Association for Renaissance Martial Arts (ARMA) is an international educational non-profit organization dedicated to the study and practice of historical European martial arts of the 15th to 17th centuries.[1] The ARMA focuses on increasing proficiency with Medieval and Renaissance weaponry, offering authoritative information via a catalog of historical manuals and articles, improving the relationship between practitioners and academics, and ultimately deepening the understanding of Medieval and Renaissance martial arts.[1][2][3][4] It also focuses on promotion of information about the European martial heritage and fighting arts, arms and armor.
In September 2010 the ARMA became an official representative for the Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe (MARE) to the World Martial Arts Union (WoMAU) when ARMA Director John Clements was officially seated as a delegate to the World Martial Arts Union's committee.
As of 2006, the ARMA claimed a number of less than 500 paying members.[5] They also list a number of "Academic Consultants".[6]
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The word arma in Latin as well as Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese means "weapon".[7] The ARMA asserts that for 13th century French knights, arma also referred to 'the valor of a fighter'.[1] The "Renaissance" in the name is described as "doubly appropriate", referring both to the European Renaissance as the period of most of the surviving historical fencing manuals, and to a current "rebirth" of historical European martial arts.[1]
The ARMA began in 1992 as the Historical Armed Combat Association (HACA),[1] a group led principally by Hank Reinhardt, an avid sword enthusiast. Reinhardt's idea was to provide an umbrella organization for individuals interested in Western swords and historical weaponry.[8] In 1993, John Clements took over the HACA 1993 saw the beginning of reforms within the organization and the foundation of its first Study Group.[8] HACA began focusing more intently on the study and interpretation of the historical source literature of Renaissance Martial Arts, much of which was presented on the website[9] along with example training methods.
In 2001, the decision was made for the HACA to expand and evolve into what was believed would be a more effective educational organization for the study and practice of Medieval and Renaissance fencing. An efficient study curriculum for practice had also been developed at this time using the source literature.[10]
As one of the changes, the organization was renamed "the ARMA." 2001 also saw the introduction of a "national training program" (a series of seminars and workshops), ranking and certifications in the curricula, and the implementation of the basic philosophy and methodology used by the ARMA today.
The ARMA's conceptualization was also influenced by the work of Sydney Anglo, as presented in his work, The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe (Yale University Press 2000), hailed as the first academic treatment of Western martial arts in English[11]
During the ARMA International Event in August, 2009, ARMA Director John Clements introduced to the ARMA membership a new curriculum for the Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe (MARE).[12] This new curriculum is referred to within ARMA as the "Rosetta Stone" since it involves not just new longsword interpretations but also includes a significant change to how the ARMA membership reads, analyzes, and understands the writings of the historical masters. What makes John Clements new curriculum truely unique is not based on classical fencing pedagogy but rather on how the historical masters were teaching the art, as defined by the structure of their works. A core component of this new curriculum is the teaching that one cannot properly perform HEMA without using many techniques and principles at the center of the new curriculum. Clements holds that the techniques and principles needed to properly perform the art anywhere near how it was actually performed must include "audaciously seeking the bind with feeling and Indes inextricably linked, knowing how to employ the Vaage, strike from the Kron, utilize the true counters (especially the Krumphau), be in constant motion with dynamic footwork, as well as fully incorporating Ringen.", [13]
In the same way that the Rosetta Stone provided the key to the modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs the new ARMA Rosetta Stone curriculum and longsword interpretations has provided a key to more fully understand the teaching of the historical master on other weapons. The ARMA Rosetta Stone is basically serving as a grand unified theory in the recreation of the Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe.
In September 2010 the ARMA became an official representative for the Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe (MARE) to the World Martial Arts Union (WoMAU) when ARMA Director John Clements was officially seated as a delegate to the World Martial Arts Union's committee.[14][15]
The ARMA greatly emphasizes both historical accuracy and martial efficiency, aiming at a true reconstruction of historical techniques, "borrowings" from living traditions of martial arts or classical fencing are consciously avoided. ARMA also avoids any entraction with any role-play and/or fantasy groups since those activities can inhibit developing real martial skills.[16] Their "ARMA Study Approach" includes "researching period fighting manuals, literature and iconography combined with comparative analysis from hands-on experience using accurate replica arms and armor."[17] Interpretations of combat techniques are not accepted as valid until they have been tested under as realistic conditions as possible, or in other words, in practice at speed and power against a resisting opponent. The ARMA confines itself to historical sources and weapons, and tries to avoid techniques that are not historical or are drawn from other martial systems (such as Asian fighting arts).[18]
Wooden wasters and Steel feather swords (Federschwert) are used for basic drilling and technique work, up to and including free-play. Padded contact-weapons, along with helmets and appropriate padding, were previously used for more intense free-play, including sparring at full speed and power, though these have fallen out of favor. Sharp replica swords are used only for testcutting, and to teach students proper edge control and cutting technique.[19] Test-cutting experience and frequent intense free-play are heavily emphasized.
