Why Study Renaissance Martial Arts?

“Odin could make his enemies in battle blind, or deaf, or terror-struck, and their weapons so blunt that they could no more but than a willow wand; on the other hand, his men rushed forwards without armour, were as mad as dogs or wolves, bit their shields, and were strong as bears or wild bulls, and killed people at a blow, but neither fire nor iron told upon themselves. These were called Berserker.”

Heimskringla or The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
by Snorri Sturlson

What Are Renaissance Martial Arts?

Mention the term “martial arts” and most likely the image first formed is a temple somewhere in the Far East with monks learning how to strike, kick, use strange weapons and deadly chokeholds when they are not meditating. Asian countries did develop many interesting and effective systems of both armed and unarmed self-defense. Karate, judo, kung fu (wushu), taekwondo, arnis, taijiquan, jujutsu and aikido are just a few of the many martial arts styles that are practiced in America and around the world.

However, European societies from Iceland to Russia developed their own armed and unarmed combat systems as well. The Greeks were famous for unarmed combat, most notably the pankration, a type of all-in fighting similar to today’s Ultimate Fighting Championships. Greek martial arts can be traced to at least 648 BCE. The Roman soldier from at least 200 BCE was drilled and trained in a professional manner, making the Roman army an almost unstoppable fighting machine. Roman gladiators from the inception of the sport in appx. 100 BCE were well trained in armed and unarmed combat and many gladiators who survived the arena were used as bodyguards and personal trainers.

ARMA, however, is an organization dedicated to reviving the armed and unarmed combative systems of European societies from the 1100s to the 1700s. This includes the use of the longsword, sword and shield, sword and buckler, pole weapons, staves, daggers, rapiers and of course unarmed combatives. Therefore, when we discuss Renaissance martial arts, we are discussing those fighting systems and weapons from the 1100s to the 1700s in what is today both Western and Eastern Europe and Russia.

We rely on interpretations of fechtbooks (literally: “fight books”) from the Middle Ages and Renaissance which detail fighting techniques in both armed and unarmed combat. Many of these books are illustrated with detailed drawings accompanied with detailed text of the techniques. These fechtbooks are literally a window to the past to allow us to interpret and rediscover our Western martial heritage.

ARMA Southside is made up of students interesting in pursuing this exciting martial heritage. These are dynamic martial arts systems which are undergoing a process of rediscovery. We invite any and all to meet and help us explore and develop these once lost martial arts.