[MR] Heavy Combat School

[thurman]

Hello All,

As I tooled back up I-85 on the way back from Ymir, I spent some time
thinking about how the SCA trains heavy fighters. In the beginning, it
was possible to strap on a freon can helm, some carpet armor, and jump
into the fray learning as you went. It was possible because most
everyone else was in the same boat when it came to knowledge and
experience fighting with rattan. I think this is no longer true. Many of
the leading lights of Atlantia now have more than a decade of experience
behind them, some more than two decades. Combat methods have evolved,
and in some cases have been rediscovered, and fighters are making the
most of that experience on the list field.
 
While some fighters I have talked with maintain that simply engaging in
combat will teach you all you need to know, I do not share that opinion.
I feel that to be successful, one has to be TRAINED. In theory, training
is available in any Barony in the Kingdom; in reality, good training can
be hard to come by if you are off the beaten path. If your regular
fighting list contains less than 3 fighters, and none of them is near
the level of the Chivalry, you have a problem. If you live more than two
hours from the closest practice outside your Barony, your problem is
even bigger.

A post appeared today announcing that a two day seminar will be held in
the DC area on Medieval combat. Attending this seminar appears to be a
great idea to those seeking to learn historical combat systems. It may
even help us in fighting rattan. But what do we do when the seminar is
over? The post includes a bit of history concerning medieval combat. It
points out that paid instuction by masters existed in period.

I feel it is time to think about establishing a regular fighting school
in the kingdom of Atlantia. A school in which those interested in
learning the current rattan combat systems in use in the SCA can attend
to better themselves in the list and on the field. A place where those
who do not have an instructor to learn from regularly in their home
Barony can come to for enlightenment and training.

What does such an endeavor require? Instructors, students, and a place
to train. It requires dedication. From the instructors who commit to be
there regularly, and from the students who give up their hard earned
resources to learn. If the students need to pay in order to get the
commitment needed, why not? That's how it works in every other form of
education, including the marshal arts.

I think there are many of us out there who want to learn, and will
support a school designed to teach us. I know I would. It would be worth
it to me to know that I can get the training I want without wondering if
anyone else will show tonight. Or if the practice will be canceled
because of rain. What do the rest of you think?

Torfin de Carric