A loose strap can turn a well-fitted piece of medieval combat equipment into a distraction within seconds. A shield may shift on the arm, a knee cop can sit…
The crack of rattan against steel, the roar of the crowd, the calculated footwork of a trained fighter closing in for a decisive blow. Medieval combat is a…
In the thick of a melee at an IMCF World Championship bout, a single second can decide whether your shield arm absorbs a strike or you eat a pollaxe blow to…
Medieval combat in the IMCF circuit demands an unusual mix of qualities: explosive power for a single strike or shield bash, sustained strength to hold a…
For fighters competing under International Medieval Combat Federation rules, the spear is one of the more delicate pieces in the kit. A well-kept blade helps…
The clash of steel on steel, the grunt of effort behind a visor, the weight of fifteen kilograms pressing down on shoulders for the length of a long bout —…
When a melee fight moves from striking distance into grappling range, the entire character of the bout changes. A swing of a longsword can be stopped by a…
Before plate armour dominated European battlefields, warriors sought blunt instruments capable of defeating chainmail and early plate without the brittleness…
In the clang of steel and thud of armoured bodies, a team of medieval combatants can rise or fall on a single decision made in the space between heartbeats.…
In full-contact historical medieval combat, where a single shield bash can swing a melee, the body rarely works in a straight line. Fighters plant their feet,…