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Practical Sword
Contact

Training Term 1 2023

Classes run for the duration of the term excluding any public holidays. Come along a try your first two classes for free. 
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FRIDAY "Fight like a Viking" HEMA
  • 5.00-6.00 pm  -  Grades 4-6's 
  • 6.00-7.00 pm -   Grades 7+ and Adults  
​LOCATION
  • The Melbourne Salle - 12/62-64 Oakover Rd, Preston VIC
COST $10 per class cash on the night or $100 for the term via bank transfer (less any cash payments).

Bank details:
Adrian Whitehead

Acc 23198667
BSB  313 140 (Bank Aust)



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SATURDAY "Ruthless Rabbits" HMB
  •  9-10 am ​- All ages - HMB soft and dueling
  • 10-11 am - Adult - HMB Buhurt, dueling and pro fight​ 
​LOCATION
  • 2-3rd Saturday of the month  - H Swain Reserve - Oakover Rd, Preston VIC (a short walk from the Miller and Gilbert St shops)
  • 1st Saturday of the month - Oldina Foot Ball Oval - Olinda
COST $5

The Trainers

 Adrian Whitehead​

Adrian has practiced fighting with swords most of his life including training in Kendo, Kenjitsu, najginata, classical fencing and dark-ages re-enactment.  Adrian follows in the foot steps of his grandfather (The Brigadier) who trained in Sabre and Kenjitsu.

Kat Lambert

With over a dozen years as a historical reenactor, Kat has fought in Medieval Fairs across Australia with sword, spear and dagger. An experienced combatant and occasional training officer she provides a safe and inclusive arena for all who wish to learn. 
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Training Philosophy

The Practical Sword club seeks to make weapon based combat training as realistic as possible but safe. 

Our style is inspired by both western and eastern martial arts and seeks to improve by adding modern interpretations of weapon based combat based on trial and error, experience and intelligent analysis.

Our classes focus on skill development and fighting with a roughly 50 / 50 split in time. 


New students are training separately until they have the basics covered and can join in with the rest of the group. 

Progression

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Beginner
New students enter beginner classes designed to teach the key elements of sword fighting including foot work, grip, striking, blocking, deflections, and voiding through demonstration and drilling.

Students are then trained in sparring against single and multiple opponents, and exposed to use of spear, axe, shield, and knife.

Training is focused on both group and single combat. 

Once students demonstrate they are proficient in the basic techniques and can spar safely they move to advanced training.

Advanced Training
Advanced training is focused on sparring and conducted through peer to peer feedback and support with formal lessons designed to develop specific skills and techniques.

During sparring  instructors and senior students will seek to guide more junior students and improve their fighting styles, though all students are encouraged to provide feedback and insights to the group or their training partner.

Advanced students are encourage to included  training in additional weapons and equipment.

​Advanced students need to demonstrate proficiency in each  new weapon type prior to its use in sparring.

The ultimate goal of each student is to develop a particular style of fighting with a weapon or weapons of their choice that suits their physicality, skill and metal focus, and which maximises their effectiveness in weapon based combat.

At times the club will invite experts from around Australia to run workshops for club members to improve their skills or learn new skills, systems and weapons.

Youtube video

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An old video from back in 2013. 
 
http://youtu.be/WdTIVbH6QDY

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Training Programs

 HEMA / WMA

 Dark Ages HEMA "Fight like a Viking" 

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These classes focus on dark age combat. 

The course is designed to train students in the variety of weapons and techniques used by vikings and other people of northern europe in the dark ages. 

Training starts with the sword, then moves to the axe and shield, then and the spear, spear and shield and knife, before mastering hte two handed axe.  

KIDS

Kids classes are being run for 2023  in two groups,  Juniors G4-6 and Teens G7+. Kids classes include a fun advancement system based on Viking runes and mythology. For example kids passing their basic skills will get a runic bead with a B rune. 

Focuses include:
  • stance
  • grip
  • movement
  • defence
  • striking
  • grappling
Weapons include:
  • sword
  • spear
  • axe
  • shield
  • knife
  • ​unarmed striking​

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Historical Medieval Battle (HMB)

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This is a form of full contact medieval fighting in heavy armour which seeks to recreate the battles fought in tournaments of the middle ages. 

Practical sword is part of establishing a new HMB club focused in the North of Melbourne called the "Ruthless Rabbits".  There is both a Junior and Adult program.

If you are not in the North of Melbourne you can check out Team Kraken (Clayton South) or The Western Wolves (Ballarat). 

Come along to H Swain reserve in Preston on Saturday to find out what HMB is all about. 

Once you have decided to commit you need to join Australian Medieval Combat Federation AMCF and Ruthless Rabbits to join this training. Find out more on our membership page. 

Check out this youtube vidoe of Western Wolves and Team Kraken fighting at Kryle Castle, which includes a battle in the snow, and features Practical Sword trainer Adrian Whitehead (pictured below). 

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Adrian fighting in South Australia  at part of the Ruthless Rabbits in 2022
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Historical Medieval Battle Youth Program (HMB Soft)

Our youth  "HMB Soft" training program run Saturdays 9-10am.  HMB soft is pre adult form of HMB training and fighting for kids thought adults alos train and fight HMB soft. 


We recently ran our first competition for our youth members at the black smith festival at Mont De Lancey Historic Homestead. We had 6 fighters and the event was won by Clancy, a member of practical sword.
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Lucian trying on his first soft kit back in 2019 when Meciej Ryszkiewiz from the Swords Fencing School in Dubai visited, promoting Soft HMB in Australia. 

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