The Sword Guy Podcast

Making videogame swordfights real, with Kirk, Knight of Green

Episode 14

For transcriptions and more detailed shownotes, please go to https://swordschool.com/podcast/videogame-swordfights-episode14/ 

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Kirk Williams, also known as the Knight of Green (to find out why, listen to the interview), is a practising historical martial artist… and also recreates video game sword fights in real life. Let’s be honest- most of us take up the sword because of something we read in a book or saw on a screen. I certainly spent a good chunk of my childhood trying to recreate sword fights from movies. Kirk takes that idea to a whole new level, and he has a youtube channel devoted entirely to his recreations.

 

Indian weapons, aerial combat, and German longsword, with Alina Boyden

Episode 13

For transcriptions and more detailed shownotes, please go to https://swordschool.com/podcast/indian-weapons-episode13/ 

To support the show, come join the Patrons at  https://www.patreon.com/theswordguy

Alina Boyden is a pilot, swordswoman, and the author of Stealing Thunder, a fantasy novel that you really should read (no spoilers! but I really enjoyed it, especially the dragons-as-fighter-planes). We talk about birds of prey, fighter pilot training, Indian swords, Kunst des Fechtens, and even pedal powered flight.

 

Mindset, military service, and why we train, with Rigel Ng

Episode 12

For transcriptions and more detailed shownotes, please go to https://swordschool.com/podcast/mindset-military-service-episode12/ 

To support the show, come join the Patrons at  https://www.patreon.com/theswordguy

Rigel Ng is the president of the Pan Historical European Martial Arts Society (PHEMAS) in Singapore. In this conversation we cover a lot of ground, from military service to establishing your training goals. The Society was founded in 2005 by Greg Galistan and Chris Blakey, who spent a month training 24/7 in my salle in Helsinki, and I've taught there many times since, so it's especially gratifying to me to see the next generation pick up the torch and run with it.

 

Setting fire to nunneries, Fiore’s wrestling, and more. With Kimberleigh Roseblade

Episode 11

For transcriptions and more detailed shownotes, please go to https://swordschool.com/podcast/setting-fire-to-nunneries-episode11/ 

To support the show, come join the Patrons at  https://www.patreon.com/theswordguy

Kimberleigh Roseblade is a historical martial arts instructor, specialising in Fiore's Art of Arms. She teaches at AEMMA in Toronto, and has taught at many international level events including Swordsquatch, VISS, and Longpoint. 

 

Armour, building gauntlets, travelling in Europe, and the perfect sword for Marozzo, with Tomas Suazo

Episode 10

For transcriptions and more detailed shownotes, please go to https://swordschool.com/podcast/armour-episode10/ 

To support the show, come join the Patrons at  https://www.patreon.com/theswordguy

My guest this week is Tomas Suazo, a historical fencer and armourer from Chile. I first met Tomas when he came to train with me in Finland in 2014. He did a Grand Tour of European historical fencing clubs, before returning home to run his own. He's a professional maker of protective equipment for HMA, as well as what I think of as "proper armour". You can find his work at Broken Anvil: https://www.facebook.com/brokenanvilarmourshop/

 

Acting, fighting, training, cloaks, shoes, and more! With Siobhan Richardson

Episode 9

For transcriptions and more detailed shownotes, please go to https://swordschool.com/podcast/acting-fighting-training-episode9/ 

To support the show, come join the Patrons at  https://www.patreon.com/theswordguy

Today’s podcast episode is with Siobhan Richardson. You may recognise her from the cover of my latest book, From Medieval Manuscript to Modern Practice. She's an actress, singer, martial artist, stage combat director, among her many skills. We've been friends for quite a while, as you can probably tell from the tone of the interview. She even gets me to talk a bit about shoes!

You can find her online here:

Instagram: @fighteractress

Youtube.com/actorsr

www.SiobhanRichardson.com

 

 

Getting started in HMA, sword design, and more. With Roland Warzecha

Episode 8

For transcriptions and more detailed shownotes, please go to https://swordschool.com/podcast/hma-viking-sword-episode8/ 

To support the show, come join the Patrons at  https://www.patreon.com/theswordguy

I met Roland Warzecha (also known as Dimicator) at the first Swordfish event, in Malmö in 2006, and we have been friends and colleagues ever since. He has built a first-class reputation in the fields of I.33 sword and buckler research and Viking sword and shield combat. He is a graphic designer by profession (he consulted on the card design for Audatia), and produces extraordinarily well presented research on sword design and related topics in his 800+ patreon posts.

In our wide-ranging conversation we discuss how he got started in the sword world, his early training influences, Viking sword design, and many other things. Specific links: we mention the Berlin Buckler Bouts, and historical sword hilt manipulations.

 

Mounted combat, and writing books, with Jennifer Landels

Episode 7

For transcriptions and more detailed shownotes, please go to https://swordschool.com/podcast/mounted-combat-episode7/ 

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Jennifer Landels is the founder and head of Academie Duello’s Mounted Combat Program which operates out of Cornwall Ridge Farm in Langley BC. She has been swordfighting since 2008, and riding since before she could walk. She started the program as an excuse to combine those passions, and has since been invited to Germany, France, and the USA to spread the joy of combining pointy objects with thousand-pound animals with minds of their own.

 

You can find her mounted combat school Academie Cavallo here, her novel Allaigna's Song here, and Pulp Literature Press here.

 

Running a club in New York City, with Tan Smith

Episode 6

For transcriptions and more detailed shownotes, please go to https://swordschool.com/podcast/running-a-club-nyc-episode6/ 

To support the show, come join the Patrons at  https://www.patreon.com/theswordguy

One of the great advantages of starting a podcast has been getting to talk to people I've not yet met, but whom my friends speak highly of. I think you'll see why several other guests suggested I talk to Tan when you listen to what she has to say! You can find our conversation here:

Tan runs Rogue Fencing, a historical martial arts school in New York, and is also a successful tournament fencer. You can find her online at Rogue fencing, and on Patreon.

 

How to train, with Kaja Sadowski

Episode 5

For transcriptions and more detailed shownotes, please go to https://swordschool.com/podcast/how-to-train-episode5/ 

To support the show, come join the Patrons at  https://www.patreon.com/theswordguy

In this episode of The Sword Guy, I talk to Kaja Sadowski, author of the must-read Fear is the Mind-Killer, about training with two swords, training in high-stress situations, and lots more training besides! 

Kaja has been a physical instructor since 2004, teaching figure skating, rock climbing, and mountaineering before coming to martial arts in 2010. She joined the coaching team at Valkyrie Western Martial Arts Assembly in 2012, and created their beginner program shortly afterwards. She currently teaches group and private lessons to students of all experience levels, and run the school’s self defense program.

Her primary weapon is the rapier, and she also teaches unarmed striking, grappling, and knife combat. Her interests vary from the historical to the modern, and range from recreational martial arts to practical self defense and professional use of force. She has been a civilian auxiliary with the Vancouver Police Department’s Force Options Training Unit since 2015, participating in realistic tactical training scenarios and providing guest instruction to their Special Municipal Constable program.