This is the class sign up for Thursday, March 10th.  Like always, this class is restricted to those who finished the MKdF Beginner's Class.  In order to participate, you must be vaccinated, boostered, and read and agree to our COVID-19 waiver (one time). Please read and sign our COVID-19 waiver here - COVID-19 Rules and Regulations. This only needs to be signed once. 

This is the class sign up for Monday, March 7th. Like always, this class is restricted to those who finished the MKdF Beginner's Class.  In order to participate, you must be vaccinated and read and agree to our COVID-19 waiver (one time). Please read and sign our COVID-19 waiver here - COVID-19 Rules and Regulations. This only needs to be signed once.   

COVID-19: You are required to be fully vaccinated to join this class.   Full vaccination is defined by getting the full regimen of shots (Pfizer/Moderna = 2, J&J = 1) and passing the required 2 weeks for full innoculation. You will be required to present your CDC vaccination card on the first day of class as proof. ----------------------------------------- This is an eight week class that covers the Northern Italian style of rapier taught by rapier extraordinaire, David Biggs. He's been researching and applying the historical manuals in tournament combat since 1996. He's been fighting and teaching in the SCA for more than 25 years, and in the WMA/HEMA for more than 20 years. He was inducted as an instructor in the Tattershall School of Defense in 2005, and he's since taught seminars and classes across the U.S. and Canada. His Tattershall page can be found here: https://tattershall.org/david-biggs/ In the first decade of the 17th century, three martial arts manuals were published that demonstrate strikingly similar approaches to the use of the long, thin thrust-oriented sword we now refer to as the rapier. This system has come to be known as the Northern Italian Rapier style. The three published treatises that best encapsulate the system are Nicoletto Giganti’s Scola, overo teatro (1606), Salvator Fabris’ Sienza e Pratica d’Arme (1606), and Ridolfo Capo Ferro da Cagli’s Gran Simulacro dell’Arte e dell’Uso della Scherma (1610). This class will present that system. He will start by teaching you the foundations of the system – how to stand in protected guards, how to move, and how to attack and defend in various ways. We will focus on good form, conditioning the body to stand and move well and relaxed, and making sure your actions are mechanically correct. We will then move into the actions depicted in plates in the manuals. He will focus primarily on the actions from Capo Ferro’s and Giganti’s treatises. You will learn how to read the actions and the accompanying plates and how to use them to start building tactics. If you have your own rapier, please bring it. You will also be required to have/have access to mask and gloves. 

This is the class sign up for Thursday, March 3rd.  Like always, this class is restricted to those who finished the MKdF Beginner's Class.  In order to participate, you must be vaccinated, boostered, and read and agree to our COVID-19 waiver (one time). Please read and sign our COVID-19 waiver here - COVID-19 Rules and Regulations. This only needs to be signed once. 

This is the class sign up for Monday, February 28th. Like always, this class is restricted to those who finished the MKdF Beginner's Class.  In order to participate, you must be vaccinated and read and agree to our COVID-19 waiver (one time). Please read and sign our COVID-19 waiver here - COVID-19 Rules and Regulations. This only needs to be signed once.   

This is the class sign up for Thursday, February 24th.  Like always, this class is restricted to those who finished the MKdF Beginner's Class.  In order to participate, you must be vaccinated, boostered, and read and agree to our COVID-19 waiver (one time). Please read and sign our COVID-19 waiver here - COVID-19 Rules and Regulations. This only needs to be signed once. 

This is the class sign up for Monday, February 21st. Like always, this class is restricted to those who finished the MKdF Beginner's Class.  In order to participate, you must be vaccinated and read and agree to our COVID-19 waiver (one time). Please read and sign our COVID-19 waiver here - COVID-19 Rules and Regulations. This only needs to be signed once.   

This is the class sign up for Thursday, February 17th.  Like always, this class is restricted to those who finished the MKdF Beginner's Class.  In order to participate, you must be vaccinated, boostered, and read and agree to our COVID-19 waiver (one time). Please read and sign our COVID-19 waiver here - COVID-19 Rules and Regulations. This only needs to be signed once. 

This is the class sign up for Monday, February 14th. Like always, this class is restricted to those who finished the MKdF Beginner's Class.  In order to participate, you must be vaccinated and read and agree to our COVID-19 waiver (one time). Please read and sign our COVID-19 waiver here - COVID-19 Rules and Regulations. This only needs to be signed once.   

