Does anyone here study any arts that are NOT Asian/Pacific? More specifically, European arts? I would like to learn and study other arts as it was an Italian Renaissance martial art that first taught me.

Also, I would really love to spar, but are there places, clubs, or dojos that allow anyone from any art to practice together or compete? As I see it, most places only allow the art they teach. I would feel awkward walking into a place marked "KARATE" and say, "Hey! I know an Italian martial art that nobody knows about! Can I spar with you?"

firmbeliever

Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts (AEMMA)
The Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts or AEMMA (pronounced "ehma"), is a historical European martial arts school focused on the research, reconstruction and resurrection of authentic medieval martial arts of all fighting styles (armed, unarmed, armoured and unarmoured), firmly based on the works of the late 14th century Friulian swordsmaster by the name of Fiore dei Liberi, demonstrating the deadly practicality and effectiveness of the art as it applies to today's personal self-defense.

AEMMA was initially created in May of 1998 in Toronto and under the laws of Ontario's Corporations Act and the Regulations of the Ministry of the Attorney General, was incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation (NPO Corporation Number: 1468524) in May 28, 2001. It has as its mission:
"The mission of AEMMA is to resurrect the combat skills, philosophies and principles of an accomplished European Medieval martial artist and to achieve a state which would be consistent with that of a medieval warrior in both technology and ideal."
What this means is that AEMMA is dedicated to the research and study, reconstruction and practice of early period martial arts in all aspects with respect to arms and armour, technical skills, combative theory and the relevant philosophies and principles as they relate to these fighting arts. In order to satisfy this mission, AEMMA has these goals:
to research and study historical sources in the form of treatises, manuscripts, illuminations, etc. as well as the physical examination of other artifacts such as historical arms and armour accessed through the museums, in order to facilitate accurately resurrecting and reconstructing historical European/Western medieval martial arts to the best of our abilities;

to provide a training environment to permit the application of the research into practice and their later inclusion into the relevant training programs, and to enable the instruction and training of these fighting arts in order to develop the student's personal defensive and offensive skills based on this research.
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European Martial Arts: Alive & Well
Historical European Martial Arts:
Alive and Well
by David M. Cvet

About the author: David M. Cvet is the Founder and President of the Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts (AEMMA)
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Colonel Young

How is AEMMA related to Scholastic St. George? I've seen and heard of AEMMA, and I think that is exactly where my teacher came from. He started studying the art in the late 80's, and eventually took on the art himself. When the actual texts of the art Fiore were discovered (nicknamed after the man who devised it), he had already learned much of it, but could now translate the document to learn more and help teach others. I was one such a person.

Oh, P.S.

Nice name and signature.

firmbeliever

Hey ColonelY,

I really have no idea how those two are related, as I am not really into Martial arts,but as I searched for European martial arts I found the site and thought it would help you in your search.
Heres another link that might interest you.

http://www.answers.com/topic/histori...n-martial-arts

Thanks, name and signature are all my own..

Colonel Young

Bleh. Doesn't mention Fiore. I recognize a lot of other names though.

I'm still as yet to find out if there are any organizations, etc. that allows sparring from all arts, Euorpean, Asian, or otherwise. The area I live in pretty much as it all. There's very little (if anything) we don't.

firmbeliever

Fiore dei Liberi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Swordplay & Western Martial Arts Resources

Wondergirl

Fiore is in Wikipedia.

There are journals of European martial arts: Journal of Western Martial Art and Western Martial Arts Illustrated magazine.

Your public library should be able to get entire issues or at least copies of articles for you--and maybe even have a journal database from which you or they can download any article that interests you.

Here's an article: http://www.historicalfencing.org/Ken's_library/pages/WMAW.htm

Ask the reference librarian to check the index of Encyclopedia of Associations. In that might be information about clubs and groups that work together to do these styles of martial arts. In the Encyclopedia of Associations, there may be contact phone numbers or email addresses to answer your questions.

Colonel Young

Oh, I know what Fiore is... I practice it.

The reference made to Fiore was not found in the Wikipedia article first given by firmbeliever (historical European martial arts). I am simply disappointed every time I see Fiore excluded in articles like that.

While the Journal of Western Arts looks interesting, it also appears discontinued. The WMA, on the other hand, I recognize a lot of things in there. The names in bold on the home page... I missed my chance meeting them all in person.

But that's still "Western Martial Arts". I want an "All Martial Arts". Something that will have locations that I can walk in or talk with others that would include anyone and everyone from around the globe.

A club/place/something where an English Broadsword clashes in a spar with a Samurai Sword. An ancient Egyptian text on battlefield hand-to-hand combat is tested against an Arabian self defense instructional text. Groups form one side: a small Roman legion is pitted against a few rows of pikemen. An English sword and buckler finds themselves at ends with a Persian shamshir. A flimsy fencing sword is weilded by a quick-footed fencer who faces a powerful weightlifter swinging a spiked mace.

I mean, you get the idea.