About the Adventure

Activity Level 1: Easy Location: Hilt and Helm Fencing Club, Homestead Guide: Chris, Jarl of Hiltenhelm (the President and Founder) + WAC Guide Abby to take a stab at it with you! Join us for a fencing adventure with Hilt and Helm Fencing Club! Hilt and Helm practices HEMA, Historical European Martial Arts. HEMA is the study of manuals written by sword masters from the 1300s to 1800s and the practice of the weapon based martial arts they taught. It is a practical exploration of history, an excellent source of exercise, and the lynch pin holding together a vibrant community of nerdy athletes and hobbyists. Hilt and Helm has a mission of welcoming more women and diverse participants into their community, so they are delighted to partner with the Women's Adventure Club for this class! In this introductory class to HEMA, we will briefly go over the historical context in which the arts were practiced, how it fits into the modern world, and cover the basics of footwork, guards, attacks, and time permitting some light sparring. All gear will be provided by the club, so you just need to bring yourself... and maybe your favorite sword-play movie quote to shout for maximum drama: "'Tis merely a flesh wound!" "Hello! My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." "They may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!" Event details, including meeting location, suggested gear, and other pertinent info will be sent via email to registered participants.