This first Tntroduction to Test Cutting is by invite only.  You have learned to use your longsword in solo and paired scenarios. Perhaps you have competed in a tournament or other competition. You know how to use it and to cut, right? Now is the time to find out. Test Cutting is a calibration and validation tool. It will let you see how good your technique really is. In this class we will cover the mechanics of test cutting and give you a chance to validate your own technique. What you need: Longswords are provided although you are encouraged to bring your Feder as well. Tatami Mats are $10 each and are the ony cost for this event. A minimum of 4 mats are recommended. Please specify in advance how many you wish to purchase.

Youth Dussack Course This class is designed for children ages 12 to 16 and teaches them the fundamental aspects of fencing with the Dussack, a traditional weapon of the Renaissance Era Germanies. This will be a 6 week course during which time students will learn the Primary Guards of the German System, basic attacks and defense, footwork, stance, and the tactical elements of fencing. Students are will participate in a variety of solo drills and paired work with instructors while learning about the history of fencing in the Germanies.  Class Dates: Thursdays from 5 to 6pm.  October 13 October 20 October 27 November 3 November 10 November 17 Price: $100 for the 6 week course. All equipment needed will be provided. Students wishing to purchase and use their own Dussack will receive a 15% discount on the course. 

WHAT Fechtschule Sacramento is a public gathering for the display of skill and control with the Dussack and Longsword. The Dussack Tournament is hosted in conjunction with the Davis Historical Fencing Club and is suited for beginner and intermediate Dussack fencers. Synthetic Dussacks from Purple Heart Armory will be provided for competitors in this event. The Longsword Tournament is hosted with support from the Meyer Freifechter Guild Region VI. This event is an open steel tournament and fencers will be expected to provide their own federschwert from approved suppliers. Blunt steel longswords are not appropriate for this event.  WHERE & WHEN Date : Saturday, 24 September 2016 Location: Sacramento Turn Verein,  3349 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95816 Schedule: Pending. The event will run from approximately 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. with an awards ceremony and competitors dinner to follow. Exact details and time lines will depend on the number of competitors in each event.  HOW MUCH Both Events: - HEMA Alliance Member, $40 ($30 for the first event, $10 for the second, Awards Dinner Included) - Non-Alliance members $50 ($35 for the first event, $15 for the second, Awards Dinner included) Single Event: - HEMA Alliance Member, $30 (Awards Dinner NOT INCLUDED, must purchase separately) - Non-Alliance members $35 (Awards Dinner NOT INCLUDED, must purchase separately) Awards Dinner: - Guests, $10 - Competitors competing in only a Single Event, $10 Spectators: - FREE Pre-registration will close September 10th. After 9/10/16 tickets will only be available by contacting the Sacramento Freifechter directly. Food and Drinks will be available for sale throughout the tournament. Competitors are barred from the consumption of alcohol before or during the event.  FECHTSCHULE SACRAMENTO - TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW LONGSWORD We will be using the rules recently run at Fechtschule New York which are affectionately known as the KnifePoint Rules. DUSSACK The Dussack Tournament will be run under the same rule set as long as at least 12 people are competing.  THE KNIFEPOINT RULES FORMAT Fencer's will be grouped into pools of ideally 8. There will be 2 rounds of Pool Matches, followed by the Elimination Rounds. Each fencer will have a number of lives determined by the size of the pools. - When you win a fight, you score a point. - When you lose a fight, you lose a life. - If you Double in a fight, you lose a life. - When you are out of lives, you are out of the tournament. After the first 2 rounds of pools fencers will be sorted into 3 groups based upon their number of wins. These 3 pools will represent the Novice, Intermediate and Experienced fencers. Each group will then fight until they run out of lives. The last man standing in each group wins their pool. Each pool will have 4 Corner Judges and 1 Referee. The Judges will be made up from fencers in the pool and Meyer Freifechter Guild Members who are not competing. The top 3 fighters from the Experienced pool and the top fighter from the Novice and Intermediate pools will all receive awards and recognition. SCORING All targets, except for Hands are valid. Intentional attacks to the Back of the Head and Spine are prohibited and a warning may be issued by the Referee for use of excessive force. The First Warning is a verbal notification. The Second Warning will result in the loss of 1 life. The Third Warning will result in expulsion from the tournament.  