Introducing The Academy of European Martial Arts
Here at steelfighting.com and New Ulster Steel Fighting, we are proud to announce the formation of the Academy of European Martial Arts (A.E.M.A.) here in Waco, TX. The Academy is an off-shoot of N.U.S.F. where a full curriculum specifically designed for youth/children will be implemented to teach martial arts of European origin to students at a young age. Leadership training and character development, as well as physical fitness and the development of self confidence will be focusses. Adult classes are also available within the academy and will be held at separate times from the youth. The adult rank structure will fall under the guidelines of the Guardsmen Division described on the Rank Page of this site. The youth ranks will vary some with the use of white, yellow, and orange chevrons. Children will also have special patches that can be awarded to them for attachment to their uniform for noteworthy achievements during class and outside of normal martial arts class. Just as in New Ulster Steel Fighting, the live steel competitive martial arts school that is the parent school of the new academy, A.E.M.A. is no promotion factory like many other martial arts schools are today. Students will have to work to earn their ranks and awards. If they do not put in the effort, they simply will not see progression through the ranks. We believe in awarding earned achievement and thus rank within our academy is not given to students, it is earned by the students.
If you live in the Heart of Texas area and are interested in joining for yourself in our adult classes, or you are a parent and want to enroll your child/children, please contact us through our contacts page on this site. We will get back to you within twenty-four hours. Come join us and experience an extremely rewarded martial arts journey.
Now Recruiting New Members!!!
New Ulster Steel Fighting and steelfighting.com is pleased to announce some awesome awards for current students/members and prospective members as well. For the remainder of this month (March 2013) through the end of May 2013, we are having a recruiting drive here at New Ulster Steel Fighting in Waco, TX. Any current member who recruits 3 new members will receive one month free training/membership. That is a $60.00 value. Any prospective members that joins and brings in two of his or her friends that also joins will receive the same reward of one month free membership/training. That said, if you think you can bring in more members, don’t settle for a month’s free membership. Bring in 5 new members and the grand master will award you your own Starfire LS32 sword. That is a $150.00 value and the sword comes with a lifetime warranty through Starfire Swords Ltd. (warranty information located at Starfire’s web site). And finally, if you manage to bring in a total of 8 new members you will receive an official combat ready NUSF round shield to go along with your Starfire LS32 sword. So, if you are looking for a martial arts school that teaches Historical European Martial Arts, join us and bring in some of your friends and family members. 
There are some great incentives for doing so to include the awesome training and camaraderie you will gain by being a member. It does not matter if you have never studied HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) or if you are a seasoned veteran in the arts but are looking for a new school in the Heart of Texas/Central Texas region. We would love to have you on board with us! If you are a current member, get with it and reap the awesome benefits of our special recruiting drive! Come join us today and be apart of an awesome family of martial artists and earn some great rewards in the process. Contact us through the contact page of this site and leave us your name, email address and phone number and I will contact you via phone or email within 24 hours. Come join us! We would love to have you here!
ACSMMA National & Open Sword Fighting Championships 2013
Durban Sword and Shield Club in Durban, South Africa, will be hosting the first ACSMMA (The Affiliation for Contemporary Swordsmanship and Medieval Martial Arts) National and Open Swordfighting Championships 2013, and invites eligible fighters and teams from all parts of the world to attend and compete in this event. Below is a detailed listing of the events:
Venue: Hillcrest Scout Hall, Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal
Date: 09-11 August 2013
Events, Day one (Friday, 09 August):
Morning – Rapier (any combination of rapier and dagger, cloak, or case is permitted)
Afternoon – unarmoured longsword (weapon type to be decided upon)
Events, Day two (Saturday, 10 August):
Morning – Fully-armoured combat (sword and shield, longsword, greatsword and spear permitted) these will be steel, rebated weapons, & will be inspected for safety.
Afternoon – Dark Ages Holmganga (weapons chosen by chance and to include sword, shield, dagger, and spear)
At the end of Day Two, there will be a feast for all combatants and their guests. (more…)
2013 Combat Tournament
While there is still much training to be engaged with in the remaining month of 2012, New Ulster Steel Fighting School of Medieval Combat Arts is looking forward to a very exciting year in 2013. Our new members are training hard and progressing at a wonderful pace displaying some natural talent for the arts. I want to give them my compliments and let them know that at this rate, they will be ready to take part in the 2013 N.U.S.F. Combat Tournament when it arrives. The 2013 tournament will have several categories of competition to include Individual Steel (one-on-one fighting for the Individual Steel Champion’s Medal), Team Steel (where teams of four or more fighters each compete against each other to take the First Place Team Steel Medals), Archery Division (where competitors compete in accuracy instinct shooting with long bows or recurve bows with no modern sights for the Archery Champion’s Medal), and Pole Arms Combat (where members go head to head using pole arms such as pole axes, spears, glaves, etc… and fight for the Pole Arms Champion’s Medal). Members of N.U.S.F. School of Medieval Combat Arts are encouraged to register to compete, but non-members my also register to compete in the various categories. There will be lots of great competition, camaraderie, food, and medals for all who earn the first place spots in their categories. More information will be provided once the date is set. If you are a member of an Historical European Martial Arts school, club, etc…,and you would like to compete as an individual or form a team. Please contact us through the contact page on this web site. Have a wonderfully blessed remainder of 2012, and an even better year in 2013.
Sincerely,
Br. Jeff Webb, Grand Master
Purists and Innovators: An Observation of Two Classifications of Western Martial Artists
Although there has been a rise in interest for roughly the last three decades in Renaissance and Medieval European Martial Arts, or what some refer to as Western Martial Arts, there appears to be surfacing what may be a level of contention between what the author of this article will refer to as “Purists” and “Innovators.” What is the matter of contention, or problem between these two classifications of martial artists and why does it exist? Furthermore, should there really be any issue in the first place? (more…)
