Best Martial Arts and Combat Sports Classes in San Jose, CA

Our classes have the curriculum set up in such a way that you can step into a class at any time. Just wear comfortable clothes and shoes. If you have gloves, please bring them as well. The gloves are for weapon control, not for safety or padding. We have weekend workshops on the second weekend of the month. On the 2nd Saturday of the month, we have a four-hour longsword workshop and on the Second Sunday of the month, we have a four-hour specialty weapon workshop.

The word feder means 'feather'. It is a training sword that was used primarily in the 16th-century German fencing schools once the serious dueling of the longsword was no longer as common because of the rapier. At our school, we use the sword in the Italian tradition. The width of the sword at the guard allows us to use the geometry of the sword in the control of the opponent's sword. As you progress in your training, you may find that you want to compete in tournaments. Many tournaments require that feders be used, and you may find yourself needing a feder.

Safety is paramount in our school. We require certain minimum requirements for the safety of our students. When practicing drills students are required to wear an AF HEMA fencing mask and either a fencing jacket or padded gambeson. Men and women are encouraged to wear a plastron to protect the chest and men are highly encouraged to wear a cup. Leather gauntlets with high cuffs for the rapier class and longsword class drills. Students are required to have at minimum either hockey gloves or lacrosse gloves for free play with the longsword.

The Dragon Slayers study the same curriculum as the adults, but on a different schedule with more emphasis put on learning from games and exercises. There are 3 benchmarks in the Dragon Slayers.

We have a variety of people from all walks of life and all ages in our school. Our students range in age from 8 years old to their 70s. The oldest student we have in our school is 77 years old.