The double hit, what is it? Why should it be avoided? This is a topic of much debate in the historical fencing community with many differing opinions on why it happens and how it can be fixed.

For generations the sword has caught the imagination, either on stage or on screen the sword has been iconic. Not only a symbol of power, justice but also of entertainment and of course martial arts. However there is one particular combination that is even more icon then the sword alone. It rivals even the massive popularity of eastern martial arts in film.

Overall physical fitness is key to any martial artist’s success. In fact it is key to any form of discipline that requires the body to perform strenuous activity. It is physical fitness that I wish to discuss in this post, and the reasons as to why you should be doing it outside of class. Now let me first begin by saying that any martial arts instructor should! Be able to help students attain a high level of fitness in all areas, those being:

Certification. . . This is a topic that is full to the brim with politics and more often than not a nice dose of egomania. I have wanted to tackle this topic for a while now and with its ever encroaching presence in HEMA along with the ever growing controversy, I feel it’s the best time to do just that.