained listening and sensing skills from pushing hands, you are ready for tai chi sword. The elegant and effective techniques of traditional tai chi sword Tai chi sword will help you control your qi, refine your tai chi skills, and master yourself. You will strengthen and relax your body, calm and focus your mind, improve your balance, and develop proper tai chi breathing. This book provides a solid and practical approach to learning tai chi sword accurately and quickly. Includes over 500 photographs with motion arrows! *Historical overview of tai chi sword*Fundamentals, including hand forms and footwork*Generating power with the sword*12 tai chi sword breathing exercises*30 key tai chi sword techniques with applications*12 fundamental tai chi sword solo drills*Complete 54-movement Yang Tai Chi Sword sequence*48 martial applications from the tai chi sword sequence*10 tai chi sword 2-person matching drills No matter your age, tai chi sword is a wonderful way to improve your health and well-being. Tai Chi Chuan is one of the more popular health activities practiced today. According to the NCCAM div. of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, between 2.3-3 million people practice tai chi in the United States. Recommended by healthcare professionals, practiced for pleasure, fitness, or martial arts; by young and old alike, tai chi creates a vast community of people practicing for many different reasons. Many students expand their practice to include the Tai Chi Sword. It's fun, builds strength, and develops concentration and focus. Tai chi sword is integral to the long-term study of tai chi and qigong. This revised edition of our classic book on Tai Chi Sword includes a new modern, easy-to-follow layout; each movement is presented in 4-6 large photographs with lucid instructions on how to perform them; shows martial applications to help get the angles correct. Other sections offer a brief history of Tai Chi Sword, fundamental training routines, and qigong exercises to connect your Tai Chi Sword practice to your internal health.

In the 1600s, the elegant and deadly Italian rapier was the choice sword of duelists, officers, gentlemen and noblemen: to master the rapier was to be a feared martial artist and a paragon in single combat. Among the original treatises on the use of this weapon, the most prized by historical fencing revivalists in the last 150 year has been the Great Representation of the Art and Practice of Fencing, written in 1610 by Master Ridolfo Capoferro. In this remarkable text, Capoferro described and illustrated - in unmatched detail - the use of the rapier alone and with a left-handed dagger, cloak and shield, offering the modern historical fencing student a true wealth of Renaissance fencing theory, form and repertoire. With this book, expert researcher and rapier instructor Tom Leoni offers a full, accurate and accessible English translation of Capoferro's teachings, complete with high-resolution reproductions of the 43 original illustrations. To make the book even more useful, Tom has included bullet-point synopses of all the actions illustrated by Capoferro, as well as a glossary of rapier-fencing terms with examples referring the reader to how they are used in the text. Also included is a primer on key rapier-fencing concepts and actions, as well as a historical introduction about Capoferro and his extraordinary relevance in the revival of historical martial arts.

Robert Childs' book seeks to bestow not just mechanical advice, but also to provide a philosophy of fencing that shows the swordsman not only the how, but why. There are a number of "how-to" rapier manuals now available; both those written centuries ago and now presented in modern English translation, or those composed by modern maestri of the sword in emulation of those by-gone works. But there has always been the parallel tradition of the martial treatise. It is this category of work that 30+ year fencer and currently top-ranked rapier fencer, Rob Childs, emulates. After explaining the basics of his own, eclectic system of rapier combat, he walks students through a wide variety of topics: how to choose the proper sword for you; how to fence students of different sizes; physical qualities and emotional temperaments; how to adapt your approach to different contexts (casual matches, competitions and medals matches) while maintaining martial reality; the use of sound, body displacement to deceive the opponent, and the most common tells fencers give and how to train them out of yourself-while using them against your opponent. Interwoven with personal anecdotes, you will gain both a look into the mindset and training paradigm of a world-class competitor, the sort of advice athletes for generations have sought from highly-skilled coaches, and be entertained at Childs' own adventures through the evolving world of historical swordsmanship. Although centred on the rapier, this work is really about fencing writ large and will be of value to anyone who has held a blade and heard the words 'en garde'! Illustrated with colour photographs throughout.

In the sequel to the first volume, which introduced the long sword, Herbert Schmidt explains single-handed sword fighting techniques with a buckler, or small shield. "Single-handed sword" here refers to the sword wielded in one hand, as used throughout almost the entire Middle Ages. This book analyzes historical evidence, taken mainly from the 13th-century German combat manual Manuscript I:33, or "Tower Manuscript," the oldest and most widely trusted European sword fighting manual in existence. Find information on binds, posture, footwork, free fighting, and individual plays taken from the writings of fencing masters Hans Talhoffer, Andre Lignitzer, and Paulus Kal in this modern textbook that allows anyone interested-whether beginner or advanced-to work and improve his single-handed sword fighting skills.

