FAQ



Do I have to be in shape to get started?

Not at all. You’ll find that our classes for beginners are the perfect way to build up your overall fitness level regardless of your physical condition. Good luck!


You are welcome to watch a class. Or join us for one of our FREE introductory sessions where you will get to try a class and see if the Historical European Martial Arts are a good fit for you.


We accept students of any age over the age of 13. Students ages 13-16 will need a parent/guardian to remain present throughout the class. Students aged 16-18 will need a parent/guardian to sign their paperwork and be present at any weapon purchases.

Bagpipe lessons are for ages 14+


All weapon training comes with a degree of risk and the occasional bruise is expected in training of any contact combat sport. That said, classes are structured with safety foremost. Through correct use of safety equipment and following the directions of the instructor the risk of being hurt is minimized.


Although we don’t require a base level of fitness it is important to note that this is an active activity. Also HEMA is a contact sport, even with protective equipment there is a degree of physical danger. If you are unsure that your health will allow you to take part please feel free to speak with us and also with your doctor to determine if it is a good and safe fit for you.



What is the training schedule?

Classes for beginners are every Saturday from 5:00pm-6:00pm. The basic training curriculum works on an 8 week rotation made up of two 4 week blocks.


4 weeks Broadsword


2 weeks Longsword


2 weeks Rapier


After a student completes the broadsword section of basic training they are invited to come early and join the advanced students training from 2:30-5pm and once they have completed all 8 weeks they can choose to continue training in our Medieval, Rennaissance, or Early Modern tracks.


No, although both are historical hobbies the Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) focus on a different aspect of history. Re-enactment focuses on recreating the look of history, practitioners excel at recreating different aspects of clothing and lifestyle but in doing so they are unable to safely recreate the combat aspect. HEMA chooses to focus on the combat aspect and as such practitioners do not dress up but must wear modern protective equipment.


Yes and No. The sword fighting that we teach is not modern, Olympic fencing. Instead, we teach historical European martial arts (HEMA), where we work with textbooks written by medieval and renaissance fencing masters who describe how to fight with different swords and items from the time period in question. Modern Olympic fencing developed from these arts but over time became so focused on the sport aspect as to retain little of the arts from which it came.


HEMA stands for Historical European Martial Arts. It is the study of the historical fighting systems practiced across Europe. Most do not realize that Europe possessed many rich martial traditions. Many of the training methods and techniques for these traditions were written down and have been rediscovered by historians and martial artists who have worked tirelessly to resurrect these arts and train others in them.


Our bagpipe lessons are designed to bring a student with no musical background through to playing the bagpipes within one year. They are leveled according to student’s own pace so some students complete the training much quicker than others based on prior musical experience and dedication to practicing.

The Palm Beach Sword School provides Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) training in South Florida.

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