David Cvet is offering a new course in an old subject. John DeMings photo
Grappling with an old art -- swordfighting
Martial arts from 15th century offer modern day applications, says instructor
It won’t make you ‘knight for a day’, but you could learn to wield a sword this summer in Digby. David Cvet, a summer resident of Smith’s Cove, plans an introductory eight-week program in medieval martial arts that covers self-defense techniques of grappling, dagger and single-hand sword—all based on a system from the 15th century.
Students in the July and August program will also gain experience on how age-old martial arts can be applied to 21st century scenarios, as well as improving physical conditioning during training, Cvet says.
People with a historical interest are often attracted to the arts of medieval warfare, as well as some of the trappings of the age—like heraldry. Cvet is a director of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada and president of its Toronto branch.
If swords and daggers seems relics from a bygone age, those distant times still have a strong appeal to many.
“People have a romantic impression of the medieval period,” Cvet says, “but we don’t train knights. That’s just what people think.”
For Cvet, there’s a better reason for the medieval martial arts training.
“It’s just fun.”
Of course, fun is relative. He’s six foot, seven inches tall, and heavily muscled from lifting weights, swords and armor.
Armor won’t be needed for training, which is open to male or female students over 16.
Swords—blunt aluminum ‘weapons’—are only part of the training, and actually the last segment since Cvet starts with ‘grappling’, which can be described as vertical wrestling where the object is to throw down the opponent.
Daggers (or wooden stand-ins) take the lessons in grappling and moves opponents farther apart. Swords move them even farther apart, but grappling remains the basis,
“They all feed off one another. It’s all like a tapestry when everything comes together,” says Cvet.
The lessons planned for this summer are a condensation of the teaching that goes on in Toronto where Cvet is founder and president of the Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts, a non-profit school focused on the research, practice and training of a fighting art called (ITALICS)l´arte dell´armizare(END ITALICS) as documented in a comprehensive treatise from the 15th century by Fiore dei Liberi.
Cvet says the summer class here will be an experiment to see whether there is any interest.
“Even if I get six to eight people that’s enough to keep it going. I’m here anyways.”
Classes are scheduled from July 9 to Aug. 26, with an open house and free introductory training session July 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. For further information, contact Cvet at 245-5108 or email david.cvet@aemma.org
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