Events

Upcoming

Introduction to Rapier - May 2026
May
04
Introduction to Rapier - May 2026
Brazen Fitness
20:00 – 21:00
Welcome! Capital Kunst des Fechtens offers periodic introductory courses for prospective club members. Our club is dedicated to providing and maintaining a safe training space for Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA). All are welcome, and we do not tolerate discrimination based upon gender, gender identity and expression, race, sexual orientation, disability, nationality or national origin, ethnicity, age, or religion. If you are interested in reconstructing medieval martial arts, historical swordplay, or modern HEMA competition, then our club is for you. Course Info This class meets on Mondays at 8:00 pm and runs for four weeks. We will focus on the use of the rapier as seen in Italian sources from the early 17th century. You'll start off with the basics and then move on to more advanced theory and exercises. By the end, you should be ready to join our regular practice and fence on your own. Location & Directions Class is held indoors at Brazen Fitness located at 607 S Ball St, Arlington, VA 22202. The venue is a ten-minute walk from the Pentagon City and Crystal City Metro stations, or feel free to park anywhere in Brazen's lot or on the street (unmetered after 8 pm). Enter from Ball Street and proceed through to the gym space - when you see people with blue CKDF shirts and swords, you have found the right place. Attire, What to Expect, Etc. This course is for novices - you do not need to be in great shape, know any martial arts, or have any knowledge of historical fencing whatsoever. To get the most out of this course, all you need is a positive attitude and an open mind! Please wear comfortable athletic attire that is appropriate to the prevailing weather conditions. There is no air conditioning in the gym, but it is well ventilated. Please also wear an athletic cup - we won't be targeting the groin, but accidents can happen. And don't forget a water bottle! Waivers Before showing up, there are two waivers you'll need to sign. First, please review CKDF's waiver: https://ckdf.tidyhq.com/public/pages/ckdf-liability-waiver. When checking out, you'll be asked to affirm you have read and agree to this waiver. Second, complete the Brazen Fitness waiver: waiver.smartwaiver.com/v/brazenfit/. You'll be asked to show the confirmation email at class. COVID-19 Rules Before purchasing a ticket, please review our COVID-19 policy.

Past events

Striking from the Grips: an Introduction to Thai Clinch Fighting
Feb
04
Past Event
Striking from the Grips: an Introduction to Thai Clinch Fighting
Brazen Fitness
20:00 – 22:00
This event will introduce students to some of the clinch positions and strikes utilized in Muay Thai, and draw comparisons to ringen grappling. Students will need to dress in light and mobile clothing and may not wear shoes during practice. Students should expect to be in close proximity with other participants, and must be comfortable having their body gripped and pulled, being taken off balance, and receiving light and controlled strikes to the body. No protective gear is required for this lesson. This event will be led by Travis McLeod, a former CKDF fencer and sabre instructor, who has practiced Muay Thai at Maryland Thai Boxing since 2024.
Introduction to German Longsword & Capital Kunst des Fechtens - Jan. 2026
Jan
29
Past Event
Introduction to German Longsword & Capital Kunst des Fechtens - Jan. 2026
Brazen Fitness
20:00 – 22:00
Image: Trojanerkrieg - Willehalm von Orlens - Herzog Ernst 1441 http://dlib.gnm.de/item/Hs998/11/html Welcome! Capital Kunst des Fechtens offers periodic introduction courses for prospective club members. Our club is dedicated to providing and maintaining a safe training space for Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA). All are welcome, and we do not tolerate discrimination based upon gender, gender identity and expression, race, sexual orientation, disability, nationality or national origin, ethnicity, age, or religion. If you are interested in reconstructing medieval martial arts, historical swordplay, or modern HEMA competition, then our club is for you. This course consists of six classes meeting first on the date above, and then each Thursday for five