Scholars of Alcala offers a complete training program for the Meyer’s German Longsword in San Diego. Published in 1570, Joachim Meyer‘s book is by far the most comprehensive text on two-handed swords in the western world.
For our current schedule, sign up on our meetup page.
Study Guides and Books
No prior experience is needed. All fencers will be provided with a copy of our longsword training guide with over 300 pages of drills and exercises so they can practice both in class and at home.
- Meyer Longsword Drill Book 1
- German Longsword Study Guide by Keith Farrell & Alex Bourdas (woodenswords.com)
- Joachim Meyer (Wiktenauer)
- The Art of Combat (2014) by Joachim Meyer (woodenswords.com)
- Historical Fighting Fundamentals: German Longsword
- Foundational Description of the Art of Fencing – Study Edition (woodenswords.com)
Swords
Swords and safety gear is available for beginners.
Meyer’s techniques were designed for longswords that are approximately armpit high. When working on the devices, a lighter/faster blade will serve you better than a heavy blade that dominates the centerline.
- Meyer Longsword Trainer (woodenswords.com)
- Training Feder, Rev A, Flexible, Rolled Tip (woodenswords.com)
- Synthetic Feder – SoCal Swords
- Synthetic Feder XL – SoCal Swords
- Synthetic Danish Two-Handed Sword – SoCal Swords
For early German longsword and the handwork sections of Meyer, you want the opposite. The width of the blade is especially important for winding actions, as it dictates how for your blade moves the opponent’s out of the way.
Training Posters
