Learn to defend yourself with a sabre against polearms while looking absolutely dashing!
Weapon: Sabre
Source: C. Roworth, T. Mathewson, H. C. Angelo, J. M. Waite
An encounter with a pole weapon in close combat can be a dangerous and intimidating experience for any swordsperson. Therefore, many military fencing manuals of the Napoleonic period and thereafter taught how to counter polearms, most often the musket/rifle and bayonet but also other types of pole weapons.
Learn to defend yourself with the military sabre against an opponent wielding a polearm and explore a lesser-known aspect of 19th century military sabre fencing! The workshop will teach you relevant techniques while focusing on body mechanics in a fun and engaging way.
Skill level of Participants: All skill levels
Needed Equipment: Sabre or similar (nylon/steel); about 10 pairs of nylon sabres and wooden staffs will be provided.
Fencing mask and medium gloves required, full sparring gear recommended.
About the trainer – Peter Gspandl-Pataki
Peter has been training HEMA since 2016 and is the main sabre instructor at INDES Graz, Austria. His first interest was the longsword, however, his main focus shifted to sabre quickly. He has been learning about and teaching British military fencing with the sabre, broadsword and spadroon in the tradition of Charles Roworth and Henry Charles Angelo ever since.
Apart from running a weekly sabre class, Peter also explores bayonet and smallsword fencing to gain a deeper martial understanding of the period. His focus for the past two years has been the interplay between these contemporary weapons and their application in melee-based scenarios outside of the traditional 1-on-1 setting. Peter also promotes sabre fencing on his YouTube channel History & Sabre.