Instead of focusing on any individual historical master, the ARMA's curriculum emphasizes fundamental principles, drawing on many masters for its understanding of any given technique. The foundational weapon of the ARMA training program is the longsword. This is due both to its nature as arguably the most popular and most versatile weapon of the time period, and because there is more source material available for the longsword than for any other weapon. All ARMA scholars begin training with the longsword, and with it learn universal principles of fighting that they then apply to other weapons as they continue their studies.
The body of training techniques and methods used by the ARMA is referred to as Armatura (a term borrowed from Roman military writers), and includes distance and timing drills, footwork and cutting drills, striking and counter-strike exercises, grappling elements, and flourish drills.
The ARMA curriculum encompasses a variety of weapons and weapon combinations, armored and unarmored, including longsword, greatsword, single sword (cut & thrust), sword & buckler, sword & dagger, Messer, rapier, rapier & dagger, single dagger, polearm, and short staff. Kampfringen, a historical system of unarmed combat, is also taught, both as it relates to fighting with weapons and as a separate discipline.
Upon joining the ARMA, new members receive learning material. Lone members are Associates and three or four members who work together locally may apply to form official Study Groups. Non-members are allowed limited practice with members and Study Groups, but are encouraged to join the organization.
In addition, regional Study Days, member Workshop events, and National Training Program Seminars are frequently held, and members in a given area will probably have the opportunity to attend at least one annually. Larger international gatherings are held less frequently. In both cases, senior students and expert instructors are invited to present classes, lectures, and National Training Program seminars to attendees. ARMA members are given priority in these events, and non-members may be prohibited from participating in certain Workshops. However, one and two day "open workshops" are offered in which non-member may attend.[20]
Outside the USA, there are Study Groups in Poland, Mexico, and Greece.[21]
ARMA's forum is also an important means of community discussion within the organization, and currently contains over one thousand registered users.[22]
The National Training Program acts as the core instructive curriculum of ARMA, offering basic fundamental knowledge to participants so that they may study and progress on their own. The program content is a composite approach derived from the teachings of a variety of historical masters, and specifically designed for students and practitioners over extended distances who are without the benefit of competent instruction or practice partners. All of the knowledge required for rank advancement within the ARMA is covered in the NTP.[23]
The National Training Program provides training in six main areas, each featuring some subsets. These are the Longsword (NTP 1.x), the Sword and Dagger (NTP 2.x), the Rapier (NTP 3.x), unarmed fighting (NTP 4.x), dagger fighting (NTP 5.x), and armoured fighting (NTP 6.x).[23] However, the ARMA currently focuses on the Longsword, Sword and Dagger, and the Rapier as foundational instructional principles.[24]
The uniform worn by members of the ARMA consists of a red T-shirt and black sweatpants. Non-members who practice with ARMA study groups are encouraged to wear a white T-shirt and black sweatpants. ARMA members of Provost rank wear instead a black T-shirt with red pants. (Senior students may also assume this uniform when offering instruction at official seminars.) There is also a recognized but optional ARMA formal "dress uniform," which consists of period-style clothing in the same color scheme.
ARMA ranking is somewhat informal, and is based on the four-tiered system employed by the London Company of Masters, "Scholar", "Free Scholar", "Provost" and "Master".
All ARMA members are considered to possess the rank of "Scholar". Scholars who achieve sufficient command of the Armatura and basic principles of the ARMA program, and a matching knowledge of the fighting manuals and historical masters, are advanced to the rank of "Scholar Adept". Scholar Adepts who demonstrate considerable expertise in all areas of the ARMA training program and an advanced knowledge of the source material are considered for "Free Scholar" rank. Testing for either rank involves an extensive oral examination and the physical demonstration of technique, as determined by the instructors conducting the test. Qualifying for Free Scholar rank also requires a Prize Playing. Free Scholar testing may be administered by any Free Scholar. Free Scholar certification requires the oversight of two or more Free Scholars or the Director; by custom, as many Free Scholars as can be gathered are present to oversee such a test.
Unlike rankings in most martial arts organizations, Free Scholar rankings must be renewed; if a scholar has not advanced to a higher rank within four years of playing his prize, he must be retested in order to retain his current status. Free Scholar rankings are earned in a specific weapon, and a candidate must achieve a rank with the longsword before testing for any other weapon. At the present time, there are seven Free Scholars in the longsword, and no rank has been awarded in any other weapon (though such rank likely will be once the curricula for other weapons is fully established).
Above Free Scholar are the ranks of Provost, Senior Provost, and Master. At present is only one holder of the rank Provost, the ARMA's Deputy Director Aaron Pynynberg. The ARMA considers it highly inappropriate at this juncture to consider naming any ARMA practitioner a "Master" of these extinct arts, as the ARMA believes that the restoration of Medieval and Renaissance martial arts is still in its infancy and no modern practitioner has contributed to the art enough to claim the title of "Master".[25]
Outside of this system, there is a purely academic distinction called "Senior Researcher" that is granted to ARMA scholars who contribute significantly to the general body of knowledge on historical fencing. The ARMA also has over a dozen "Expert Consultants" from different fields who have offered their knowledge and expertise to its efforts.
The following books were published by members of ARMA. Some of these authors are no longer members of the organization.