Training with the AOBC
An introduction
Our training is based on the principles of the true fight as laid down by George Silver in his works ‘Paradoxes of Defence’ and ‘A Brief Instruction upon my Paradoxes of Defence’. We strive to find perfection in the true fight.
“Unfortunately, wild swings, jumbled footwork and aggressive posturing are more the signs of ineptitude than expertise in swordplay”
Peter Holland, Scholar in the Ancient and Noble Science of Defence
Foundation
We start from the foundation of all martial combat – stance, body position/mechanics and footwork. Without these any martial art is flawed.
Line work
Through line work, static and in motion you will learn guards, wards, cuts, thrusts and footwork and start to apply and understand the grounds, governors and the true and false times of the true fight you will start to appreciate that in training slowly you learn fast and that if you train fast you learn not only slowly but bad form, bad habits and bad muscle memory.
Drill work
Drilling is fundamentally important in learning correct form and understanding how to apply techniques correctly and expeditiously both in armed combat using a variety of weapons and close/unarmed combat. It is through drilling that we learn all defensive and offensive techniques, break them down and practice them over and over to not only develop muscle memory and perfect form but to gain the understanding of how and when to use them in fight. This includes Pell work, bag work, stamina and endurance training etc.
Loose play
This gives the students the opportunity to get to grips with the assault prior to bouting and apply techniques they have learnt and the principles of the true fight.
Bouting
Bouting is when students get to apply what they have learned in open loose play. This is where we find that English Country Backswording is the perfect medium for students to start to develop perfection in fight.
It is at this point that the definition between actual martial combat skills learned in drilling need to be separated from open bouting. For example in any form of unarmed combat you will learn such deadly strikes as to the throat, eyes and nose however although a student may know these techniques and how to implement them, in tournament/competition they are not used and for good reason.
Grading
It is generally accepted that in the English Scholes of Fence it took a minimum of 12 years to go from a novice to a Maister. In modern Eastern Martial Arts the time to go from novice to black belt is around 4 years. At the AOBC we have a structured 8 level grading system to comply with the requirements laid down by the AMA.
Shield levels
White
White/Green
Green
Green/Red
Red
Red/Black
Black
Black and Gold
These grading's are to be taken over a 4 year period.
