PAST SEMINARS
"The Iberian Whirlwind: An Introduction to the Montante"
by Hugo Day and Njall Prince
"The Iberian Whirlwind" serves as an intorduction to the use of the Montante, a large two handed sword which originates from what was the Iberian ​​Peninsula.
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Over the course of 2 hours, the seminar covers the basic principles of the Montante and how to apply these to particular scenarios as detailed in "Memorial da Prattica do Montante" or "Memorial of the Practice of the Montante" by Dioges Gomez de Figueyredo (1651).
Some example situations that are explored during the seminar are the use of the Montante while boarding a ship, separating two groups of fighters in both narrow and wide streets and also protecting a precious item against four assailants.​
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"The Colonels Method: A Discourse on 1870's Self Defense"
-by Njall Prince
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"The Colonels Method" is based off of a series of newspaper articles written by Colonel Thomas Hoyer Monstery (1870).
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Within these articles, Monstery outlined a simple and effective method of self defence which was designed to be easy to pick up for both men and women of his time. The techniques he presents are based on his own study of boxing (learned from an unnamed German tutor), fencing and practical combat experience gained from a career in the military and a life of serial misadventure.
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The seminar introduced the systems method of striking, parrying, voiding and also how to escape the common form of grappling known as "chancery" (a headlock, in todays terminology).
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The Colonels method also covers how to deal with other popular forms of fighting of the time such as Savate, common boxers, Welsh kickers, Navvie purring and African headbutting.
"Put The Boot In: Self Defence in Turn of the Century Paris"
-by Robin Hersom
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"Put The Boot In" introduced students to the system of self defence outlined by Parisian Emile André in his book "L'art de se defendre dans la rue avec armes ou sans armes" or "The Art of Defence in the Street with or without Weapons" (1929, from material originally published in two volumes in 1905).
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Written for the high society of Paris, who were at the time gripped with fear from 'les Apaches' (criminal street gangs), the system presents a simplified collection of techniques that can be learned and mastered relatively quickly to fend off assault and outrage. It combines the striking methods of la boxe Française (English boxing and French savate kicking) with the grappling techniques of la lutte Parisienne (Parisian wrestling). The later pages also include methods of fighting with the cane, staff, knife, swordstick and revolver.
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The seminar introduced the André's striking techniques, along with the appropriate defences against them, as well as several of the 'torsions' or arm locks included in the lutte section of the book. The seminar concluded with a demonstration of some of the specific defences against common forms of night attacks used by les Apaches.