All valid targets score the same. There is no point difference. All fights between fencers will be for one "clean" exchange. If there is a debate or question between Judges about the outcome of the fight, it will be thrown out by the Referee and the match will be fought again. Combat does not end after a strike until the attacker has completed their withdrawal or the referee breaks up the fight. HIGHEST “BLEEDING” HEAD WOUND RULE This applies in the case of a Double (simultaneous successful strikes from both fencers) or Afterblow (a successful counterstrike that follows immediately after the opponent’s successful initial strike) situation. Any strike that falls below the head may be negated by a strike to the opponent's head. The order of strikes does not matter. In the event this occurs: - The person struck on the head will be counted as a loss. - The person who delivered the blow will not receive a point for a win, but neither will they lose a life. Gear Requirements Dussack Head = Head protection must cover the entire face and front of the throat for drilling and slow sparring, and the entire head and front of the throat must be covered in competitive sparring. It must be sturdy enough to withstand impacts. There should be no gaps in coverage that would allow a thrust or strike to the face. Throat = A covering to protect the throat. Torso = Clothing to cover the body. (Padded gear is unnecessary.) Groin = An internal or external cup. Elbow = Hard elbow covering to protect the joints. Hands = Sturdy gloves or gauntlets must be used to protect the hands and wrists. Gloves must include protection on the sides and tips of the fingers sufficient to resist hard strikes from steel or synthetic weapons. An un-supplemented lacrosse glove is not sufficient. Steel Gauntlets need additional interior padding of some sort. A mechanic’s-style glove has minimal padding and when used inside a metal gauntlet would not be sufficient. Most HEMA-dedicated synthetic gloves or gauntlets, such as Sparring Gloves and Black Lance, are adequate. Finger breaks and hand injuries are the most common and organizers should be conscientious of these risks. Legs = Hard knee covering to protect the joints. Feet = Covering of some sort. Trainer = The trainer must be free of splinters or burs. The tip must not come to a point. Edges must be blunt or blunted. (These are provided by the Tournament). Longsword Head = Head protection must cover the entire head and front of the throat must be covered in competitive sparring. It must be sturdy enough to withstand impacts. There should be no gaps in coverage that would allow a thrust or strike to the face. Throat = A covering to protect the throat. Torso = Clothing to cover the body. Clothing should be puncture resistant, or three layers.   Groin = An internal or external cup. Elbow = Hard elbow covering to protect the joints. Hands = Sturdy gloves or gauntlets must be used to protect the hands and wrists. Gloves must include protection on the sides and tips of the fingers sufficient to resist hard strikes from steel or synthetic weapons. An un-supplemented lacrosse glove is not sufficient. Steel Gauntlets need additional interior padding of some sort, however a mechanic’s glove has minimal padding and when used inside a metal gauntlet would not be sufficient. Most HEMA-dedicated synthetic gloves or gauntlets, such as Sparring Gloves and Black Lance, are adequate. Finger breaks and hand injuries are the most common and organizers should be conscientious of this. Legs = Hard knee covering to protect the joints. Feet = Covering of some sort. Trainer = The trainer must be free of splinters or burs. The tip must not come to a point. Edges must be blunt or blunted. (Federschwert only, no blunt longswords. These are to be supplied by the competitors.)

By popular demand this Sunday we are doing an introductory class on Quarterstaff. For this class you will need to BYOQ, Bring your own quarterstaff.  Your staff should be about 1.25 inches in diameter and about 7 feet long. Lowes sells poplar dowels that will work for about $15. You will want to select the straightest pole possible with no joins or large knots in it.  See you there!

