Free Fundamental Human Maintenance Course

Health is the foundation of good training, and a result of good training. We create a virtuous circle: good training habits lead to better health which enables more training, and so on. This short free course introduces you to the foundations of my practice: breathing, meditation, joint maintenance, and simple exercises done carefully.

I have made this course free because I want everyone to be healthy- I can't stand the idea that this crucial information would be kept from any fencer due to financial considerations. If you haven't got your health, you haven't got anything.

Breathing

Breathing is a fundamental part of being human. You can learn to use your breath to control stress, increase fitness, and improve every aspect of your life.

In this basic introduction I'll give you the core elements of a breathing practice, and help you develop the habit of doing 10 minutes of breathing practice every day. This will help you regulate stress, and achieve your fitness goals much more easily.

Meditation

Meditation practice enables you to gain control over your state of mind, your level of arousal, and above all teaches you to be able to direct your attention. In this basic session I'll teach you the simplest of all meditation practices.

Arm maintenance

For five years, my arms were wrecked by tendonitis. I even went a whole year without touching a sword, because every time I did, my arms swelled up and I couldn't work.

Then I learned how to look after them properly, a year later switched to teaching swordsmanship full-time.

This section covers the mechanics, massage and strength training that gave me my arms back.

I hope you find it useful; and that you never need it as badly as I did!

Knee/leg maintenance

Are you concerned about the strain that fencing puts on your knees?

Do your joints ever ache during or after practice?

Then this section is for you.

Footwork is the foundation of all swordsmanship. To fence gracefully, your legs must operate smoothly as a well-oiled machine. But many students of the Art of Arms are let down by their knees, hips or ankles. I will take you through the basic principles and practices I use to keep my legs in good working condition.

I intend to be swinging a sword until the day I die. This training is a crucial aspect of making that happen- because if my knees give out, it's over. If you want to look after your joints, this is the place to start. I have designed this section so that you can do it all alone, in a small space, with no special equipment. You can practice anywhere, any time.

And there is a little package of bonus material at the end: some squats and push-ups (yay!), and a discount voucher for the Solo Training course, so you can go deeper and further.