The Friday Longsword class. A couple of lovely folks missing but we did good, Joachim Meyer work for the main, streichen and wrath, the cutting drill and more. Awesomeness.☺️ #learnswordfighting #hema #davidrawlings #community #londonlongswordacademy

The look a grandparent has when they know that one more slice of tart and Timmy will be sent home a dervish of questions and attitude. And they are like… “Harold, fetch the sherbet” The reaction I get at every seminar when I ask if people okay with me swearing. #londonlongswordacademy

A smallsword hilt review!

I think we all needed that! Domenico Angelo and Roux smallsword tonight, lots of work on structure, a pretty grapple and a good amount of freeplay! #hema #learnswordfighting #rapier #londonlongswordacademy #community

Thank f🙌ck I’m good at fencing because my adverts are trash 😂 #learnswordfighting #hema #davidrawlings #londonlongswordacademy

Great chatter, great tree and bird facts, I filled my shoe with coffee, though that wasn’t part of the lesson.😂⚔️😂 All in a private lesson on Godinho Montante. Fantastic work. #hema #londonlongswordacademy #learnswordfighting #community #davidrawlings

Waiting for the event tomorrow, and this place is magical though I won’t try the rice. Guess where! #hema #learnswordfighting #londonlongswordacademy #davidrawlings #vampires

Subjections in freeplay. From the Girard Thibault class.☺️⚔️☺️ Swords by @destrezania #hema #learnswordfighting #gerardthibault #theprincessbride #londonlongswordacademy

Guess who lost the pillow cases! 😊⚔️😊 #hema #learnswordfighting #londonlongswordacademy #londonlongswordfamily

Quarterstaff. 8 feet of demanding subtlety and thwack. So today we rolled and rolled. Polearms from our Tuesday class in Crystal Palace. Looking at Achille Marozzo and Joachim Meyer. #hema #learnswordfighting #community #davidrawlings #londonlongswordacademy

What started off as a very basic lesson, became an extremely well structured lesson on displacements, feints, graduations and de graduations, the introduction to the square, circle and diameter of verdadera destreza, Girard Thibault, Achille Marozzo, Joachim Meyer, smallsword, rapier and longsword.

Obey the kitty of wisdom! #learnswordfighting #hema #londonlongswordacademy #cats #sword

Glorious work in the polearms class at sword Saturday. Loads of Joachim Meyer and Paulus Hector Mair halberd and poleaxe. Aces! #hema #learnswordfighting #community #londonlongswordacademy #davidrawlings

The verdadera destreza class working through Luis Dias de Viedma‘s counters to the vulgar. A slight detour via Palavacini, then a good hearty lot of freeplay. Beautiful work. #hema #learnswordfighting #londonlongswordacademy #community #davidRawlings

These folks are so cool. Some lovely fencing in the smallsword class. In which I at no point resorted to Joachim Meyer sidesword as a panacea for some deviations from the norm👀 Mo, definitely not, how dare you. #hema #learnswordfighting #domenicoangelo #londonlongswordacademy #community

Every week we get to stab, chop, slice and martial arts shenaniganise such wonderful humans! #londonlongswordacademy #hema #learnswordfighting #community #davidrawlings

Me at 2.30 am wondering. What would they call a vampire novel about verdadera detreza… #londonlongswordacademy

Better and better every week. The fundamentals classes, both sword in one hand and longsword, frankly awesome! #hema #londonlongswordacademy #learnswordfighting #community #beginnerclass

Poleaxe freeplay from Sword Saturday! Looking lovely everyone! #hema #learnswordfighting #community #davidrawlings #londonlongswordacademy

The balance is pristine, the sound of the temper so sweet, it has a sharpness and an air to it that denies its centuries upon the earth. A proto sabre/hanger in a Hounslow style probably by Peter Munich pre 1660 #hema #learnswordfighting #sword #londonlongswordacademy #davidrawlings

Genuinely, I get the new elbow protectors, take them to class. Forget to put them on, crack.😊 #learnswordfighting #hema #londonlongswordacademy #community #longsword

The other side of the dussack class, freeplay! Some beautiful, dynamic ebb and flow yesterday! In the Crystal Palace Mixed Weapons class. #hema #learnswordfighting #community #davidrawlings #londonlongswordacademy

Dussack from Joachim Meyer and Paulus Hector Mair, in the mixed weapons class at Crystal Palace. A lot covered and then some glowing freeplay. So pleased with everyone ☺️⚔️☺️ #learnswordfighting #hema #londonlongswordacademy #community #davidrawlings

The first fabulous steps into swordfighting. A pretty damn great way to start. Meyer and Fiore dei Liberi among other wonders, in the Longsword and sword in one hand, Fundamentals Classes. #hema #learnswordfighting #londonlongswordacademy #davidrawlings #community #beginnerclasses

The beginning of the spin, freeplay in the Girard Thibault class verdadera destreza class. Spin and win. #hema #gerardthibault #learnswordfighting #londonlongswordacademy #community