The Meyer Freifechter Guild gather together to celebrate the Art of fencing with fellowship, study, and steel. WHAT IS IT? 4th Annual Meyer Symposium Three days of Meyer-focused classes, fencing, Fechter testing, fellowship, and fechtschule! WHEN? Arrival on the evening of the 9th of June Classes 10 June-11 June We will get feisty on Friday (dusack, dagger, grappling) Fechter Eval Saturday (and more classes) Fechtschule 12 June

Federschwert Order Castille Armory, located in Medford Oregon, is our recommended vendor for entry level steel Federschwert. The Federschwert or Feder is a type of training sword originally used in Fechtschulen (fencing competitions) of the German Renaissance. The type has existed since at least the 15th century, but it came to be widely used as a standard training weapon in the 16th century, shown extensively in the fighting manuals of the time, particularly those of Paulus Hector Mair and Joachim Meyer, and it remained in use in such Fechtschulen well into the 17th, and in some cases for much of the 18th century. The sword consists of a thin, rounded blade with a large ricasso or Schilt and a heavy hilt and pommel. Because of this, it has the same weight and center of balance as a real sword, and handles identically. This construction also has the effect of moving the sword's center of percussion to a theoretical point beyond its tip. Modern production of Feder has been revived in the 21st century for use as sparring weapons and for competition in the context of the HEMA. Federschwert Styles Castille Armory produces Federschwerts in a variety of styles. All are appropriate for the study of HEMA and all prices include shipping.  Sacramento Freifechter Federschwert The Sacramento Freifechter Federschwert takes the "Sanborn" model and extends the blade to 39 inches while reducing the grip to 11 inches. This model closely resembles the dimensions of other popular federschwerts being used through the world by HEMA practicioners and is the recommended model for the Sacramento Freifechter. $325.00 The "Sanborn" This is the model developed by Dimitri Sanborn. It has a thinner grip than the standard feder and a cruciform crossguard with no side rings. More nimble than the standard feder it comes with the loss of protection offered by the dual rings. $310.00 Castille Standard Feder Castille's Standard Feder comes with a 37 inch blade, 12 inch grip, scent stopper pommel and dual ring crossguard. It is the least expensive model and very safe for beginners. However some people feel that the handle is longer than necessary or that the ring's get in the way of their hands.  $300.00

This event is being rescheduled. Our appologies for the late notice but changes in our agreement with the facility have made hosting this event impossible at this time. We will have an updated date soon.    Region VI of the Meyer Freifechter Guild will be having a summer gathering and open mat event. This event is open to all members of the MFFG and HEMA practitioners.  Fechtschule With ample room for combat fencers will be able to compete against all willing opponents using their weapon of choice. After each fight the fencers will decide who the winner was, if no decision is reached the match will be considered a draw. Reported wins will be tallied and a victor declared at the end of the event.  Please note that this is not a tournament and judging of victory is completely up to the fencers.  Fechter Exam For members of the MFFG this will be an opportunity to take your Fechter exam. The Fechter exam is a competency test showing that you have a good foundational understanding of Joachim Meyer and his system. The test includes both an oral examination and a demonstration of skills component. Examinees will also be expected to fence any challengers. Cost and Location Cost: $10 for fencers MFFG Region VI members and Spectators are free.  Location: Sacred City Warehouse 1501 N C St, Sacramento, CA 95811  

The Sacramento Freifechter will be teaching the military arts of Joachim Meyer at Carnevale Fantasctico. This event is being held in Vallejo, CA and celebrates the arts and culture of the Italian Renaissace.  Come out to the faire and get a free private lesson in the Longsword, Dussack or Sidesword! We will be near the Medici court providing training the most popular martial weapons of the day.     

