A Note from the Author
HemaLore is originally written in Hungarian, my native language. The articles are researched and written by me, Gábor Antali, and are then translated into English with the assistance of AI tools to improve readability and accessibility for a wider audience.
All ideas, interpretations, research, and conclusions presented here are my own.
HemaLore is an educational and entertaining exploration of historical fencing, fencing culture, and martial history. While I strive for accuracy and careful research, these articles are intended as informed historical essays rather than formal academic publications.
An evolving fencing system, a learning journey, and a few butterflies along the way.
Hello, dear HemaLore readers!
It has been quite a while since my last proper post. Life has a wonderful habit of throwing all sorts of responsibilities at us, and over the past few months, I have managed to get myself thoroughly occupied with everything else it has to offer.
As a result, I haven't had much opportunity to publish anything particularly meaningful. However, that doesn't mean nothing has been happening behind the scenes. Quite the opposite, actually.
In some of my previous articles, I mentioned that I had been working on a training manual, or perhaps more accurately, a training companion, for my fencing club.
Well, after many months, countless revisions, and a considerable amount of questioning my own decisions, I am finally ready to introduce the first official version of the Sword Fight Club Longsword Training Companion.
From a Manual to a Companion
The original idea was relatively simple.
I wanted to give my students a clearer, more visual understanding of what we are actually doing during our longsword classes.
What is the logic behind the training? How do the different fencing elements connect? What are we trying to achieve, and how do I actually want my students to fence?
Essentially, I wanted to create a skeleton of the system. Something that would allow students to see the structure behind their training rather than experiencing each lesson as a collection of seemingly unrelated techniques and exercises.
Sounds simple enough, doesn't it?
Well, apparently not.
Over the past few months, I wrote several different versions. And every single time, the project gradually transformed into an increasingly detailed fencing manual.
The more I wrote, the more I realised just how difficult it is to write a genuinely useful instructional book.
What exactly should a beginner learn? In what order? How much information is enough, and when does it become too much?
Finding the right words, explanations, and logical progression is surprisingly difficult. You need to communicate enough information for someone to understand the subject without overwhelming them with details they cannot yet properly appreciate.
And, of course, every student is different.
Eventually, I realised that I was trying to create something much larger than I had originally intended.
So I changed direction.
Instead of writing a complete manual, I decided to simplify the entire concept and concentrate on what I actually wanted this publication to achieve.
A Skeleton of My Fencing System
This process also forced me to examine my own fencing.
I tried to reduce the way I currently enjoy fencing into its most fundamental elements.
What makes it interesting to me? What makes it challenging? What makes it different from the fencing I have practised in the past, or encountered in other fencers?
I think the resulting system is, in its own way, a little unusual.
Some elements might even be considered slightly provocative, and certain approaches are not necessarily mainstream within modern HEMA longsword fencing.
Nevertheless, I believe it retains a strong historical character while incorporating elements of modern sporting and competitive fencing.
To me, these are not mutually exclusive ideas.
Historical sources, practical application, modern training methods, and competitive experience all have something valuable to offer. I consider each of them important, and I try to preserve their influence within my teaching.
The result is a system that reflects not only what I teach but also how my own understanding of fencing has developed.
And this brings us to the Companion itself.
This Is Not a Fencing Manual
I want to make one thing particularly clear.
You cannot learn to fence simply by reading this Companion.
That was never its purpose.
The Companion is intended to accompany training, not replace it.
It provides a visual structure, fundamental concepts, and a logical framework that students can follow as they progress through their fencing journey.
But the real work still happens in the training hall.
Students must attend classes, practise, experiment, make mistakes, ask questions, and gradually develop their understanding.
The Companion also includes space for personal notes.
These can be filled with observations, explanations, technical details, or anything else that the student considers important. Sometimes I may ask students to record particular information, but ultimately, they are responsible for developing their own understanding.
In other words, I provide the framework, but the students must actively contribute to filling it with knowledge.
My hope is that this will help them understand not only what they are learning today, but also how those lessons connect to what they will be studying in the coming months or even years.
The system is deliberately structured to provide a clear foundation while leaving plenty of room for exploration and deeper study.
After all, fencing is not something we simply finish learning.
The Equipment Journey
Another aspect I wanted to include was a practical guide to fencing equipment.
Getting started in HEMA can be surprisingly expensive, particularly when someone is still deciding whether this is something they genuinely want to pursue.
I therefore approached equipment recommendations as a gradual journey.
Imagine someone attending their first few lessons, enjoying the experience, and slowly becoming more involved.
What should they buy first? What can wait? At what point does more specialised protective equipment become necessary?
