Anyone ever train ONLY HEMA or WMA?

[Fab]

Experimental archaeology requires a set of methods, fixed goals, a framed setting, hypothesis and other complicated words and general scientific cautionary protocols. So simply playing with sword-shaped objects while looking at strangely-dressed people in old books isn't proper experimental archaeology. It needs to be done with style, a purpose, and a sense of self-seriousness. Sometimes.

One might even say : the "reconstructive" part of HEMA, ie trying to make sense of what we think we have decyphered, is the "experimental" part.

Training for being good at using said principles and techniques isn't.

[TribalPunk]

I came from a fencing, kendo and wrestling background. The only real advantage I have found in learning sabre is that I already have an understanding of my own body and movement as well as understanding handling a blade. The biggest drawback has been unlearning some of those skills I learned in Fencing and Kendo as they don't apply with the sabre.

[Thearos]

Experimental archaeology requires a set of methods, fixed goals, a framed setting, hypothesis and other complicated words and general scientific cautionary protocols. So simply playing with sword-shaped objects while looking at strangely-dressed people in old books isn't proper experimental archaeology. It needs to be done with style, a purpose, and a sense of self-seriousness. Sometimes.

One might even say : the "reconstructive" part of HEMA, ie trying to make sense of what we think we have decyphered, is the "experimental" part.

Training for being good at using said principles and techniques isn't.

Good, strong points, though some of the Roman military equipment stuff strikes me as strangely dressed people.

But, actually, come to think of it, playing with a sword while looking at a book,is a form of archaeology— maybe not formal, maybe not scientific, still involves thinking about the materiality of the past. To feel what holding a shield for a while does to your arm (left hand freezes in place) is something that Anglo-saxon archaeologists explicitly mention as very useful and illuminating.

[admin]

Thearos, not only is your question pointless but it is also completely off topic. Thanks for those of you who have kept to the topic.

[Thearos]

Let me spell out the point to you: training ONLY in HEMA is a different activity from doing EMA-- because of its similiarities with experimental archaeology or, indeed, reenacting: it's a historically oriented activity. It's nature is different from practising MMA. Do you see its relevance ? If not I can't help you.

[Andreas Engström]

Let me spell out the point to you: training ONLY in HEMA is a different activity from doing EMA-- because of its similiarities with experimental archaeology or, indeed, reenacting: it's a historically oriented activity. It's nature is different from practising MMA. Do you see its relevance ? If not I can't help you.

Apart from the snarky tone, that's also not necessarily true. We have plenty of members who train with us primarily or exclusively to train a martial art (and, as a side effect, get fitter). Quite a few have no historical interest whatsoever. Some of them (both historically interested and not) cross-train in MMA, by the way.

-Andreas

[admin]

As Andreas said. The vast majority of people being taught HEMA don't study the historical sources at all. They learn how to sword fight, or box, or wrestle, or whatever.

If you joined a HEMA group then this would become quickly apparent to you, as would many other things that you may not gather from only posting on a HEMA internet forum.

[Thearos]

Mr Admin polices his forum well.

The man in Geneva who practices fighting in harness surely qualifies as an experimental archaeologist.

HEMA also is, to some extent, *social history*: it reconstructs an essential part of the "habitus" or body technique of the elite in a stratified society, namely the semi-ritualized techniques of violence.

As such, practicing HEMA belongs to the "enthusiast", non-academic (but very serious) school of doing history and thinking about the past. But that puts it in the same category as re-enacting.

http://www.raphael-samuel.org.uk/

[admin]

This is still not relevant to the question of the thread. The majority of people here are clear on the difference between western martial arts, Asian martial arts, sport fencing and reenactment. If you want to start a new thread on the subject you want to discuss then feel free to.