We are making our quarterly order with Superior Fencing. They are an equipment producer making HEMA gear similar to what is produced by SPES. If you would like to order please sign up for this event. Money for equipment will be due in approximately 1 month. You may use the ticket option to indicate which peices of gear you are intending to purchase. Prices for gear are as follows: APRIL JACKET ORDER QUERY + $40 /each person, Shipping 1. Standard Jacket 100$ 2. Standard Jacket w/Patch 110$ 3. Ventilated Jacket 120$ 4. Ventilated Jacket w/Patch 120$ 5. Pants 45$ 6. Bag 30$ 7. Forearm Protector, Standard 30$ 8. Forearm Protector, Color 30$ (no extra charge) Please note that shipping prices are the same regardless of the number of pieces ordered. The Jackets and Pants are the main items recommended for purchase. Sizing Info: Please note that the sizing information for women is off by one size so order one size up. For example: Shelby shows as a Small on the chart so she should order a Medium instead.

The Tosetti Institute is hosting a HEMA Tournament consisting of a Longsword division and also a Sidesword & Secondary Weapon division. We will be using a modified version of Nordic League rules. The allowable off hand weapons for the Sidesword & Secondary Weapon division will be:  - Buckler - Rotella - Cloak - Dagger Once you register, you will receive a confirmation email within 48 hours. Please note that is is NOT a Sacramento Freifechter event. It is being hosted by the Tosetti Institute of MMA & Fitness.  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hema-tournament-tickets-21533932572

Federschwert Order Castille Armory, located in Medford Oregon, is our recommended vendor for entry level steel Federschwert. The Federschwert or Feder is a type of training sword originally used in Fechtschulen (fencing competitions) of the German Renaissance. The type has existed since at least the 15th century, but it came to be widely used as a standard training weapon in the 16th century, shown extensively in the fighting manuals of the time, particularly those of Paulus Hector Mair and Joachim Meyer, and it remained in use in such Fechtschulen well into the 17th, and in some cases for much of the 18th century. The sword consists of a thin, rounded blade with a large ricasso or Schilt and a heavy hilt and pommel. Because of this, it has the same weight and center of balance as a real sword, and handles identically. This construction also has the effect of moving the sword's center of percussion to a theoretical point beyond its tip. Modern production of Feder has been revived in the 21st century for use as sparring weapons and for competition in the context of the HEMA. We will be placing a group order roughly every 3 months with Castille Armory. In the event that we have at least 5 swords ordered you will be credited 10% of the purchase price towards your Sacramento Freifechter Membership. Federschwert Styles Castille Armory produces Federschwerts in a variety of styles. All are appropriate for the study of HEMA.  Castille Standard Feder Castille's Standard Feder comes with a 37 inch blade, 12 inch grip, scent stopper pommel and dual ring crossguard. It is the least expensive model and very safe for beginners. However some people feel that the handle is longer than necessary or that the ring's get in the way of their hands.  $300.00 + $10 shipping The "Sanborn" This is the model developed by Dimitri. It has a thinner grip than the standard feder and a cruciform crossguard with no side rings. More nimble than the standard feder it comes with the loss of protection offered by the dual rings. $309.00 + $10 shipping Sacramento Freifechter Federschwert The Sacramento Freifechter Federschwert takes the "Sanborn" model and extends the blade to 39 inches while reducing the grip to 11 inches. This model closely resembles the dimensions of other popular federschwerts being used through the world by HEMA practicioners. $325.00 + $10 shipping

Want to get in shape? Looking for a unique and intersting physical activity combining the benefits of HIIT work outs with the use of large and impressive swords? Love history and wish you had been a knight in shining armor?  The study of Historical Fencing is a great way to get in shape. Learn to use a Longsword like they did in Europe during the Renaissance. Our 6 week introductory course will take you through the fundamental aspects of Historical Fencing. You will learn how to lay waste to your enemies and impress your friends. Or at the very least you will be given the opportunity to begin learning to do so.  You will learn: The history of fencing How to properly attack with a Longsword How to defend yourself from attack Movement and footwork Strategy and tactics Come out and try your hand at an ancient art that is rapidly gaining popularity in the United States and the World. Don't believe me? Maybe this movie will change your mind.  Details $50 for 1 person, $75 for 2 family members.  Includes: Introductory course in the German Longsword Course length: 6 weeks Class length: 2 hours per week. Equipment provided, simply wear clothes you are comfortable sweating in.