weeks thereafter. This course focuses on the unarmored use of the medieval sword (longsword) in the German tradition to give attendees an idea of what to expect as members of CKDF. If you are interested in attending this six-week intro course, review the information below prior to purchasing a ticket. Attire, What to Expect, Etc. This course is for novices - you do not need to be in shape, know any martial arts, or have any knowledge of historical fencing experience whatsoever. To get the most out of this course, all you need is a positive attitude and an open mind! You must be 18 or older to sign up. The intro class runs concurrently with our Kunst des Fechtens class. Instructors will draw your group to the side for instruction and will provide loaner training swords, fencing masks, and gloves as necessary. Please wear comfortable athletic attire that is appropriate to the prevailing weather conditions, and do not forget a water bottle. Please wear a groin protector to class - we won't be targeting the groin, but accidents happen. Although there is no air conditioning in the gym, is is very well ventilated and you can expect a breeze. Restroom facilities and running water is available. COVID-19 Rules Before purchasing a ticket, review our waiver which includes important COVID-19/coronavirus-related information. https://ckdf.tidyhq.com/public/pages/ckdf-liability-waiver. Classes are held in a well-ventilated gym. 1. You shall not attend class if you have a fever or other COVID-19 symptoms. 2. If you have symptoms of or have tested positive for COVID-19, you shall follow appropriate guidelines for preventing the spread of respiratory viruses. Persons with symptoms should stay home consistent with CDC criteria. 3. Vaccine Policy. Only persons who can produce their vaccination card or a copy of it may participate in class. We will check vaccination cards prior to each class, so please bring a digital or hardcopy of your card, or the original, to class with you or else you will not be able to participate in that class. Please reach out if you will require a waiver of the vaccination requirement - we are eager to make all reasonable accommodations and will keep your information confidential. 4. Mask Policy. Class participants are required to retain a mask on their person at all times during class and don their mask upon request of their training partner. You may opt out of wearing a mask in all other circumstances during class, but please be ready to honor the request of a training partner to mask up. As prevailing covid transmission rates change, we will revisit our mask policy but hope that transmission remains low in our region. We tie our decisions to CDC data: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view Location & Directions Class is held indoors at Brazen Fitness located at 607 S Ball St, Arlington, VA 22202. The venue is a ten-minute walk from the Pentagon City and Crystal City Metro stations, or feel free to park anywhere in the Brazen's lot, or on-street. Enter from Ball Street and proceed through to the gym space - when you see people with blue CKDF shirts and swords, you have found the right place and should approach them because they're friendly.  
2026 Workshop - Fighting in Armor with Christian Tobler
Jan
17
Past Event
2026 Workshop - Fighting in Armor with Christian Tobler
Brazen Fitness
11:00 – 15:00
Join Christian Tobler as he leads a workshop on the fighting techniques used in armor, known as “harnischfechten” in German. The workshop does not require any experience in actual armor, nor does it require armor beyond basic HEMA gear. (Though those who have HEMA-safe armor are encouraged to wear it!) The primary focus will be with the longsword, though Christian will demonstrate how the sword techniques translate to other armored weapons such as the dagger and pole arms. Christian Tobler is one of the most prolific authors and translators in the world of Historical European Martial Arts, and has decades of armored combat experience. His latest book, Fighting In Armor, covers the exact topic of this workshop, and he will have copies available to purchase at the event. If you're not already a CKDF member and would like to register for this class, please sign up for a Drop-In Membership prior to purchasing a ticket to this class.
