Introducing Meyer Freifechter Guild

**bludhall** · Posted On: 4/21/2009 3:46pm

Meyer Freifrechter Guild

We are a South Florida HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) Joachim Meyer focused study Group. Formerly an 8 year ARMA Study Group .

We focus on the works of Joachim Meyer 1560, 1570 and on weapons of the German Kunsfechten art of war. Longsword, Dusack, Rappier, Staff, Halberd, Dagger, Wrestling and one day Pike. We have gathered together all the online Meyer resources into one place and added a bunch of our articles and other tidbits as well as a collaborative Interpetation Application for work on translating and interpretating with others across long distances. A one stop Meyer shop. You MMA guys will understand my outlook on the Parts and Times of the fight for the Meyer style of Kunsfechten which is modelled on the MMA phases of the fight.

I'll include 2 videos of our freeplay one of Unmasked and ungloved , freeplay using wooden waisters (as our ancestors did) Longsword sparring Video by AnarkyMan - MySpace Video@@AMEPARAM@@http://mediaservices.myspace.com/services/media/embed.aspx/m=40651864@@AMEPARAM@@mediaservices@@AMEPARAM@@mys pace@@AMEPARAM@@services/media/embed@@AMEPARAM@@aspx/m@@AMEPARAM@@40651864

and a second video using plastics and Fencing masks
masked with Plastic Waisters

Its should be noted that we use Wooden Waisters and Steel Blunts for controlled Freeplay (as our ancestors did and padded but relative to a real weapon weighted paddeds for full speed sparring/freeplay. Note that even paddeds require control much as freeplay required control when i did kali/Escrima. We only use paddeds a small percentage of the time as they are poor substitutes for real swords and we strongly beleive a core component of learning historical fencing is development of courage (much like in Kali where new students develop a certain conditioning to the fast paced sticks and swords throwen into your space)

We also have an extensive collections of unedited videos spanning almost 6 years of training and work on HEMA specifically Meyer.
Older Videos

Any comments or criticisms are as always welcomed

**SBG-ape** · Posted On: 4/21/2009 11:32pm

Simple question to start things off: What is it about Meyer that attracts your group? Why do you chose his works to focus on?

**bludhall** · Posted On: 4/22/2009 6:39am

well the Meyer book is probably the most descriptive manual out there along with what many consider to be the best images in any manual. He teaches almost the whole range of Kunsfechten in the book and its one of the few HEMA manuals thats actually an instructional book.

**misanthropic777** · Posted On: 4/22/2009 5:26pm

Good luck, Mike - hope it goes well.

**DdlR** · Posted On: 4/23/2009 4:33pm

Meyer's pictures (as reproduced in Arthur Wise's "Art and History of Personal Combat") were among the first that convinced me that Europeans actually had their own martial arts. That was a long time ago, now ...