This is the class sign up for Thursday, February 10th.  Like always, this class is restricted to those who finished the MKdF Beginner's Class.  In order to participate, you must be vaccinated, boostered, and read and agree to our COVID-19 waiver (one time). Please read and sign our COVID-19 waiver here - COVID-19 Rules and Regulations. This only needs to be signed once. 

This class is designed to aid people who have completed the beginner's class to move into our open longsword class. We will be reviewing footwork, cuts, guards, and drills. We will be delving deeper into biomechanics, the 'how', of techniques, and begin to understand the 'why' of techniques as well. We will look into fundamental concepts of Liechtenauer Longsword such as Vor, Nach, Indes, soft and hard interactions, the Krieg, the Zufechten, and using multiple intentions. This is not restricted to people who have just completed the beginner class. All are welcome. There will be a skills test at the end of this course in order to be allowed to move on to the open longsword class. Equipment Requirements: Longsword, mask, gloves. If you do not have these we have some loaner gear, but cannot promise enough for everybody especially when the beginner's class is running.

This is the class sign up for Monday, February 7th. Like always, this class is restricted to those who finished the MKdF Beginner's Class.  In order to participate, you must be vaccinated and read and agree to our COVID-19 waiver (one time). Please read and sign our COVID-19 waiver here - COVID-19 Rules and Regulations. This only needs to be signed once.   

This is the class sign up for Thursday, February 3rd.  Like always, this class is restricted to those who finished the MKdF Beginner's Class.  In order to participate, you must be vaccinated, boostered, and read and agree to our COVID-19 waiver (one time). Please read and sign our COVID-19 waiver here - COVID-19 Rules and Regulations. This only needs to be signed once. 

COVID-19: You are required to be fully vaccinated to join this class.   Full vaccination is defined by getting the full regimen of shots (Pfizer/Moderna = 2, J&J = 1) and passing the required 2 weeks for full innoculation. You will be required to present your CDC vaccination card on the first day of class as proof. ----------------------------------------- We currently offer beginner's classes in German longsword, the primary weapon of the Kunst des Fechtens system.  The beginner's class heavily features proper bio-mechanics, footwork, getting to know the sword, and, at the end of the course, each beginner can try their new skills in our Rookie Tournament.  All the gear you need is provided for you - masks, swords, gloves, etc. All you need to do is show up in comfortable gym clothes.  The classes start at 8:00 pm on the first Monday of January, April, July, and October and runs, on Monday, for eight (8) weeks.  Please try to arrive 15 minutes early so we can start class on time.   Schedule Below is a rough schedule of what you will encounter in the Beginner's Class. Be aware that order and topics may change depending on the needs and abilities of the beginners. In general, however, we will try to stick to this schedule.  Day 1: History, footwork, getting to know the sword, and basic guards Day 2: Long edge cuts - introducing Oberhau, Unterhau, and Zornhau Day 3: Short edge cuts - introducing Shielhau Day 4: Ribbons, flourishes, and moulinets - starting to put it together Day 5: Cutting at odd angles - introducing Zwerchhau Day 6: More odd angles - introducing Krumphau Day 7: Binding, winding, and Schietalhau Day 8: Sparring games and Rookie Tournament   Rookie Tournament The Rookie's Tournament is the traditional ending to a beginner's class at Maryland KdF. It stems from historical examples within German fechtschulen. Here, we use it as a measure of the skills you have gained over the course of the class, as an introduction to tournament fighting, an introduction to sparring, and as a passage through to becoming fully fledged club members.  The rules are based off of a mixture of historical rulesets regarding tournament fencing. Some of the rules include: head-only targeting and point scoring, no wrestling/grappling/ringen, and no running in (attempting to wrestle). The only weapons used are longswords - this tournament is supposed to be a pure test of fencing. Your opponents will not only be your classmates, but other people in the club as well.  This tournament is not mandatory, but it is a whole lot of fun. 

This is the class sign up for Monday, December 27th. Like always, this class is restricted to those who finished the MKdF Beginner's Class.  In order to participate, you must be vaccinated and read and agree to our COVID-19 waiver (one time). Please read and sign our COVID-19 waiver here - COVID-19 Rules and Regulations. This only needs to be signed once.