The doomscroll spiral is real these days. Get off the couch and spend a few minutes improving your speed and reaction time with drills like this one - a russian lunge or jump switch on command. Stay low. Switch fast. Can you keep up? #conditioning #HEMA #fencerdrills #S&C

Public Service Annoucement! #sprezzaturasmellslike

Two weeks out some athletes panic. They add volume. Chase intensity. Try to force readiness. Your performance strategy now isn’t more work. It's getting mentally prepared for what's coming. Nothing is missing. Nothing needs to be re-invented. Keep your routines. Breathe. You’re ready ⚔️

🎙️ New Podcast Drop! I had an absolute blast chatting with James Reilly on The Historical Fencing Channel! 🙌 👉 Watch/listen now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=se51... or search @thehistoricalfencingchannel on Youtube if you're not already a listener!

Wishing you a day filled with good food, warm company, and moments that feel unhurried. However this season looks for you: loud or quiet, joyful or complicated, may it offer a little space to breathe and reconnect with what matters most. ⚔️ Thank you for being part of our community this year ⚔️

The old masters didn’t preach fortitudo and celeritas so you could show up and gas out in your second round of elims. Put the work in now so in 2026 you can move faster, fence longer, and stay unbroken. Link in bio. ⚒️

🔥 BLACK WEEK IS LIVE 🔥 Two ways to level up your fencing conditioning this winter, both just $100! Two paths. Same goal: a stronger, faster, more confident fencer in 2026. Doors open now! Link in bio, or head to sprezzaturasports.com

Want faster footwork? Build better stops. Train the brakes, not just the gas. Split-squat drop to stick = key deceleration work for fencers.

Train like an athlete. Fence like a weapon. Just 2 classes a week 💥 Get started at sprezzaturasports.com/hemafit

👻 🎃 Happy Halloween! What's in your haunted house??? Comment below 👇

Two great tournaments coming up this weekend to highlight. 1. Long Tail Location: Warren, RI Competitions: Open LS, URG LS, Seated LS Host: Black Cat Historical Fencing 2. Femme Fatales Location: Montreal Competitions: URG Saber, Smallsword, and Longsword Host: La Guilde d’Escrime Historique

Your warm-up isn't optional. Review the science behind those first 10 minutes of training and get ideas for your next solo practice or HEMA class: sprezzaturasports.beehiiv.com/p/before-the...

100% trouble. 100% vibes.

Some days you’re just showing up to practice, getting in reps, building skills that feel *basic*. Other days you're in the gym, pushing, grinding, sweating. Everyone wants results fast. But growth takes time. So be patient. Keep showing up. Trust the process. 🔥⚒️

Fundamental movements like sprinting should never leave your repretoire. There is no age cap on these exercises, especially if you're competing in a speed and precicion-heavy sport like fencing. It's time to stop rolling your eyes at these sorts of exercises and start doing them. 💪

You crush them in practice 😎 but lose in competition 🫠 They’re not “getting lucky.” They’re peaking. You’re seeing them mid-training, tired, experimenting. On game day? Rested. Focused. Dialed in. Train smart → perform sharp ⚔️ #HEMA #Fencing #SportsPerformance #PeakPerformance #SprezzaturaSports

The squat-to-power-turn is great for practicing developing rotational power and transfering energy between the hips, core, and arms. This is a fundamental skill every longsword fencer, armored fighter, or grappler needs.

Most workouts don't feel amazing when you're doing them. They aren’t terrible either. They’re just… average. But Olympians build gold medals on stacks of “average” days, because consistency beats chasing training perfection. So if today’s training felt ordinary? Good. You’re probably doing it right

IYKYK 🤺 what's your clever explanation for your giant HEMA bruises?

You can buy a set of hurdles online for under $30. These versatile little tools can be easily taken to the back yard, a park, or the fencing salle and used to improve power, speed, and reactive footwork. Have a favorite hurdle exercise? Share in the comments!

Parry-Riposte DLC not available at this time 🚧 ⛔

Sometimes it's more fun to talk about what NOT to do - check out four ways to make sure you stay stuck in your current training plateau and avoid becomming a more athletic fencer!

We're moving an hour earlier, so live classes are now 7PM EST Tuesdays and Thursdays! In another timezone? ALL workouts are recorded and posted after - so you never miss a class with HEMAFIT. Sign Up Today: www.sprezzaturasports.com/hemafit

Does sewing at 2am count as cardio? Asking for a friend.

Still debating on whether or not to withdraw from that tournament you signed up for this weekend? Struggle with the urge to drop out last minute at tournaments? Feeling burnt out from the whole competition HEMA Rating climb? Here are some thoughts you might want to consider...

