Historical European Martial Arts, or HEMA for short, involves the study and practice of historical European fighting techniques. Martial arts can be grouped by type or focus, or alternatively by regional origin.
Wiktenauer is the largest library of Historical European Martial Arts manuscripts and books in the world. We guarantee all listings are up to date and accurate. As a community, we are bringing back to life the dead arts of the old european masters. Historical European martial arts (HEMA) refers to martial arts of European origin, particularly using arts formerly practised, but having since died out or evolved into very different forms. A Short Introduction to The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe. The entire repository is free to the public. This page contains the category of Martial Arts that originated in Europe. Sometimes, schools or styles are introduced by individual teachers or masters, or as a brand name by a specific gym. There's a popular misconception that the martial arts primarily train unarmed combat. The study of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) is the academic study of ancient fight manuals or fechtbucher (fight-books) and the practice of recreating and learning the skills of the ancient European fight masters. This article focuses on the latter grouping.
Historically, the martial arts developed around weapons as military training. Despite the fact there is a more than 2,400-year-old military tradition within Western civilization of close-combat proficiency, few subjects have received as unfortunate neglect by historians and academics than the martial arts of Western Europe. You will fight with steel, and you will rekindle the traditions.
Watch the video to learn more. Click below to access our Club Finder service with over 200 clubs worldwide.
There are many distinct styles and schools of martial arts. Historical European martial arts requires specialty equipment to safely practice and joining a club is the best way to access loaner equipment and learn from experienced teachers. A school for the study of Historic European Martial Arts Historic fencing incorporates science, art, spatial awareness, philosophy and spirituality – training the Mind, Body and Spirit of the fencing student as a whole to create a well rounded and fully developed individual.