News

December classes and coronavirus notice

December classes

There are no classes on independence day December 6th and between 24 December 2021 and 1 January 2022.

Coronavirus situation

Authorities have set new restrictions on sports, effective 4-31 December 2021. It is mandatory, that there is enough room to avoid physical contact.

SHMS board has decided to place the following restrictions, effective untill 31 December:

  • Classes are limited to 20 persons. If the limit is reached, those enrolled in advance via MyClub have the right of way.
  • Cleaning of surfaces and loaner gear is enhanced.
  • To avoid close contact, wrestling and dagger are prohibited. Other techniques that require close contact are prohibited also.
  • Minimize your stay indoors

SHMS will not require COVID-19 passport yet. The board will monitor the development of the situation.

It is recommended to

  • Wear a face mask
  • Stay home if you have been exposed to covid or have any symptoms of illness
  • Follow general guidlines for hand hygiene

The art of single-handed swords

Guy Windsor will teach a 5 hour system-agnostic single-handed swords seminar on Sunday 21 November, 2021 at 11-17. The seminar will focus on their universal attributes (point control, use of the thrust, footwork etc). Content translates to a variety of one handed weapons, including sabre, rapier and smallsword. The seminar is suitable for beginners and more experienced fencers alike. Teaching is in English.

Time: Jakomäki Salle 21 November, 2021 at 11-17. There will be one hour lunch break.

Location: SHMS salle in Jakomäki, Luiskatie 8, Helsinki

Price: 60€ (50€ for members)

Payment: due by 15.11., account number FI53 1015 3000 2149 03 / SHMS ry – please use the reference “seminaari” when paying. 

In Edenred, Smartum, ePassi or Eazybreak, direct payments to Suomen Historiallisen miekkailun seura. Please send a receipt of payment by email if you pay with sport vouchers.

Sign up: info@miekkakoulu.fi

The number of participants is limited. 

Equipment: SHMS has some swords and fencing masks to loan, but bringing your own equipment is advised.

About Guy Windsor

Guy Windsor teaches medieval and Renaissance Italian martial arts and has a PhD in recreating historical martial arts. He founded The School of European Swordsmanship in 2001 and has been teaching professionally ever since. He has published numerous books on historical martial arts and runs a popular podcast called The Sword Guy. – Find out more at guywindsor.net/.

Site renovation

We have renovated the SHMS website to be easier to maintain and hopefully also a bit less confusing. We also removed a bunch of out-of-date information while we were at it.

The site will be a bit less graphical for now, until we restore some of the old graphics and find a bunch of new graphics to put in their appropriate places.

If you still find obsolete information or othsomewhere, please let us know about it at e.g. the club’s Facebook page or by emailing us at info@miekkakoulu.fi.

Beginner’s Courses Autumn 2021

Historical Fencing basic courses 24 August – 3 October 2021
Luiskatie 8, Helsinki
Price 50€ (35€ students)
Sign up: info(_a_t)miekkakoulu.fi
www.miekkakoulu.fi

SHMS (Suomen Historiallisen Miekkailun Seura ry) offers basic courses in historical fencing in August. We offer beginner courses in Longsword, Rapier, Sabre and Sword & Buckler. The fee for the course is 50€ (35€ students) and you can attend the courses you want – one, two or all of them. You can join the classes even if you miss first week. If you want to start after the second week, please contact SHMS via email.

Whenever weather permits, practise takes place outside next to the salle. If weather does not allow for outdoors practise, practise will take place indoors. We recommend face masks Inside.

 Longsword beginners course 24 August – 28 September
Tuesdays 18:00-19:00
You can also join regular fiore classes on Tuesdays 19:00-20:00 and Thursdays 18:00-19:00.
Longsword course teaches Italian longsword- and dagger fighting basics, as Fiore dei Liberi demonstrates in his book: Il Fiore De Battaglia (1410).

Rapier beginners course 25 August – 29 September
on Wednesdays 18:00-19:30.
On Rapier Beginner’s Course you will learn the basics of Italian Rapier according to Grand Simulacra, written by Ridofo Capo Ferro in 1610.

Sabre beginners course 26 August – 30 September
Thursdays 19:30-20:30.
On the beginners’ course you will learn the basics of military sabre according to Charles Roworth’s The Art of Defence on Foot with Broad Sword and Sabre (1804).

 Sword and Buckler beginners’ course 29 August – 3 October
Sundays 12:00-14:00.
Sword and Buckler beginners’ course teaches the basics of fighting with sword and buckler. This includes basic stances, footwork, attacking and defending with side sword and buckler. The course includes drills from Royal Armory Manuscript I.33 (c.a. 1300 – 1320) and will prepare students to progress into sparring and freeplay.

You will need out/indoor sports attire and it is advisable to have a pair of gloves and a water bottle. We’ll provide all other necessary equipment. Classes are in finnish or english, depending on participants needs.

Please remember basic health recommendations and do not attend training sick or if you have symptoms.

If the courses are cancelled due public authority regulation, paid course fees are valid for next beginners courses.

COVID-19

The COVID-19 situation seems to be settling down for the time being. Due to this we intend to start our regular training schedule on 3.5.2021.

Whenever weather permits, practise takes place outside next to the salle. If weather does not allow for outdoors practise, practise will take place indoors. Inside we use face masks.

Remember to pay your yearly SHMS membership fees, and purchase an applicable training card from MyClub.

Be ready to train outdoors, dress appropriately for the weather and bring a drinking bottle.

You are not permitted to participate in practice if you exhibit any signs of illness. When you arrive to practise, wash your hands and use hand disinfectant. Also remember to apply social distancing.

In order for practise to take place in a health-conscious fashion, we will apply the following during practise:

  • Wrestling, dagger, locks and any other close-quarters techniques are forbidden for now.
  • For now, there will be no sparring during practise.