True Edge South

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 A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO TRUE EDGE SOUTH:

 First, thank you for your interest in True Edge Academy of Swordsmanship - South! Everyone over the age of 16 is welcome! We are an adult-focused martial arts club. Unlike the other martial arts you may be more familiar with, HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) is a weapon-focused martial art, which means that a certain minimum of both physical and mental maturity is required.  

Practice:

When you start coming to practice, you only need to bring some athletic clothes and a water bottle. Please come early so you can start with us on time.  We’ll register you in our member management software and have you sign a waiver for the HEMA Alliance and the Wasatch HEMA Code of Conduct. After that you’ll join our beginner’s class where you will go over the basics of German Longsword and general swordsmanship!

Our classes repeat the same lesson from a different instructor on Wednesday and Saturday. We encourage students who are able to attend both classes to do so for the extra practice and perspective, but this structure allows you to get all the instruction you need to advance if you can only attend once per week.

Structure: 

If you're new to HEMA, expect to spend around 6 months in our Beginner's class after Orientation. This course is a series of 12 targeted lessons that repeats every 3 months, and here you will learn foundational swordsmanship skills, including basic techniques of the German longsword, good form, and sparring skills. This class has a conditioning focus, so come ready for a workout! Once the Beginner class instructors believe you have a decent understanding of the basics, you’ll test and advance to the Intermediate class. 

The Intermediate class is our main class where students learn the contents of Liechtenauer's Recital, specifically from the Danzig manuscript. You will learn the master techniques and have the opportunity to apply them in a sparring context. You will also be able to start studying other weapon systems such as arming sword & buckler, dussack, messer, dagger, saber, pole-arms, greatsword, and rapier. Expect to spend at least a couple of years in this class, depending on your goals, attendance, and individual progress. 

To join the Advanced class, you must have your Level 3 Longsword Certification and have demonstrated a readiness for more challenging material in the Intermediate class. This is a class for practitioners who are dedicated long-term to HEMA, where you will study directly under the head instructor, learning about other masters and weapon systems, strengthening your scholarship, and tackling the finer points of European martial tradition.