This modern textbook provides an extensive depiction of more than 75 dagger fencing techniques according to 15th-century dagger Master Hans Talhoffer's manuscripts, among other fencing luminaries, from past and present. In the Middle Ages, dagger fighting was part of every fencer's standard repertoire-just as combat training was for swordsmen. The authors have spent years thoroughly researching the techniques and studying and interpreting the old manuscripts in order to subsequently test them in practice. Based on these historical representations-complete with striking medieval drawings-each technique is explained and illustrated in a series of action photographs. The fencing student is thus able to follow the sequence of movements that make up each technique. Valuable tips on equipment and training, plus a glossary of important terms round out this new standard work.

'This is fencing!' is a rally call heard in training centres around the country. Coined by experienced GB fencing coach, Ziemowit Wojciechowski, it embodies the passion, skill and dedication needed to excel at an international level. As one of the world's most renowned foil coaches, achieving Olympic podium success and top world rankings for his fencers, Ziemowit has sustained a long and successful career, which he now unpacks in this comprehensive guide. Using real life examples and case studies, This is Fencing! offers detailed approaches to training, tactics and exercises in the foil, providing key insights into how to create both individual and club training sessions. Key topics include: the core principles of coaching, training and performance; aspects of an individual lesson; detailed examples of footwork exercises; physical and psychological preparation and practical tactical advice during competitions.

Camillo Palladini's manuscript for his discourse on fencing is housed in the De Walden Library at the Wallace Collection in London. Previously unpublished and largely unknown, it is of central importance to a modern understanding of Italian rapier play in the sixteenth century. This stunning book, a joint endeavour between the Royal Armouries and the Wallace Collection, reproduces the forty-six red chalk illustrations in the manuscript--only three of which have ever been seen in print--together with a transcription and translation of the original Italian text. Perfect for students of fencing, lovers of Italian art, sixteenth-century researchers, and historical reenactors and interpreters, The Art of Fencing: The Forgotten Discourse of Camillo Palladini showcases a striking example of Renaissance swordsmanship.

In 1599, during the period when the Portuguese crown was united to the crowns of Castile and Aragon, the Portuguese master-at-arms Domingo Luis Godinho wrote a manuscript in Spanish entitled Arte de Esgrima (The Art of Fencing). Although his life is largely a mystery and Godinho's text was never published in his lifetime, today his manuscript is of utmost relevance in the study of Renaissance Iberian fencing. It is the only complete treatise discovered so far describing the 'Common' or 'Vulgar' style of Iberian fencing, first documented in the fifteenth century, but by Godinho's day, displaced by the new system of La Verdadera Destreza (the true skill). The work includes instructions for the single sword, a long-bladed, cut & thrust weapon taught alone and with the use of the shield, buckler, dagger, and cape, as well as paired with a second sword. Godinho's instructions also included the longest known text on the use of the montante, or two-handed sword, a devastating weapon that was used by soldiers and body-guards, in duels and battlefields, in crowded streets and aboard galleys. Translator Tim Rivera provides a detailed introduction that explains Godinho's relationship to earlier masters of the 'Common School' of swordsmanship, and a short primer on the various weapons, guards, parries, footwork and terminology of the tradition.

This beautifully-illustrated and detailed book presents one of the world's most influential fencing treatises. Ridolfo Capo Ferro was a legend in his own lifetime and his intricate and exact instructions were copied and emulated throughout a Europe bewitched by his grace and style. The manual, illustrated with striking artwork, gives a very real flavour of the panache of this expert in swordsmanship and mastery of that most lethal of weapons - the rapier. Capo Ferro examines different kinds of swords, their component parts and their suitability, before going on to discuss their actual use. There he expounds his theory as to the timing and direction of thrusts, the essential distances and the need for complete control. He also looks at defensive measures, guards, parries and the importance of quick footwork. Capo Ferro's text is a practical guide to fighting and one which builds on the theory to show exactly how a superior form of swordsmanship could be learned by Europe's elite. His illustrations clearly show the best methods and how a rapier could be lethally effective when used with a dagger or with a cloak. This handsome volume is a vital historical record and is sure to give the modern fencer new insights in technique and a greater appreciation of the history of this exciting sport.

