Free Rapier Beginner’s Course
Get started training rapier fencing with this free beginner's class!
The rapier is a glorious weapon from the most romantic age, and chief among its exponents was the legendary Ridolfo Capoferro, who wrote his "Great Representation of the Art and Use of Fencing" in 1610.
This free class is the first session from the Complete Rapier Course, and will get you started. On the rest of the course you will learn his style of swordsmanship from the ground up, starting with basic actions of the body and the sword, and gradually progressing through the system until you are proficient with the sword alone, and with the sword and dagger together. We also cover sword and cape!
You are not alone: course participants are encouraged to video their progress in 'challenges' at the end of the classes, and share that video with Guy, and (if you like) with the rest of the students, for helpful feedback.
At the end of the course you will be able to fence well with the sword alone, with the sword and dagger, and have all the necessary tools to become proficient with any off-hand weapon (cape, rotella, etc.) and to create your own interpretation of this rapier source, and any other that may be available in a language you can read.
“As someone who never had martial arts training I found the videos very useful. The instructions are very detailed and help me a lot in understanding body mechanics. Most importantly, you cover all the basics that a beginner needs to know, and that's very important.” (referring to several other of my courses she has taken)
- Riri Nitihardjo, Jakarta, Indonesia
Your Instructor
I have been training martial arts for 30 years, and teaching swordsmanship professionally since I founded The School of European Swordsmanship in 2001. The School has branches and study groups all over the world, so I have taught thousands of students, from all sorts of backgrounds and cultures. My books include The Swordsman’s Companion, The Duellist’s Companion, The Medieval Dagger, The Medieval Longsword, The Theory and Practice of Historical Martial Arts, and The Swordsman's Quick Guide series of ebooks along with many others. It's my job to help you achieve your goals. I do this by teaching in person, through my books, and through these online courses.
Course Curriculum
Frequently Asked Questions
Thank you for reading this far. If you have any queries, don't hesitate to get in touch! You can email me at [email protected]