Rather than presenting a huge shopping list, I wanted to suggest a sensible progression that follows the student's development.
Naturally, these recommendations are subjective.
I have tried to focus on relatively affordable options that are available in the UK, but they are certainly not the only possible choices.
Everyone has different preferences, physical requirements, interests, and financial circumstances.
The equipment section is simply a starting point, and I am always happy to help students explore alternatives or choose a different direction.
The idea is to make entering the hobby a little less confusing and, hopefully, a little more accessible.
A Little Bit of Comic Book Inspiration
Now, let's talk about the visual design.
This publication represents quite a significant amount of work, not only in terms of writing and organising the material, but also in its presentation.
I have been using Canva for years to create various designs, publications, and teaching materials. Over time, I have gradually learned a few tricks and developed a better understanding of how to use it effectively.
Looking at this Companion, I can see how my own design skills and preferences have evolved.
And I must admit, I rather like the result.
Recently, I have also found myself reconnecting with interests that were particularly important to me as a teenager and young adult.
One of those interests is comic books.
I have always enjoyed them, and lately that enthusiasm has been returning.
Perhaps the upcoming cinematic appearance of one of my favourite Marvel villains, Victor von Doom, has something to do with it.
Who knows?
Whatever the reason, the Companion ended up developing a slightly comic-book-inspired visual identity.
The colours, composition, and overall atmosphere have something of that influence, and I find it rather enjoyable.
Whether this style will survive future editions or gradually evolve into something completely different remains to be seen.
For now, though, I am happy with it.
And What About the Butterflies?
Some of you might be wondering why butterflies appear in the design.
Well, the answer is relatively simple.
They represent change.
Change in my fencing, my teaching, my understanding of historical martial arts, and even the way I communicate those ideas visually.
The Companion itself is a product of that process.
It is not intended to represent a final, unchanging system. It is a snapshot of where my thinking currently stands.
As I continue teaching, studying, competing, and experimenting, my understanding will inevitably develop.
And the system will develop with it.
I think that is a healthy thing.
After all, if we are genuinely learning, we should expect our ideas to change occasionally.
What Comes Next?
Over the past few months, much of my available creative time has gone into completing this Companion.
And although I am pleased to have finally reached Version 1, this is certainly not the end of the project.
I already have plenty of ideas for developing it into a much more detailed and visually engaging fencing manual.
Some very early sketches and concepts already exist, but I have not properly started that project yet.
For the time being, I would like to return to writing historical articles.
And believe me, there is quite a backlog waiting for me.
There are still several important aspects of Hungarian sabre fencing that I have not finished exploring or publishing, along with the biographies of numerous fencing masters whose stories deserve considerably more attention.
I have also been collecting a rather substantial number of books.
Which brings me to another project.
The HemaLore Library
I am preparing something I have wanted to do for quite some time: the HemaLore Library.
Over the years, I have acquired a growing collection of historical fencing books, particularly works relating to Hungarian sabre fencing and the culture of duelling.
My intention is to make digitised versions of suitable works available so that other enthusiasts, researchers, and historical fencers can access and study them.
I find these sources fascinating, and I believe there is considerable value in making this material more accessible to the wider community.
There are also a few particularly interesting items connected to Hungarian duelling culture that I have recently managed to acquire, along with others I am still trying to obtain.
I hope to share more about those in the future.
Still Here, Still Working
So, despite the relative silence, none of these projects has disappeared.
There is quite a lot happening behind the scenes.
Unfortunately, my current professional responsibilities have made finding enough time for everything rather challenging.
I am trying to organise my life a little more effectively so that I can return to writing and publishing more regularly.
There is certainly no shortage of subjects I want to explore.
If anything, the list keeps getting longer.
Version 1
For now, however, I would like to invite you to explore the first official edition of the Sword Fight Club Longsword Training Companion – Version 1.
The publication is designed to be used digitally, with the opportunity to add personal notes and information as you progress through your training.
It can also be printed for those who prefer working with a physical copy.
Although it was created primarily for my own students, I hope other historical fencers might find some of its ideas, structures, or approaches interesting as well.
And I would genuinely appreciate your feedback.
If you notice something that could be improved, disagree with an approach, have a suggestion, or think that a particular explanation could be clearer in a future version, please don't hesitate to let me know.
Constructive criticism is always welcome.
This is Version 1, after all.
There is plenty of room for change.
And perhaps that brings us back to those butterflies.
Finally, thank you all for continuing to support HemaLore, for reading my articles, and for showing an interest in the things I create.
It means a great deal to know that you are still here, even when life occasionally pulls me away from writing for a while.
There is much more to come.
Until next time, take care, keep studying, and enjoy your fencing!
Gábor
