One of the things that holds back many clubs is the issue of finances. There’s never enough money to do everything you want to do, to buy all the equipment you would like to have, to pay staff as much as they might want or need. So how can you …
Patience and martial arts
It is a well-known statement that patience is a virtue, and it is also quite commonly understood that there is a strong relationship between martial arts and patience. Of course, the practice of martial arts is supposed to help improve your tolerance …
Curating an online community
When we create a Facebook group, or a subreddit on Reddit, or a channel on Discord, or whatever, we are creating an online community. Once we have an online community, we must curate it, by which I mean we need to maintain it and keep it healthy …
Two or more HEMA clubs in the same city
If there are two or more HEMA clubs in the same city, how do you handle this from the point of view of marketing your own club? There is competition for members, so how do you advertise? How do you differentiate your club from the others and how do …
The importance of having a HEMA club website
When you are running a HEMA club, or starting a new group, it is important to have a website for the club. You maybe don’t need one right away, but it should be high on your list of priorities. Having a website for your club will bring significant …
Copyright and the HEMA Community – Part 6: How does sharing copyrighted material hurt authors within our community?
Copyright is a complicated thing. Members of the HEMA community participate in an activity that is inextricably linked with material that may well be copyrighted in some fashion, and therefore it is helpful to understand what copyright is and how it …
Copyright and the HEMA Community – Part 5: What is “fair use” and how far does it extend?
Copyright is a complicated thing. Members of the HEMA community participate in an activity that is inextricably linked with material that may well be copyrighted in some fashion, and therefore it is helpful to understand what copyright is and how it …
Copyright and the HEMA Community – Part 5: What is “fair use” and how far does it extend?Read More
Copyright and the HEMA Community – Part 4: Photos of fencers at events
Copyright is a complicated thing. Members of the HEMA community participate in an activity that is inextricably linked with material that may well be copyrighted in some fashion, and therefore it is helpful to understand what copyright is and how it …
Copyright and the HEMA Community – Part 4: Photos of fencers at eventsRead More
Copyright and the HEMA Community – Part 3: Books that are out of print
Copyright is a complicated thing. Members of the HEMA community participate in an activity that is inextricably linked with material that may well be copyrighted in some fashion, and therefore it is helpful to understand what copyright is and how it …
Copyright and the HEMA Community – Part 3: Books that are out of printRead More
Copyright and the HEMA Community – Part 2: Scans of original sources
Copyright is a complicated thing. Members of the HEMA community participate in an activity that is inextricably linked with material that may well be copyrighted in some fashion, and therefore it is helpful to understand what copyright is and how it …
Copyright and the HEMA Community – Part 2: Scans of original sourcesRead More
Copyright and the HEMA Community – Part 1: What is copyright and how does it work?
Copyright is a complicated thing. Members of the HEMA community participate in an activity that is inextricably linked with material that may well be copyrighted in some fashion, and therefore it is helpful to understand what copyright is and how it …
Copyright and the HEMA Community – Part 1: What is copyright and how does it work?Read More
How to revive a struggling martial arts club
I recently saw an interesting thread on Reddit, asking about how to revive a dying HEMA club. Having been part of a number of different sports clubs over the years, I know that this is quite a common (and unfortunate) situation. With my experience of …
The power of a good soundbite
One of the most powerful things in the world today is a strong, enduring soundbite. A “soundbite” is a short phrase that can be repeated again and again, that can be used to summarise a position or campaign or belief, and can even to some extent be a …
The importance of supporting your small local business (and your club)
Any small and local business can thrive when given the appropriate support and custom from the local community. The principal competition of local businesses is not other small, local businesses, but it is large companies that can afford to undercut …
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An observation about the value of information
It may sound like I am stating the obvious when I say that the value of information is different to different people, and for different purposes. However, far from being a damning verdict upon society, I see this as a mark of just how special and …
Turning hobbies into paid work
I recently read quite an interesting article about the trap of turning hobbies into hustles. As someone who has turned several hobbies into businesses over the years, I can identify with quite a lot of the sentiment in the article. However, I do …
The experience of running a full-time HEMA school in Glasgow
Although I’m currently based in Liverpool, I am responsible for all the paperwork and business admin for a full-time training centre that teaches HEMA in Glasgow, as well as offering archery and blacksmithing activities. The Vanguard Centre is …
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How I keep fit while working from home
I am often asked how I manage to keep fit while working from home. I am also often asked what I do to train myself to do HEMA better. It is the same answer to both of these questions! Hopefully by sharing my thoughts and approach, it will help other …
Some thoughts on corporate sponsorship for the development of the HEMA community
Recently there was a Facebook discussion about corporate sponsorship for individuals in the HEMA community, which was quite an interesting topic. James Conlon posted the following question: "Inside the world of Longsword Fighting" by The New York …
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Book Review: Sport and Physical Education in the Middle Ages
This article was originally posted on Encased in Steel on 4th March 2016. It has been modified for reposting here. A while ago, I bought what promised to be a fascinating book with great relevance to the study of historical fencing: Sport and …
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