Guidelines for Renaissance & Rapier Fencing

Guidelines for Contact-Sparring with padded weapons

How to make ARMA padded contact-sparring weapons

Tips on Training

ARMA Practice Partners

How do we realistically practice rapier fencieng bouts using replica blades?
The answer is by using controlled hits --just as they did in the period with their weapons, and we do now with wooden and blunt steel swords in other forms of fighting. While using controlled force does not allow for completle freedom of action, it does teach real techniques rather than sporting play.  You have to take care lest you get hit too hard or injure your partner. Additionaly, with the newer padded fencing jacks, the force of impact is also reduced.  

The ARMA Sparring Helm:
We are proud to also endorse the special ARMA 3-weapon helm ("blunts, wasters, padded") specially designed for us by Christian Fletcher. This helm is intended specifically for our historical fencing with flexi-rapiers or hard training with blunts and wooden swords as well as full-contact sparring using padded weapons. It is strong, light, safe, and has great visibility and a small built in soft leather gorget. 

Guidelines for
Renaissance Free-Play & Rapier Fencing

Fence in play as you would in fight.

For training and for practice fighting ARMA emphasizes using foiled replica rapiers or blunt-tipped reproduction weapons rather than rapier simulators.  We also reccommend wooden foyles (rapier wasters) which are known to have been used.

To train as rapier fencers did in the Renaissance, and perform proper rapier technqiues, we feel we must use the same tools in the same manner as they did. (The obvious exception we make is for  saftey masks and padded jackets).  To do this means using blunt, rebated, or refoiled weapons, called "foyles" in the period. This means dulled blades with specially flattened out points (like a nail head).

Foiled rapiers can be made by hammering over the point of a replica before adding a rubber safety tip to it.  Some commerical practice rapiers with flat points are also available. Historical foiles, forged with flat points or wrapped with safety tips, were known in the 16th and 17th centuries.

We previously employed a variety of rapier blade forms from diamond and oval schlägers, to flexible practice-rapiers and accurate historical replicas, all of various lengths and hilt configurations. However, after considerable experiment with various flexible rapier simulators, ARMA shifted away entirely from flexi blades for rapier fencing in favor of foiled blunt replicas. We have concluded the problems and habits associated with fencing with flexible practice rapiers are not worth it.  Our reasoning was two fold. A. We feel the advantage of flexible blades for safe hits is outweighed by the distortion such blades inherently have in wobbling and wavering on thrusts. The distortion that such flexible blades cause in the execution of techniques overrides their "safety" value. B. There is no actual historical evidence we can find that flexible blades were ever used for rapier instruction or fighting practice during the 16th or 17th centuries.  Thus, while we are not entirely excluding flexible rapiers from our study, we are recommending foyled replicas instead.

As our concern is not with "sporting matches" or competitive tournaments but with developing and learning actual rapier techniques as used in historical combats, safely using rebated rapiers in a safe manner is our chosen method.

Further, ARMA rapier fencing philosophy is that just as it’s not possible to properly understand the use of all variety of Medieval swords by relying on one "generic" model, it is similarly impossible to gain a full understanding of the different styles of rapier fencing by relying on any one type of modern rapier blade form. A "typical" rapier of 1560 or 1590 is not identical to one of 1610 or 1650. No one rapier replica represents all rapiers from say, 1550 to 1670, let alone those earlier or later blade types. Thus, to avoid misconstruing historical methods it is important to utilize a variety of rapiers of varying lengths, weights, hilts, and forms to reflect the subtle characteristics of different blade geometries which effect a weapon’s speed, reach, and handling.

The idea in ARMA is simple: To study the method of a historical weapon, study using a historical weapon (i.e., use accurate replica weapons, and not modern light sport tools or modified theatrical versions).

Additionally, the ARMA Study Approach uniquely encourages training alone with a sharp replica rapier so that its penetration power and thrusting angle can be better understood. Sharply pointed blades are used in exercises against a variety of static targets made out of assorted materials ranging from foam rubber to cloth and straw mats. It is also important to conduct test-cutting with various accurate rapier replicas to see their (limited) capacity to deliver lacerations.

For Historical Rapier Fencing and Renaissance Swordsmanship under ARMA Guidelines, the following affirmations are presented:

1. In reconstructing Renaissance Swordsmanship, the difference between the distinct cut-and-thrust transition sword forms (short sowrds/side swords, etc.) and the true rapier method must be discerned. The nature of true rapier blades, their handling, and their actual cutting characteristics must be properly understood.
2. The rapier was a development rather than an overnight invention.
3. Rapier fighting cannot be viewed exclusively from the perspective of either classical or modern sport fencing.
4. Modern sport fencing and the classical styles of 19^th century epee’ duel have far more in common with the later 18th century small-sword than with the vicious "street-fighting" and dueling rapier from which the more poised and elegant small-sword developed.
5. It should be realized that at first the rapier originally opposed cut-and-trust swords before it faced other rapiers.

Safety Equipment

Absolute required minimum: regulation fencing mask Strongly advised additional: fencing jacket or padded/quilted jack, gambeson, aketon, etc., weapon-hand glove, shoes or boots, mask/bib tie cord, Highly recommended additional: free-hand glove, groin protection, knee pads, elbow pads, under mask hood, chest protectors for females.

Optional equipment and clothing: any appropriate period historical armor. Unallowable and unacceptable items: Loose belts, ties, hangers, slings, straps, loops, rings, etc. Bucklers with prongs, hooks, or bars. Uncovered blade tips.

For light contact-sparring using blunt (dulled, unedged replica blades) "cut-and-thrust" or early Renaissance short-swords, the same equipment can be used but shin guards and armored gauntlets are also recommended.

Bouts and Free-Play / Sparring

For fighting practice or bouts, encounters should end only when one or the other swordsman freely admits to being clearly outclassed or else gains a clear preponderance of hits. Rather than conduct "bouting" matches, which place emphasis on externals, combatants should just freely spar.No competitive, tournament, or sporting considerations are included. In this way, the focus for each fighter is internal and not upon winning a mere single match or a judge's decision. Fighting should be a personal matter between each swordsmen themselves and their adversary. However, encounters can be decided by either single hit kills, or end after 3 consecutive unanswered hits. 

As with other forms of weapon sparring, choice of target areas and effects of thrusts/wounds are a matter for the individuals involved to agree upon prior to sparring. For rapier fencing ARMA suggests the full body as target (including the hand and foot) and all thrusts to the torso, head, and neck be counted as lethal. For true rapiers, slashes, slices and draw-cuts should not be considered incapacitating or lethal. Thrusts to the arms shoulders, or hands should be considered to disable the limb. However, no official time out should be set for allowing opponents to switch their weapon from a disabled arm. Thrusts to the legs (thigh/knee/shin/foot) should not require the fighter to fight from their knees or from the ground, but should realistically inhibit their freely moving, stepping excessively or lunging. Contest bouts should be decided by either single hit kills, or end after 3 consecutive unanswered hits. No official delay should be required for following up one legitimate wound with another (you should be free to make multiple hits). Also, the event of simultaneous exchange of hits is a matter of subjective agreement (would either have prevented the other? etc.).