With the exciting sport of fencing steadily becoming more mainstream in the UK, US and around the world, parents are spending thousands each year to help and encourage their children to train and excel in this unique Olympic sport. Fencing can be a mysterious world to the uninitiated, and parents and young fencers will have many questions about the sport, the fencer's potential and the dos and don'ts. From Last to First aims to answer all these questions and many more. Written by a team comprising Jon Salfield, a leading Youth Development and High Performance coach (London Olympics 2012), and Daniela I. Norris, an experienced author and fencing-parent of an international youth fencer, with input from Strength and Conditioning and Psychology experts, and a foreword from a multiple champion and highly-regarded author, it is meant for anyone who wants to know how to support their young fencer from the start of their fencing adventure, all the way through to success at international competitions.

Crowood Sports Guides provide sound, practical advice that will make you a better sportsperson, whether you are learning the basic skills, discovering more advanced techniques or reviewing the fundamentals of your sport.

This book, written in a style easily comprehended by a child and containing motivating illustrations, was written with the youngest of athletes in mind. By inviting kids to complete individual tasks, to solve puzzles, to answer questions and to complete drawings, the book achieves the feel of an activity book. The little cartoon character "Foily" accompanies the reader throughout the book, as he offers tips and invites the child to practice independently. The contents correspond to the most basic level of fencing training. It is intended as a teaching tool for fencing instructors and trainers, to help promote understanding of the sport of fencing for fencing students, and to improve independence in training. For the parents of fencing children it is an important motivational companion to fencing instruction.

A pioneer of modern fencing, Alfred Hutton was the first president of the Amateur Fencing Association and a father of modern research into the Western combat arts. In addition to his lectures about ancient weapons and his demonstrations of their use, Hutton created this 1889 classic, a continuing source of instruction and enlightenment to modern readers.
The techniques associated with the sabre differ markedly from those of the epee and the rapier. This study offers both technical and historical views of the art of the sabre. It begins with a look at the weapon's construction and its grip, followed by explanations of a variety of different strokes and parries as well as methods of combining attack and defense. Additional topics include approaches suitable for left-handed fencers, ceremonial aspects of the art, and contrasts between the sabre, the bayonet, and the French sword. Descriptions of associated weapons cover the great stick and the constable's truncheon, and the book concludes with considerations of the short sword-bayonet, or dagger. Fifty-five illustrations demonstrate how to hold the sabre, how to parry and guard, seizure, and numerous other aspects of the art of fencing with a sabre.

Noted medieval combat authorities Dierk Hagedorn and Christian Henry Tobler join forces to present a transcription, translation and analysis of the Peter von Danzig Fight Book, one of the finest manuscripts of the 15th century devoted to the fencing tradition of German grandmaster Johannes Liechtenauer. The codex features anonymous commentaries on Liechtenauer's own mnemonic verses, as well as treatises by other masters of his circle: Masters Lignitzer, Huntfelt, Ott and Peter von Danzig himself. A compendium of teachings for how to fight with the long sword, spear, sword and buckler, dagger, as well as unarmed grappling, both in and out of armour, this volume is a valuable resource for historical martial artists, historians and medieval re-enactors.

Meyer & Meyer Premium the next level of instructional sports literature with high-quality, full-color books. This teaching and reference book covers the most important concepts of training theory in the sport of fencing and their methodological application. Supplemented by the general teaching methods and experiences of Germany's most successful trainers, findings, theories, and methods of training, science oriented basic concepts are integrated here with application-oriented editing. Through the collaboration of internationally renowned scientists and long-time successful trainers, a fencing book was created that is unique in fencing literature.

Modern fencing's origins come from the elegant, and deadly rapier of the late Italian Renaissance. Several schools of rapier fencing existed, amongst which one of the strongest and longest lasting was the Roman-Neapolitan-Sicilian School of swordsmanship (Scuola Romana-Napoletana-Siciliana ). Arising from the early, northern school, the southern school dates to the seventeenth century, in Rome, then spread throughout the south of Italy and evolved uninterruptedly until the nineteenth century, when it merged with the more modern traditions of fencing. Historical Fencing Manual: Rapier-Fencing in the 17th and 18th Centuries, is a true, modern fencing manual for training in this tradition, written by a modern master of the art. The texts of the seventeenth- and eighteenth-century masters are broken-down, synthesized and arranged into a concise, modern pedagogy, opening a gateway to the southern Italian school for the very first time. Beginning with fundamentals of stance, footwork, attack and defence, the text also covers complex provocations, disarms and grapples, and use of the left-hand dagger-a complete course under one cover!

Fencing, Form and Cognition on the Early Modern Stage reveals an underexplored archive of Italian, English and German fencing texts, which were designed explicitly to teach tempo and judgement. This intervention in Shakespeare and Jonson scholarship provides critical new insights into the plots, pacing and characterisation of drama and attends to the ethical and pedagogical work displayed and accomplished by fencing and dramatic devices. It yields a robust theory of active waiting and brings the imbrications of appropriate timing and ethical decision-making to the fore.