We are pleased to announce the return of our well reviewed lecture/seminar class with Arlington County Public Schools Community Learning. The class will be at the Syphax building on Tuesday, May 25 from 7-9pm. All attendees will be required to wear a mask and maintain social distance. Enrollment is currently open. Click here to register.
Stay Safe
Due to the continued Covid-19 risk, Arlington County Community Learning will only be offering online courses for the fall semester. As so much of our class is students handling the equipment and thumbing through our library, we decided to not offer the class this semester. Watch for us this winter and spring! Stay safe. Wear your mask.
COVID-19 and Sheltering in Place
Written by Pamela Muir
With our efforts to flatten the curve, many of us are at home without practice partners. So what can we do in order to not significantly lose training time or enthusiasm for our art?
Let’s start with the obvious. I am rediscovering my motivation for solo drills. They have been lagging for a while, because, really, it is more fun to practice with friends.
Practice footwork, though footwork alone can be boring. Set a timer for one minute and see how many steps (advance, retreat, compass, triangle, etc.) you can do. Pick out an area in your backyard or a room in your house. Divide it into imaginary one foot squares and try to touch each one, in random order, with continuous footwork. Or crank up your favorite tunes and just have fun with it.
Practice your cuts. Do some shadow fencing. Work through plays and sequences. And…
Read with sword in hand. Now is the time to dive into that fechtbuch you have been meaning to read. You can find digital copies and translations at Wiktenauer. You can find print copies and modern training books and DVDs at Freelance Academy Press, Inc.. Freelance has articles and history books as well. Learn about other aspects of your art.
Pop in a training DVD and go through it chapter by chapter. Do some online training, but make sure it is someone you are familiar with, someone who has been an instructor at an event you attended or whose book(s) you have read. You want to make sure you have a consistent frame of reference.
Take the time to learn something new. At ACMA our primary focus is on weapons of the Liechtenauer system, but I am starting to dabble with broadsword. Maybe you want to try your hand at rapier or smallsword.
Make sure you stay fit. Walk. Use a workout app. Use free weights or do body weight exercises such as push ups, triceps bridges, and squats. Try a deck of cards work out. Don’t forget stretching. Maybe add in some yoga. I use a daily workout app that gives me 5 minutes of cardio, 10 minutes of a full body workout, and 5 minutes of stretching.
Take care of your weapons. Now is the time to clean and polish. (I am trying to practice what I preach.)
Check on your practice partners. Encourage each other. We are all in this together. And let us cross swords in the future.
Arlington Community Learning
We have two upcoming dates for our well reviewed seminar/demonstration class about reconstructing the martial arts of medieval Europe. Come peruse our library, handle our training equipment, and find out how to practice these arts yourself. Registration is open for the February 26 class, held at W-L High School in Arlington, VA, 7-9pm.
https://registration.arlingtonadulted.org/CourseStatus.awp?&course=20WGI187
If you cannot make the February class, your next opportunity will be April 21. Watch this space for registration information.
Fall Registration Now Open
Registration is now open for our fall class. Students will get a chance to handle the practice equipment, browse the texts and see demonstrations as to how we are rejuvenating a martial art.
Class is one two hour session at W-L High School in Arlington, VA on Tuesday, October 22 from 7-9pm.
Registration information is in the link below.
https://registration.arlingtonadulted.org/CourseStatus.awp?&course=19FGI187
Spring Registration Open
Our Arlington County Community Learning class is scheduled for April 23, from 7-9pm at W-L High School. Come out to view illustrations from medieval manuscripts, hear about the history of fencing and how modern students are practicing an historical martial art, as well as handle our practice swords and other equipment.
Register here: https://registration.arlingtonadulted.org/CourseStatus.awp?&course=19SGI187
February class canceled
Edited: February class has a make up date scheduled! February 27 7-9pm at Washington-Lee High School. If you would like to register you can do so here:
Our February 20 Arlington County Continuing Education class was canceled due to predicted icy winter weather. Our next lecture/seminar class will be on April 23 from 7-9pm at Washington-Lee High School. Registration information will be posted here.
Winter Registration with Arlington County Community Education
Registration is now open for our winter class. This lecture/seminar about how we are reconstructing a martial art from medieval texts takes place at Washington-Lee High School, February 20, from 7-9pm.
Come out to see artwork from medieval manuscripts, handle our reproduction equipment, and learn how you can train in these arts.
You can register here: https://registration.arlingtonadulted.org/CourseStatus.awp?&course=19WGI187
Today’s funny… (And registration info)
At ACMA, it’s always medieval studies week. This weekend is your last opportunity to sign up for our lecture/seminar on Tuesday, October 23 from 7-9pm at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, VA.
Registration is now open
We will be presenting a lecture/seminar for Arlington County Public Schools Community Learning at Washington-Lee High School on Tuesday, October 23 from 7-9pm. Register at https://registration.arlingtonadulted.org/CourseStatus.awp?&course=18FGI187 or by calling (703)228-7200.
Academy of Chivalric Martial Arts 
You must be logged in to post a comment.