“Try swordfighting” they said, “it will be fun” they said It was, it is! An incredibly fun time at Sword Saturday, including these folks who came to try their hand. #hema #learnswordfighting #londonlongswordacademy #community #joachimmeyer

This little friend has become a regular visitor, peeping around the door to see how the playing is going, or walking confident patrols of the yard in which we play. They seem unfazed by us and I hope are happy in their way. #fox #hema #learnswordfighting #londonlongswordacademy #community

I love that the swordfighting community’s reaction to this is “YEAH, we hate mops too” #hema #learnswordfighting #davidrawlings #londonlongswordacademy #londonlongswordfamily

There was no way this particular exercise (winding cuts from Joachim Meyer) was getting done without masks. Too many nuanced decisions to make.😊 Then some truly rewarding freeplay. Joyful. #hema #londonlongswordacademy #davidrawlings #community #learnswordfighting

I am best at explaining! #gerardthibault #hema #learnswordfighting #davidrawlings #londonlongswordacademy

Any good HEMA books coming out? I requires sustenance! #hema #londonlongswordacademy #learnswordfighting #davidrawlings #londonlongswordfamily

In the supermarket with a full trolley and a lady is behind with a hand basket “go in front I say” But then so does the person in front and the person in front again, basket lady left the shop beaming. So worth the moment.😊❤️

Harry with Looming shadow in the Crystal Palace Longsword class.☺️⚔️☺️ #hema #learnswordfighting #zweihander #community #londonlongswordacademy

There is something incredibly cool in having a club T-shirt that doubles as a pirate flag.☠️❤️⚔️ Sitting listening to the wind careering through the trees was so beautiful I had to come down and listen. #hema #learnswordfighting #goth #davidrawlings #londonlongswordacademy

Meyer work in the setting sun. From our Crystal Palace Longsword class. #hema #londonlongswordacademy #community #learnswordfighting #davidrawlings

“So, um, guys, I know you said I should wear a jacket, but a little help here?” Fun times in the smallsword Class #hema #londonlongswordacademy #learnswordfighting #community #davidrawlings

These two were pleasures to fence. A feeling of constant progression throughout the Smallsword class. Bringing different approaches to each exchange. Sweaty, charming beauty. #hema #domenicoangelo #londonlongswordacademy #learnswordfighting #rapier

Fundamentally excellent. As a treat and as we are off next week we took the fundamentals class and showed them a lot more options than we usually would. Incredibly impressed by how well they did. #hema #londonlongswordacademy #learnswordfighting #community #davidrawlings

Me “I’ve never really had injuries that stop me training” Also me “that hurts, I shall train till hurty bit stops” I’m not sure my brain agrees with my brain

Attacked I tell you! Still laughing, made my day😊❤️ #hema #learnswordfighting #londonlongswordacademy #privatelessons #community

Joachim Meyer work on Sword Saturday, halberd and staff and lots of spinny focus.☺️ #hema #learnswordfighting #londonlongswordacademy #davidrawlings #community

Monifer and Looming Shadow, from our Crystal Palace class post Montante work. #hema #learnswordfighting #community #londonlongswordacademy #zweihander

A quiet night tonight in the Crystal Palace Longsword class (not so quiet, some are hiding from the swing!), so I brought some toys along for the night. Montante rules from Figueyredo and Godinho. #hema #learnswordfighting #schlachtschwert #zweihander #londonlongswordacademy

Excellent end to the day. Verdadera Destreza Sabre from Frias. With a hint of Paulus Hector Mair and Joachim Meyer, because there was a pertinent place. Excellent work from all! #hema #learnswordfighting #davidrawlings #community #londonlongswordacademy

Thr Verdadera Destreza class, and a lesson of glowering at the movement of conclusion. Deeply fun we spent the entirety of the freeplay that followed trying to close to conclude. Utterly excellent. #hema #learnswordfighting #londonlongswordacademy #community #davidrawlings

I’ll post more of these exchanges over the next few days. These two were wonderful to watch. The whole smallsword session yesterday was freeplay with everyone bringing something new and improved to the table. #hema #learnswordfighting #davidrawlings #community #londonlongswordacademy

A lesson on spins with the staff from Joachim Meyer and Paulus Hector Mair polearms work. #hema #londonlongswordacademy #learnswordfighting #accidentallyrenaissance #community

Cracking session in the both the Longsword and sword in one hand fundamentals classes. #hema #londonlongswordacademy #achillemarozzo #liechtenauer #learnswordfighting

“It’s a smallsword, it’s elegant” From the back of the hall “IT’S A F*cking SHANK!”* I’m so glad my descriptors as slipping on. #hema #fencing #londonlongswordacademy *to be used elegantly for shanking

Sabre and Dussack from Paulus Hector Mair and Joachim Meyer, in the Crystal Palace mixed weapons class.❤️⚔️❤️ #hema #learnswordfighting #davidrawlings #londonlongswordacademy #community