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On Saturday and Sunday, November 23-24, 2002 The Academy Of European Medieval Martial Arts hosted a two day wrestling (abrazare) and dagger (daga) workshop from Fiore dei Liberi's "Fior di Battaglia" treatise. 25 students took advantage of this intensive 2-day training workshop and enhanced their repertoire of unarmoured fighting techniques.
The workshop focused on the basic themes and methods of Fiores approach with respect to abrazare (grappling) and daga (dagger). Even with two full eight-hour days to study, all the techniques in his treatise were not covered and could've use another few days.
Fiores approach is a brutal and effective combat system. Deploying these techniques with training partners were done with a high regard for the safety of the training partner. Bob exhibited excellent control of the class and effectively instructed the various techniques with one of obvious expertise, care and concern for the students partaking in the workshop.
Day One
- The first day began with a lecture and demonstration of the wrestling techniques. This permitted the students to understand the context of Fiores art, to become familiar with Fiores advice to the combatant and Fiores eight requirements of wrestling (strength, quickness, grabs, strikes, breaks, dislocations, locks and throws). It also provided the opportunity for students to see the techniques demonstrated and explained before undertaking them personally.
- The lecture and demonstration was followed by warm-up exercises and drills for establishing balance and footwork, incorporating the four wrestling poste (positions), the four types of stepping and the three types of turning from Fiores treatise.
- The plays of wrestling was undertaken at half-speed practice in context so that the students developed an understanding of how these plays come to be used in the flow of an encounter. Grabs, throws, strikes, locks, breaks and counters were covered.
Day TwoBob Charron exhibited great depth in his intimate understanding of Fiore's treatise. AEMMA highly recommends Bob's workshop to any Academy or school who's desire is to learn techniques of a martial arts system documented by one of the greatest swordsmasters of the 15th century.
- The second day began again with a lecture and demonstration of the techniques of the dagger. This introduced the students to the Five Masters of the Fight (strikes, disarms, breaks, locks and throws), the five poste (positions) used to fight with and against the dagger, and the nine Remedy Masters (covers against a dagger attack).
- The lecture and demonstration was followed by warm-up exercises and drills incorporating important aspects of the art of the dagger, including footwork, proper time, distance shifts, etc.
- The plays of the dagger were then undertaken as half-speed practice in context so that the students were able to learn to understand how these plays come to be used in the flow of an encounter. Dagger strikes, covers, disarms, locks, breaks and throws were covered.
Photo Shots and Video Segments
Below are three images taken of the workshop to offer a general view of the workshop. The first image of the left depicts the abrazare lecture from the Saturday morning. The second image depicts the physical class of abrazare techniques. The last image depicts the physical class of daga techniques on the Sunday.Click on the images to view a short video clip of that particular segment of the workshop (Note: video segments range in size from 1MB to 2MB).
About
Bob Charron: Bob Charron began historical study and recreation in 1981, learning and teaching about Medieval culture, warfare and government. His interest in historical combat techniques led him to obtain several of the treatises from the period, and in year 2000 he undertook the translation and interpretation of the Getty manuscript of Fiore Dei Liberi's Flos Duellatorum (Fior di Battaglia).
His enthusiasm for the Medieval Martial Arts led him to found St. Martins Academy of Medieval Arms in Madison, Wisconsin. He has presented his work on Fiore for Schola Solis, The Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts, The Chicago Swordplay Guild, the Company of St. Olaf, Schola St. George and others. He continues to strive for a better understanding of Fiore's system with the goal of passing on this great master's work. Bob now travels and teaches Flos Duellatorum's combat system, (which includes wrestling, dagger, one and two handed sword, spear, pollaxe and equestrian techniques) and continues to refine and improve his interpretation of Fiore's effective, coherent and brilliantly organized material.
He resides in Madison, Wisconsin, USA, where he is the instructor for St. Martins Academy of Medieval Arms, a collection of students who study Fiore, as well as the systems and techniques of other Medieval and Renaissance masters. In recognition of his excellent work on the XIV century Flos Duellatorum style and the Medieval Combat systems, International Masters at Arms Federation or IMAF designates him to be one of its Acknowledged Instructors.
