Sword to Sword

Specialties

We train European swordsmanship and physical conditioning. Sword to Sword students learn and work in a friendly yet highly challenging club environment. Our classes cover swordfighting, grappling, and other martial art skills from the 13^th century to the 17^th century. We also emphasize physical fitness for students wishing to participate in the grueling international tournament circuit.

History

Established in 2001.

We began as a swordfighting club, with enthusiasts in history, fiction, martial arts, and medieval arms and armor. Today, even as we have grown into an internationally active and competitive club in the Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) scene, we still do our best to share our love of swords and swordsmanship with our new members.

…And our love of sprints and burpees, which new students do not love so much. :D Swordsmanship, is a challenging and complex activity, requiring a lot of reading, exercise, and practice. It is easy to begin, but difficult to excel at. We help all our members find their personal balance of recreation, academic study, and physical challenge.

Meet the Business Owner

Dakao D.

Business Owner

Dakao loves to move – be it dancing, running, jumping, or fighting. An avid gamer for the first 20 years of his life, he rarely saw the light of day. As a voracious student of history, he stumbled upon European swordsmanship in 2001 and has since led an action-​packed life.

Dakao’s 14 years of training focus on 15^th century German longsword. The teachings of Sigmund Ringeck and the Liechtenauer tradition form the foundation of his fighting and training style. Italian rapier (Capo Ferro, Fabris, dall’Agocchie), German Langes Messer (Lekuchner), sword and buckler, dagger, and wrestling round out the European arts.

In addition, Dakao has studied other arts for a more robust understanding of body mechanics and fighting psychology: military combatives, kung fu (baguazhang, tai chi, wing chun), muay thai, capoeira, parkour, and dance. He uses movement under pressure to teach decision, perception, precision, adaptation — but most importantly, fun.