Shreddy Mercury
Well-known member
Several years ago, I earned my sandan with my teacher in Japanese jujutsu. He eventually gave it up due to age and health and passed the school on to me, but I rarely get people interested in classes since everyone has a boner for MMA/BJJ, or they're pussies and just want to take stripmall taekwondo but think they're tough because they're training. Anywho, the closest people in my style I can train with are about 3 hours south and my schedule doesn't really allow me to just run down there and train and learn more.
Several months ago I decided I wanted to try out HEMA and found a local group. I went and checked it out for a few weeks, but it's apparent that HEMA has been taken over by the blue hairs in their quest to become more inclusive. I think it falls back to the type of people that want to think they're tough by training in a martial art, and this is so close to renn faire types and activities that it's just natural for them and their tranny buddies to join these types of groups. I could somewhat look past that, but any amount of "it's too cold, or it's too hot, or it just rained yesterday" and they cancelled class. I trained in scorching heat in a gi thick enough to stop bullets, bitter cold in bare feet, in the rain and mud, and was repeatedly slammed into the ground for years and put in all manner of painful joint locks, chokes, and hit with sticks and I kept going. I have trouble respecting someone who calls class because it's a little hot, or cold, or wet. I could even HALFWAY look past that, but most every one of these people just seem like they foam at the mouth all week waiting for the chance to come to class but unfortunately have to endure the first hour of class where it's actual martial technique training so they can put on their gear and beat each other with training swords with terrible technique. There was enough there that I didn't agree with that I left that group and haven't been back.
I found another group, one that's actually a branch of a national association. Unfortunately, most of them seem to be larp'ers that go all out on the outfits, come up with character names and fictional names for their branch and the kingdom they're a part of, make up techniques for their sparring, etc....but they teach crafts so you can find people there that can actually make armor and clothes, cook medieval meals, etc, so I may go check them out. Plus, there may be some cute medieval ladies there, red flags and all.
Anyways, now I have the training longsword, the manual of the Italian master from the 15th century I want to study, a fencing mask, looking for protective gear, and some medieval style clothes on the way I can wear for solo training. Wish me luck in my endeavor to find someone local that knows the actual techniques that can work with me on them, or someone of like mind that wants to learn the martial side and not the "only sparring" side.
Several months ago I decided I wanted to try out HEMA and found a local group. I went and checked it out for a few weeks, but it's apparent that HEMA has been taken over by the blue hairs in their quest to become more inclusive. I think it falls back to the type of people that want to think they're tough by training in a martial art, and this is so close to renn faire types and activities that it's just natural for them and their tranny buddies to join these types of groups. I could somewhat look past that, but any amount of "it's too cold, or it's too hot, or it just rained yesterday" and they cancelled class. I trained in scorching heat in a gi thick enough to stop bullets, bitter cold in bare feet, in the rain and mud, and was repeatedly slammed into the ground for years and put in all manner of painful joint locks, chokes, and hit with sticks and I kept going. I have trouble respecting someone who calls class because it's a little hot, or cold, or wet. I could even HALFWAY look past that, but most every one of these people just seem like they foam at the mouth all week waiting for the chance to come to class but unfortunately have to endure the first hour of class where it's actual martial technique training so they can put on their gear and beat each other with training swords with terrible technique. There was enough there that I didn't agree with that I left that group and haven't been back.
I found another group, one that's actually a branch of a national association. Unfortunately, most of them seem to be larp'ers that go all out on the outfits, come up with character names and fictional names for their branch and the kingdom they're a part of, make up techniques for their sparring, etc....but they teach crafts so you can find people there that can actually make armor and clothes, cook medieval meals, etc, so I may go check them out. Plus, there may be some cute medieval ladies there, red flags and all.
Anyways, now I have the training longsword, the manual of the Italian master from the 15th century I want to study, a fencing mask, looking for protective gear, and some medieval style clothes on the way I can wear for solo training. Wish me luck in my endeavor to find someone local that knows the actual techniques that can work with me on them, or someone of like mind that wants to learn the martial side and not the "only sparring" side.
