We recognize that though we are studying forms of martial combat that are no longer part of modern warfare we still see its value in a modern art of self-defense. We remain engaged in the modern world, and practice HEMA in a modern context. In this context tournaments and competitions provide an important space for practitioners to gather together and test their training and interpretations with the pressure of uncooperative opponents.” By definition HEMA is practice based upon historical sources, hence the fundamental importance of the texts. Therefore fighting with historical weapons by itself is not HEMA. There is no dressing up – the central aim is to understand the historical systems. This is approached through scrupulous attention to the texts, physical experimentation, and study of their cultural context without dismissing insights from elsewhere, such as modern training methods, pedagogy, biomechanics, or other martial arts. Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) is founded on the premise that although these systems fell out of use, or mutated into something different, it is possible to reassemble them. Later treatises cover all manner of swords, polearms, unarmed combat, sickles, daggers and other weapons. The earliest known fight-book dates from around 1300, depicting monks, as well as a woman, fencing with sword and buckler (a small round shield). “Europe produced a remarkable amount of literature of combat, from many countries, over the course of several centuries. Today, study groups throughout the world trade videos and research papers on HEMA, testing each others interpretations and encouraging new research questions. HEMA is also sometimes referred to as Western martial Arts (WMA), however this term expands on historical European martial art by including studies in Military Sabre, Native American fighting systems and WWII knife or trench fighting.īefore the proliferation of digital scans of medieval fighting manuals on the internet, the study of HEMA was limited to small groups with local access to libraries containing original medieval manuscripts. This includes a variety of cultures and martial styles, from German and Italian Longsword styles, to Dutch dagger, Scottish broadsword, and Portuguese staff fighting (Jogo Do Pau). Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) refers to both the academic research and physical training associated with the combat arts of medieval Europe.
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