Ironwood Sword School coming to Bellrock Hall

Jul 19, 2017

On July 29th, Robert Mcleod of the Ironwood Sword School is coming to Bellrock Hall to present a workshop for children 8 and older.

The Ironwood Sword School offers training in the Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA). A HEMA school teaches an actual period style of fighting art based on the study of historical manuals and sources. Ironwood bases its training on the sources for the German Longsword covering roughly the medieval period from the mid 14th century to the late 16th century. The school teaches the unarmored style of fighting where the longsword is the primary weapon, but the system includes techniques for dagger, wrestling, spear, and one-handed sword. Ironwood Sword School has been offering classes since 2014. Robert MacLeod  has been studying German longsword since 2008.

The introductory workshop includes a brief introduction to the period and the importance of swords to the culture followed by hands on training with blunt swords specifically designed for training safely. Children will learn how to handle a sword safely, the basics of stance and footwork, the basic cuts and guards, and a few elementary exchanges of attack and defense. Students get to practice making proper cuts on a “pell” – a wooden post with a cross piece which has been used since the middle ages. Drills are performed under supervision in pairs with the appropriate safety gear. The workshop ends with a session of “Fight the Knight” where groups of students get to attack the instructor in his full fighting kit.

The workshop runs from  1pm – 3:30pm and costs $20. Pre-registration is required. Call  613-358-9642 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Participants will need to wear long pants and shoes (no shorts and sandals).