Armizare: the Medieval Italian Martial Art Do you want to learn authentic medieval Italian martial arts and knightly combat? With a training partner, some simple equipment, and this innovative workbook, you can. Incorporating over 40 video clips, text instruction, and many images, this workbook is the most up-to-date way to learn the ancient art of Armizare. Armizare is the Italian word for the Art of Arms, as taught by Fiore dei Liberi in his extraordinary treatise The Flower of Battle, written in about 1400. It is challenging to learn directly from the manuscript, so let the acclaimed and respected researcher, practitioner and teacher Dr. Guy Windsor make it easier for you with this workbook. Everybody learns differently, so there are options presented at various points in the workbook, allowing you to choose what to practise next, based on your interests. There are many paths up the mountain, and with this workbook you get to choose your own. The video clips include instruction for both right and left handers. The printed workbooks include abundant space for writing notes, and are available for both right and left-handers. The workbook is organised into eight classes, for you to take at your own pace. Every movement and technique is clearly described, with images from Fiore's manuscript, and links to video clips showing you the technique in action. Join Guy as he teaches you... Unarmed techniques The four guards of abrazare (wrestling) The first six plays of abrazare The four steps (footwork) The three turns (footwork) With the Dagger The four blows of the dagger Disarms against forehand, backhand, and rising dagger thrusts Counters to the disarms Arm locks and counters How to fall safely A basic takedown/throw With the Longsword Six ways to hold the longsword The seven blows of the longsword How to parry and strike How to counter the parry with a pommel strike How to counter the pommel strike The exchange of thrusts Breaking the thrusts Training on the pell And above all you will learn how to train safely and effectively. Guy has spent the last 20+ years developing his approach to learning and teaching historical martial arts, so you are in safe and expert hands. Begin your journey into historical martial arts today with this ground-breaking Armizare workbook. Dr. Guy Windsor is a world-renowned instructor and a pioneering researcher of medieval and renaissance martial arts. He has been teaching the Art of Arms full-time since founding The School of European Swordsmanship in Helsinki, Finland, in 2001. His day job is finding and analysing historical swordsmanship treatises, figuring out the systems they represent, creating a syllabus from the treatises for his students to train with, and teaching the system to his students all over the world. Guy is the author of numerous classic books about the art of swordsmanship and has consulted on swordfighting game design and stage combat. He developed the card game, Audatia, based on Fiore dei Liberi's Art of Arms, his primary field of study. In 2018 Edinburgh University awarded him a PhD by Research Publications for his work recreating historical combat systems. When not studying medieval and renaissance swordsmanship or writing books Guy can be found in his shed woodworking or spending time with his family.

Armizare: the Medieval Italian Martial Art Do you want to learn authentic medieval Italian martial arts and knightly combat? With a training partner, some simple equipment, and this innovative workbook, you can. Incorporating over 40 video clips, text instruction, and many images, this workbook is the most up-to-date way to learn the ancient art of Armizare. Armizare is the Italian word for the Art of Arms, as taught by Fiore dei Liberi in his extraordinary treatise The Flower of Battle, written in about 1400. It is challenging to learn directly from the manuscript, so let the acclaimed and respected researcher, practitioner and teacher Dr. Guy Windsor make it easier for you with this workbook. Everybody learns differently, so there are options presented at various points in the workbook, allowing you to choose what to practise next, based on your interests. There are many paths up the mountain, and with this workbook you get to choose your own. The video clips include instruction for both right and left handers. The printed workbooks include abundant space for writing notes, and are available for both right and left-handers. The workbook is organised into eight classes, for you to take at your own pace. Every movement and technique is clearly described, with images from Fiore’s manuscript, and links to video clips showing you the technique in action. Join Guy as he teaches you… Unarmed techniques The four guards of abrazare (wrestling) The first six plays of abrazare The four steps (footwork) The three turns (footwork) With the Dagger The four blows of the dagger Disarms against forehand, backhand, and rising dagger thrusts Counters to the disarms Arm locks and counters How to fall safely A basic takedown/throw With the Longsword Six ways to hold the longsword The seven blows of the longsword How to parry and strike How to counter the parry with a pommel strike How to counter the pommel strike The exchange of thrusts Breaking the thrusts Training on the pell And above all you will learn how to train safely and effectively. Guy has spent the last 20+ years developing his approach to learning and teaching historical martial arts, so you are in safe and expert hands. Begin your journey into historical martial arts today with this ground-breaking Armizare workbook.

