[Chuck Wyatt]

For the last 3 years members of MEMAG (Medieval European Martial arts Guild) , NYHFA (New York Historical Fencing Association) and VAF (Virginia Academy of Fencing) have gotten together annually to review techniques, training methodologies and areas of study that each school has taken on over the last few years. This year we would like to open the event to all who can come. Our focus will be on BIG SWORDS with classes by Steve Hick and Steven Reich on Montante and Spadone. Michael Edelson will conduct a Demo/lecture on cutting mechanics and how it can improve your personal performance. After classes everyone is encouraged to participate in free play (rules will be announced at the event), sharing interpretations, discussing sources, etc.... Afterward dinner is at Red Hot and Blue http://redhotandblue.com/ . Come on down and enjoy!

The event is limited to 30 people. To reserve a spot please email weedhoe@gmail.com or contact Chuck Wyatt via Facebook
View event details on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=145639228784912

Details:
Date: Oct. 23rd Rain or shine.
Location: Cooper River Park: ½ mile past Parkway Golf on Park Boulevard. (Behind the Subaru Plaza)
Type “Parkway Golf, Park Boulevard Cherry Hill, NJ 08002” on Google maps for directions from your location
Parkway Golf # (856) 665-0505

Time: 11 am – 5pm for the park then Red Hot and Blue’s following immediately after wards.

Price: free (dinner and drink at Red Hot and Blue’s is pay for your self).

The cut off date for reserving a spot is the 1st of September. If you are attending the event but not staying for Dinner please let me know so I can get a head count for dinner reservations.

Scheduled Classes:
Steven Hick from Bumpers and Steven Reich from Order of the Seven Hearts: Intro to Spadone and Montante. (Mask and Spadone, Montante or Long Sword simulator are required for the class.)

Michael Edelson from The New York Historical Fencing Association (NYHFA): Cutting Mechanics Demo. (Participants wishing to cut after the demo will need to bring their own sharp sword and Cutting mats. Mats can be bought here http://www.bugei.com/category_5.htm. See below for directions of prepping the Wara for cutting)


Prepping the Wara for cutting:
Lay the Bugei Wara flat and fold one edge back half way -as if you are folding a letter into an envelope. Then put something heavy on the end that is folded back - like a 5-gallon water bottle.

From the other end, start rolling it up, pulling the mat back as you roll to keep the overall rolls snug. When finished rolling it up use rubber bands up and down the length of the mat. Use about 5 rubber bands (size 64 rubber band) total on one mat.

After rolling, soak them for about a day and half. Let drain for about an hour before cutting.

[Chuck Wyatt]

The 3rd annual MEMAG/NYHFA/VAF New Jersey Meetup (hopefully next year I will think of a better name) was held this past Saturday. For those who couldn’t make it, here is a review along with thanks to the instructors who donated their time to make the event happen.

Day started with Bill Grandy showing his work with the messer from Codex Wallerstein and the Glasgow fechtbuch. For some, this was their first experience with the messer and new messer addicts are born! Thanks to Bill Grandy and VAF for showing us the messer.

Next were Steve Hicks from Bumpers and Steve Reich from Order of the Seven Hearts showing us the basics to the Montante. Thank you both for coming down, working with us and giving out a near book size handout. This was very gracious of you. I can still feel it in my shoulders.

Finally Michael Edelson and the rest of NYHFA concluded the instructional part of the day with a cutting mechanics tutorial. Michael went into detail on body mechanics for a cut with a long sword and on how to examine the tatami after your cut it. Showing the group just because you can cut with a sword doesn’t mean you know how to cut properly with a sword. The day ended with some free play and dinner at Red Hot and Blue.

Every year this mini event gets better and better. I can’t wait to see what next year brings.
Thanks to all for coming down to train and for teaching.

Chuck

[Michael Edelson]

I had a blast! This event, to me, is about seeing good friends that unfortunately live too far away to be a part of my life on a regular basis and sharing something I love with them and others. If I ever win the mega millions jackpot I will buy a small island and build hema houses for all of you guys so we can all live there with our families and farm coconuts.

If anyone who attended the event wants a copy of the handout from our cutting presentation it's available on our website:

http://www.newyorklongsword.com/articles.html

Thank you Chuck (and Chuck's wife!) for planning this. You're awesome. And bald. But no one is perfect.

[Tim Hall]

Thanks Chuck for hosting this and for inviting me. I had a great time, and as long as M.E.M.A.G., NYHFA, and VAF continue to do these meet ups, I will continue to come.

Thank you to Bill Grandy, David Rowe, Steven Hick, Steven Reich, and Mike Edelson for the classes/presentations. I really enjoyed them all!

It was nice meeting and re-meeting everyone on saturday, and I definitely see you all again.

[Steven Reich]

For those of you who are interested, the handout for the Spadone/Montante class that Stephen Hick and I taught is available on the Extracts Page of the NoVA-Assalto site here.

Steve

[Michael Edelson]

I made a video of some highlights from our cutting presentation/demo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hmw3qec3ATo

Thank you very much to everyone who watched for your patience and I hope you got something out of it.