Westen Martial Arts are those martial arts that appear to have orginated in that part of the world that is generally known as the "West" as opposed to other parts of the world, such as Africa, Middle East, Far East..... etc etc Regards Rob
:0) Aren't quarter staff fighting, broad and long sword fighting, lance and archery as seen in the awesome 'A Knight's Tale' forms of Western Martial Arts? Or did I make that up?
Hi Chimpcheng... Yes these arts were/are forms of WMA, no doubt there have been individuals who have been practicing broadsword and sabre from a continuous source (ie; the Highland regiments). Archery has been pretty continuous - there's The Royal Company of Archers was founded in 1676 as a private archery club (which it still is today with members of the Company competing for the 'Edinburgh Arrow' each year). The Company was granted the right of perpetual access to all public butts, plains and pasturages legally allotted for shooting arrows in return for giving the Sovereign three barbed arrows on request. In 1822, the Company provided a bodyguard for George IV when he visited Edinburgh. This is a service they have provided to his successors upon their visits to Scotland, earning the Company the unofficial title of the 'Sovereign's Body Guard in Scotland'. Today the Company perform this duty at the request of the monarch at any state or ceremonial occasion taking place in Scotland. To join the Company you need to be Scottish or have very strong Scottish connections with membership being granted by election. Today the membership tends to consist of senior military officers, politicians and members of the nobility. Other individuals are busy practicing long sword & lance techniques learned from well illustrated manuals of the 1400's onwards. Louie
There are several styles that can be put in the big bag called WMA. Personally I like to say that it needs to have manuals/sources originating europe to be called a WMA. Here are some style I know of: Longsword Dagger Bucklar and sword Poll axe/Hallebard Wresteling Boxing There are others, but them; Luie and others on this forum can tell you much abouth them than I can. So called "viking-reenactment" is not what I'd call WMA, but on this forum, they're welcome, as we are few enough as we are here on MAP!