Armizare: the Medieval Italian Martial Art Do you want to learn authentic medieval Italian martial arts and knightly combat? With a training partner, some simple equipment, and this innovative workbook, you can. Incorporating over 40 video clips, text instruction, and many images, this workbook is the most up-to-date way to learn the ancient art of Armizare. Armizare is the Italian word for the Art of Arms, as taught by Fiore dei Liberi in his extraordinary treatise The Flower of Battle, written in about 1400. It is challenging to learn directly from the manuscript, so let the acclaimed and respected researcher, practitioner and teacher Dr. Guy Windsor make it easier for you with this workbook, which includes: Basic warm-ups Footwork actions Wrestling techniques Attacks and defences with the dagger Attacks and defences with the longsword Background information on Fiore and his book Advice on how to practice Everybody learns differently, so there are options presented at various points in the workbook, allowing you to choose what to practise next, based on your interests. There are many paths up the mountain, and with this workbook you get to choose your own. The video clips include instruction for both right and left handers. The printed workbooks include abundant space for writing notes, and are available for both right and left-handers. The workbook is organised into eight classes, for you to take at your own pace. Every movement and technique is clearly described, with images from Fiore's manuscript, and links to video clips showing you the technique in action. Join Guy as he teaches you... Unarmed techniques The four guards of abrazare (wrestling) The first six plays of abrazare The four steps (footwork) The three turns (footwork) With the Dagger The four blows of the dagger Disarms against forehand, backhand, and rising dagger thrusts Counters to the disarms Arm locks and counters How to fall safely A basic takedown/throw With the Longsword Six ways to hold the longsword The seven blows of the longsword How to parry and strike How to counter the parry with a pommel strike How to counter the pommel strike The exchange of thrusts Breaking the thrusts Training on the pell And above all you will learn how to train safely and effectively. Guy has spent the last 20+ years developing his approach to learning and teaching historical martial arts, so you are in safe and expert hands. Begin your journey into historical martial arts today with this ground-breaking Armizare workbook.

Ever wonder how good you’d be with a sword? This book is for you. Do love movie sword fights? Learn how real sword fights work. Are you into stage combat? Add depth with historically accurate technique. You’re a bad uncle looking for a present for your niece? Get her this book, though her parents might hate you. Or do you just like swords? If you’ve ever wanted to turn your sword dreams into reality, then this book is for you. Anyone can learn the medieval Art of the longsword. This book will give you a thorough grounding in the techniques and tactics from the 600-year-old manuscript Il Fior di Battaglia, and includes free access to additional resources such as videos and full-sized images, to help you translate the movements from page to real life. Sure, it’s a 600-year old manuscript, but you know what? People who studied this manuscript lived. Why not stick with something that works? The Medieval Longsword covers everything you need to know from tools of the trade, to footwork, strikes and defences, to how to exploit your adversary’s mistakes, and how to disarm your opponent. This complete and approachable guide to the Art of Arms provides a gateway to a world-wide community of likeminded people also practicing this historical martial art. Whether you’re an absolute beginner or a competent fencer, this book by author and internationally renowned swordsman Guy Windsor will guide you towards mastery of this ancient Art.

Armizare ("the Art of Arms") was the name the warriors of medieval Italy gave to their martial art, which included the wielding of sword, axe and spear with wrestling, knife-fighting and mounted combat. In the waning years of the 14th century, Fiore dei Liberi was a famed master of this art, whose students included some of the most renowned and dangerous fighting men of his day. Toward the end of his life, Master Fiore preserved his teachings in a series of illustrated manuscripts, four of which have survived to the present day, and have become the basis of a world-wide effort to reconstruct this lost martial art. However, because medieval books were written for an audience with different expectations than the modern readers "how-to" manuals, today's students often have trouble understanding the old swordsman's choices in including, omitting or organizing information as he did. They may see that fighting art was a system, but lack the background to see the systematic instruction of the book itself. In Armizare: The Chivalric Martial Arts System of il Fior di Battaglia, Robert Charrette brings together his experiences as a martial artist and respected 14th century living historian with his skills as a professional author graphic artist to not only take readers on a walking tour of Master Fiore's manuscripts, but into the mindset behind its creation. More than just an interpretation of an old book's contents, this is a tool-kit that reveals Fiore dei Liberi's brilliance as not just a fighter, but as martial arts teacher. Whether a long-time student, a newcomer to the art or a more academic devote of the medieval warrior and his craft, readers will find themselves educated and entertained as a door is opened into another time and place - the training hall of the medieval knight.

This book builds on the foundation laid in The Medieval Longsword, and teaches you how to train Fiore dei Liberi’s Art of Arms, as shown in his 1410 manuscript ll Fior di Battaglia. Renowned swordsman and author Guy Windsor explains three of the longsword forms that are used every day in The School of European Swordsmanship: The Cutting Drill, The Farfalla di Ferro, and The Longsword Syllabus Form. Each form is explained step by step and application by application, with abundant photographs and images from Fiore’s manuscript. Guy takes you through each step first as a pair drill, then as part of the form, then as a starting point for further training, or for further research into Il Fior di Battaglia. Within these pages you will find in-depth instructions and analysis, dozens of tips for how to improve your skills, and enough material for years of study.

In From Medieval Manuscript to Modern Practice, renowned historical swordsman Guy Windsor demystifies one of the greatest martial arts books of all time, Fiore dei Liberi's Il Fior di Battaglia (The Flower of Battle). In the late 14th century dei Liberi, an Italian knightly combat master, wrote Il Fior di Battaglia (The Flower of Battle). This magnificent, illustrated manuscript described how to fight on foot and on horseback, in armour and without, with sword, spear, pollax, dagger, or with no weapon at all. Windsor spent the last twenty years studying Fiore's work and creating a modern practice of historical swordsmanship from it. In this book, Windsor takes you through all of Fiore's longsword techniques on foot without armour. Each technique (or “play”) is shown with the drawing from the treatise, Windsor's transcription and translation of the text, his commentary on how it fits into the system and works in practice, and a link to a video of the technique in action. The book also contains a detailed introduction describing Fiore's life and times, and extensive discussion of the contexts in which Fiore's art belongs. From Medieval Manuscript to Modern Practice is essential reading for all martial artists and historians of the medieval and early Renaissance.