Hi, my name is "the universe" and I have an important message for you 🌎

Good thing tennis balls come in packs of 20. 🗑️ 🫠 🎬

You don't need to win the lottery or even have a "home gym" to work on your conditioning and get stronger, faster, and more powerful in your fencing. If you're looking for a packable, travel-friendly solution for workouts, check out these recommendations that I would put in every fencer's bag.

🔥🔥🔥 who needs trash reality TV when you can just open up big HEMA discord for 30 seconds ...now get back to training!

Many HEMA fencers *want* to improve conditioning, but the work being done in the gym doesn't match the goal. Try short bursts at speed with controlled recovery. This on-off training improves your body's ability to explode in a flurry and then reset, just like before the next exchange.

Challenge of the day - train your reaction time, hand-eye coordination and core all at the same time with this ball-toss game for fencers. Can you beat my record of 6 (with a good plank)? Comment below 😀

A strong bench or overhead press is great, but pressing straight up and down doesn’t match how we actually move with a two-handed weapon. If you already lift but want to see your strength work better transfer into fencing performance, this one deserves a spot in your program. #landminepress

Who can relate? Too few tournaments offer C or beginner tier tournaments, which are vital for getting newer students involved in competition in a way that feels fair and inviting. Even if the tier is small and you only get 8-10 competitors, I think these brackets are worth offering.

If you want to be burnt out and too injured to compete in 5-10 years, then by all means ignore your emotional/mental health, forget about stress regulation and load tolerence and have at it with your bros. Taking care of yourself as a HEMAist isn't 'being soft', it's the responsible thing to do.

Who doesn't want a tighter, faster zwerch? For fencers who are short on time (who isn't), I love compound moves like this lateral lunge with oblique twsts that mimic the feel of that "one-two" punch of a zwerch sequence.

What's your favorite way to get in your own way? Comment below💩 #HEMA #HEMATournament #HEMAFail #TournamentStruggles

Sometimes the struggle feels real. But the good news? Growth happens in the struggle. My HEMAFit fencers know that even in the hardest workouts I'm there alongside them, pushing through it too. #fitnesstogether #HEMAtogether #embracethehard #HEMAFit

Guys, a weapon is just a tool. Pulling out my SIGI Light at workshops and events always seems to raise a few eyebrows. I love having this weapon as an option in my bag, and here's three reaons why. What's your thoughts? Comment below.

I love the feel of just finishing a hard workout with big lifts. Every athlete needs a solid base of strength, and resistance training is one of the best things you can do for your body. But here’s the truth: lifting alone won’t get you what you want in the ring.

🌍✈ Big news: I’m now based out of the UK! Sprezzatura is still fully online, which means: different country, same epic training. 💪 Online training = still on ⚔ HEMAFit classes = still on Wherever you are in the world, we can still train together. 💥

☘️ We're proud to sponsor Dublin HEMA's event in October! Are you going or is this tournament on your list? "Like" or drop a comment below! www.dublinhemaclub.com/events/feile...

Who else took some time off this month? Coming back in the salle after time off can mean stiff joints and shaking off the rust. This reverse lunge + overhead reach is perfect to open up the hip flexors, fires up the glute, and get your shoulders and upper back moving again. All in one move.

Your back, hips and core are key to unlocking powerful and grounded fencing and wrestling. Build a better base by aligning your hips underneath you with neutral spinal alignment - a position from which you can access your powerful posterior chain muscles and stay grounded from core to floor.

What are we looking at? 🤔 This problem is common in fencers, especially those without a prior martial arts or athletic background. Comment below your thoughts - we'll dissect this a little more tomrrow! 🍑 +⚔️= ✔️

Get your groove on this summer and warm up those sideswords with the Art of Arms! Win a Kvetun sidesword, a private training package from us, or a copy of the forthcoming translation of Giovanni dall'Agocchie (and more) Details and Entry: open.substack.com/pub/theartof...

🧼 What Your Sword Cleaning Oil Says About You 🧼 Are you a practical gremlin? A fencing hipster? A barn-scented enigma? Or...something mysterious? 👉 Tag a friend and roast them. 🗣️ Argue in the comments. 🧽 And don't forget to oil your weapons (please) the next time you practice.

When summer starts to stagnate, it's time to build. This week's newsletter: ✅ Why summer is the perfect time for HEMAists to lift heavy ✅ How periodization applies to our training ✅ How the average fencer can structure a strength phase this summer sprezzaturasports.beehiiv.com/p/summer-of-...

He said "I don’t need help from a girl." I said "that's fine, I charge extra for managing fragile male egos anyway." 💅 💁 For everyone else: conditioning coaching spots open for competitive HEMAists & armored combat practitioners. Grown-ups only. Photo Credit: Louise Clayton-Hatch

Too many fencers (both modern and historical) are all quads, no butt. That’s a recipe for slower acceleration and deceleration in your footwork, nagging knee pain, and injuries waiting to happen. These glute marches and bridges? They’re not flashy but they work. Stronger 🍑 = better fencing