For those who haven't yet heard ...

Now Mandatory: Leading Renaissance Combat Practitioner Launches New Line of HEMA Sparring Gear:

http://fencingclassics.wordpress.com/2014/03/...rring-gear

This is a joke right?

Proprietary off brand "totally not ripping off underarmor" compression leggings? mandated for all "official" events put on by an accreditation group 9/10 hema (as in historical European martial arts, not some secret club of "real" fighting) practitioners have never come in contact with?

Something tells me most practitioners will respond with a hearty "get bent" and go on practicing in whatever pants they please, even if it means they can't play in the secret club house.

Hmmmmmmm: A bit dictatorial to say the least and un-enforceable if most people don't comply, but that said, this is the " First of April " and could be an April's Fools day spoof ?

It's satire, but the first couple paragraphs had me going...it was only further on that really got me laughing.

Considering the bad blood that has happened between arma and other groups in the past over attempted monetizing of the sport, the idea is not too much of a hop skip and a leap. Especially since compression wear makes a hell of a lot of sense for hema, just not if the "uniform" must be purchased through a singular source. Stupider things have happened, but i hopefully have been partially rused.

I suggest that everyone take note of the date...

Happy April Fool's Day!

Yes, Happy April Fool's Day, all!

That piece - which had an amazing amount of work put into it - was by Christoph Amberger.

For those who don't know, Chris is the author of The Secret History of the Sword: Adventures in Ancient Martial Arts, one of the pioneering modern classics of HEMA.

If you haven't read it, there's more information here: http://fencingclassics.wordpress.com/the-secr...-20081204/

It's rollicking read; I think of him almost as a modern Richard Burton! :D

Chris let me know that thanks in part to the interest here, he's had a lot of visits to his site.

If you don't already subscribe, he has a free occasional email newsletter, which often has fascinating historical accounts of swordsmanship, modern scholarship, and musings on arms, armour, and historical and modern European martial arts ... and some great April Fool's posts!

Cheers,
Mark T