WORKSHOPS
21st of September
Welcome to Stramash!
Saorsa's own Tournament and Workshop Event!
​
Workshops​
​
Please note, to attend the event participants must be 18+ and have their own personal insurance.
​
Workshops will be open to everyone, regardless of experience and are open to any style of single sword. Each of the workshops will start at a level appropriate for beginners and will offer progressions.
The Workshop day will be held on the 21st of September.
​
The Wee Stramash Kit Requirements;
350N mask.
Box for those who need one
​
Kit recommendations;
Your own sword
Padded Glove
Chest protector
Arm protector
Gorget
Overlay with back of head protection
​
The Big Stramash Kit Requirements;
Minimum 350N mask
Minimum 350N Jacket
Overlay with back of head protection
Box for those who need one
Arm Protector
Appropriate Gloves
Own sword
Kit recommendations;
Chest protector
Gorget
​
Please bear in mind that Instructors for each class may have specific kit requirements.
​
We have a fantastic line up of Instructors this year featuring those from the Glasgow HEMA scene and further afield. Keep an eye out for the workshops being announced!
​
But there's an ulterior motive to some of the workshops ...
Four of the Instructors are running workshops with subjects that will correspond to a technical prize in the tournament. Throughout the tournaments, judges will be watching for these techniques in particular, alongside general good fighting, and at the end of the tournament, these fighters will be rewarded with a technical prize.
​
Our confirmed Instructors are listed below with a brief description of their lessons. Check back for updates on their classes!
​
Ben Hamilton
​
Chloe Headdon
Academy of Historical Fencing and SMART HEMA
​​
Cut and Parry to Thrust
The sabre is a cut and thrust weapon, however many fencers tend to avoid thrusting as the curve of the blade can take the point offline, making it much harder to land the hit successfully. In this workshop we’ll be looking at various thrusting techniques from Charles Roworth’s “Art of Defence on Foot”, using both the true edge and false (back) edge of the sabre, including sneaky ways of using the curve to your advantage! We will particularly focus on transitioning from cuts and parries into thrusts to help you integrate thrusting into your sparring. You will need a curved sabre, or alternatively a straight single-handed sword such as a basket hilt broadsword, spadroon, sidesword or arming sword will also work. Please wear masks and gloves as a minimum, however jackets, gorgets and chest protectors are strongly recommended to make the most of this class.
Chloe's lesson will aso be one of our Technical Prizes for the Big Stramash!
​
Colin Fieldhouse
Schola Gladiatoria and Saltaire Academy of the Sword
​
Battering and Bearing: Gaining Openings to Strike Inside an Opponents Blade
Looking at the advice provided by Roworth, along with other examples from the British tradition, this Beginners technical lesson will look at how to gain an opening by performing two different actions upon your opponents blade. We will explore their strengths and weaknesses and play with a few drills with partners to build up confidence.
​
Colin's lesson will also be one of our Technical Prizes for the Wee Stramash!
​
Christopher Halpin
​
Consensual Combat Cuddles & Sneaky Standing Submissions
In this lesson we'll be taking a look at the wonderful wrestling system known as catch-as-catch-can. We'll be exploring some standing grappling transitions and submissions and looking at ways to move from place to place with effortless grace and maximum efficiency. Anyone can crank something or pull something until someone taps out, the real skill and satisfaction come from being able to successfully set up positions to apply submissions and pins in the first place.
The only mandatory thing you'll need to take part in this class is a good sense of humour and an ability to listen to instruction. If you have a pair of knee pads they may be useful, and groin protection is recommended for folks who require such.
Kerri Tamplin
London Historical Fencing Club and Cambridge Historical Fencing
​
Never Skip Leg day.
Is it possible to strike the leg without putting yourself at risk? Is there even much point trying? Such questions have plagued Kerri over this last summer. Digging into what multiple Masters and systems have discussed on the subject, Kerri has looked at just how feasible this is. But the question still remains- is it a smart choice? Kerri will look at the approaches from a couple of systems at how to cut the leg without getting a nasty surprise.
​
Kerri's lesson will also be one of our Technical Prizes for the Wee Stramash!
​​
​
Chris May
​
If They're Worth Stabbing Once.... An Intro to Fiores Dagger.
In this class we will give you an introduction on how to knife fight in the style of Fiore dei Libre both armed and unarmed. The refined and noble art of master Fiore will teach you everything from disarms & locks to joint dislocation & throws. Learn to bar fight like a noble and show those peasants who's boss.
In the words of the man himself: "I am the noble weapon named the dagger, who plays at very close range. And he who understands my malice and my art will also gain a good understanding of many other weapons. And since I finish my fight fiercely and quickly, there is no man who can stand against my method."
​
Kat Ferguson
​
The Wicked Way of the Moulinet!
​
In this workshop will be looking at the moulinet as a tool to generate momentum to deliver a powerful cut, how to maximise this momentum and the physics involved to better our understanding. We will also be looking at a way of moulineting from the elbow too as part of the technical prize, how it can be used as both an attack and a defence and a variety of situations in which it can be useful. The hope is that by the end you will have a better understanding of why we moulinet and you can add another tool to your Sabre fencing toolbox.
​
Kat's lesson will be one of our Technical Prizes for The Big Stramash!
​
Lauren Ireland
York School of Defence
​
Lecküchner's Messer : Martially Sound or Dangerously Ostentatious?
Why not Both? In this session you will be introduced to some of the more infamous messer plays from Johannes Lecküchner which are often disregarded as being just too ridiculous and impossible to execute safely. Lecküchner's plays all exist for a reason, and we will worth through them precisely as the source material describes utilising all of our collective martial knowledge to determine once and for all if he really knew what he was talking about.
Please bring a messer or messer-like-object, along with a fencing mask and a pair of light gloves if you have them. Some loaner kit, including messers, will be available on the day. Groin protection is recommended for those that need it!
​
​
​
For more information on the timings of the day, visit our Timetable page. For more information on the prizes up for grabs, visit our Sponsors page.
​
To buy your ticket, head to the bottom of our main Stramash page!
​
We want to say a big thank you to our Instructors and our Sponsors for their time, effort and support! We would also like to thank our many volunteers for the day. Without all of these people, this event would not be possible!
​