Brian Stokes is a most thorough and careful martial artist and one of the very best teachers I have ever had the privilege of training with. Each time I train with him at his school in Carmel Valley, CA I go away with a new understanding of some of the subtleties of Fiore’s system that had been available for all to see right in the manuscripts but had escaped me during study and training.

Brian teaches the Abrazzaare and Dagger plays in layers:
1) He respectfully demonstrates the play with moderate force and speed to show how the movement is done. The student experiences the end result from the player’s perspective. If the play is a throw, you are thrown. If the play is a joint lock or break then the technique is experienced by the player to the point where pressure and position converge to show potential insult to the joint.
2) The play is taught in basic terms
3) The play is refined, assuming correctness of the text and drawings, using Master Fiore’s works as reference to bring the student’s movements to martial efficiency and effectiveness.
At the end of training in a technique, I found myself being able to defend against Brian’s attacks using the plays EXACTLY as drawn and described in the Getty.

Brian Stokes is available through his Schola San Marco at - http://www.scholasanmarco.org/ . He is very interested in hosting seminars in Fiore’s system and I think any club that can afford to transport and house him should consider this gifted teacher and scholar.

Kindest regards,

Mike Barna

Fellow Schola student here:

I've never met Mr. Stokes, but I would look forward to the chance. I am glad you had an enjoyable experience and look forward to doing the same one day!

What is Mr. Stokes' martial art and/or combat sport background?

Hi David,

Started fencing at 15, 2nd All Western Conference in foil and epee in 1975 and 1976. Competed in the fencing competition of the Pan American US pentathalon in 1975. Assistant fencing coach at California State Fullerton under Les Bleamaster, a member of the 1964 U.S. Olympic team. Initiated training in a iai school when I was about 20 for 23 years (while also still fencing), earning my Godan, and then moved to another school where Rokudan and Renshi were awarded. Also during that time period I dabbled in other styles for a while - Mugai Ryu, an off-shoot of the Katori Shinto Ryu, and additionally the Araki Ryu. Started over in 2002 when I was allowed to become a monjin of the Suio Ryu of Iai Kenpo®, one of the oldest extent Koryu of Japan, and have practiced that style as my sole JSA ever since. In early 2003 I started my training in Fiore. All in all, I have been in martial arts for close to (gulp) 40 years, give or take a few.

Hope that helps,

Brian Stokes

Hi David,

I completely understand why the question was asked.

Cheers,

Brian

Hello!

Please consider Mr. Brian Stokes as a source of information on the subject of Fiore's martial teachings via interactive webinars.

Brian has access to some high resolution images of the Getty text as well as his own translations of the text to English. He has put them together in several presentations that are most useful and entirely based on the original texts.

He completely resolved a couple of problems I had been grappling with in the Giocco Stretto using this venue and it worked out well for us both.

It is pretty cool that he would take his time to help out this way.

Brian Stokes - brian @ scholasanmarco.org (take out the spaces before and after the @)

Ciao,

Michael Barna

I would add my sentiments to Michael's comments. Brian is an exceptionally knowledgeable instructor and his presentations are first rate. If you have the chance to study with him at a conference or at his school you will not go wrong.

Great instructor and great guy.

Best
Craig