Introduction to German Longsword & Capital Kunst des Fechtens - Sept. 2025
Sep
04
2025 Past Event
Introduction to German Longsword & Capital Kunst des Fechtens - Sept. 2025
Brazen Fitness
20:00 – 22:00
Image: Trojanerkrieg - Willehalm von Orlens - Herzog Ernst 1441 http://dlib.gnm.de/item/Hs998/11/html Welcome! Before purchasing a ticket, review our waiver which includes important COVID-19/coronavirus-related information. https://ckdf.tidyhq.com/public/pages/ckdf-liability-waiver Capital Kunst des Fechtens offers periodic introduction courses for prospective club members. Our club is dedicated to providing and maintaining a safe training space for Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA). All are welcome, and we do not tolerate discrimination based upon gender, gender identity and expression, race, sexual orientation, disability, nationality or national origin, ethnicity, age, or religion. If you are interested in reconstructing medieval martial arts, historical swordplay, or modern HEMA competition, then our club is for you. This course consists of six classes meeting first on the date above, and then each Thursday for five weeks thereafter. This course focuses on the unarmored use of the medieval sword (longsword) in the German tradition to give attendees an idea of what to expect as members of CKDF. If you are interested in attending this six-week intro course, review the information below prior to purchasing a ticket. Attire, What to Expect, Etc. This course is for novices - you do not need to be in shape, know any martial arts, or have any knowledge of historical fencing experience whatsoever. To get the most out of this course, all you need is a positive attitude and an open mind! You must be 18 or older to sign up. The intro class runs concurrently with our Kunst des Fechtens class. Instructors will draw your group to the side for instruction and will provide loaner training swords, fencing masks, and gloves as necessary. Please wear comfortable athletic attire that is appropriate to the prevailing weather conditions, and do not forget a water bottle. Please wear a groin protector to class - we won't be targeting the groin, but accidents happen. Although there is no air conditioning in the gym, is is very well ventilated and you can expect a breeze. Restroom facilities and running water is available. COVID-19 Rules Before purchasing a ticket, review our waiver which includes important COVID-19/coronavirus-related information. https://ckdf.tidyhq.com/public/pages/ckdf-liability-waiver. Classes are held in a well-ventilated gym. 1. You shall not attend class if you have a fever or other COVID-19 symptoms. 2. If you have symptoms of or have tested positive for COVID-19, you shall follow appropriate guidelines for preventing the spread of respiratory viruses. Persons with symptoms should stay home consistent with CDC criteria. 3. Vaccine Policy. Only persons who can produce their vaccination card or a copy of it may participate in class. We will check vaccination cards prior to each class, so please bring a digital or hardcopy of your card, or the original, to class with you or else you will not be able to participate in that class. Please reach out if you will require a waiver of the vaccination requirement - we are eager to make all reasonable accommodations and will keep your information confidential. 4. Mask Policy. Class participants are required to retain a mask on their person at all times during class and don their mask upon request of their training partner. You may opt out of wearing a mask in all other circumstances during class, but please be ready to honor the request of a training partner to mask up. As prevailing covid transmission rates change, we will revisit our mask policy but hope that transmission remains low in our region. We tie our decisions to CDC data: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view Location & Directions Class is held indoors at Brazen Fitness located at 607 S Ball St, Arlington, VA 22202. The venue is a ten-minute walk from the Pentagon City and Crystal City Metro stations, or feel free to park anywhere in the Brazen's lot, or on-street. Enter from Ball Street and proceed through to the gym space - when you see people with blue CKDF shirts and swords, you have found the right place and should approach them because they're friendly.  
Give a Girl a Sword Intro Course 2025
Jun
12
2025 Past Event
Give a Girl a Sword Intro Course 2025
Brazen Fitness
12 Jun 2025 20:00 – 26 Jun 2025 22:00
Image: Page 247r or Image 563 at History and facts of the nine braves and the nine knights Welcome! In honor of Pride Month, Capital Kunst des Fechtens is offering this beginner session exclusively to women and members of the LGBTQI community. Our club is dedicated to providing and maintaining a safe training space for Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA). All are welcome, and we do not tolerate discrimination based upon gender, gender identity and expression, race, sexual orientation, disability, nationality or national origin, ethnicity, age, or religion. If you are interested in reconstructing medieval martial arts, historical swordplay, or modern HEMA competition, then our club is for you. This course consists of three classes meeting each Thursday during the Start and End date listed above. This course focuses on the unarmored use of the medieval sword (longsword) in the German tradition to give attendees an idea of what to expect as members of CKDF. If you are interested in attending this three-week intro course, review the information below prior to purchasing a ticket. Attire, What to Expect, Etc. This course is for novices - you do not need to be in shape, know any martial arts, or have any knowledge of historical fencing experience whatsoever. To get the most out of this course, all you need is a positive attitude and an open mind! You must be 18 or older to sign up. The intro class runs concurrently with our Kunst des Fechtens class. Instructors will draw your group to the side for instruction and will provide loaner training swords, fencing masks, and gloves as necessary. Please wear comfortable athletic attire that is appropriate to the prevailing weather conditions, and do not forget a water bottle. Please wear the correct groin protector to class - we won't be targeting the groin, but accidents can happen. Although there is no air conditioning in the gym, is is very well ventilated and you can expect a breeze. COVID-19 Rules Before purchasing a ticket, review our waiver which includes important COVID-19/coronavirus-related information. https://ckdf.tidyhq.com/public/pages/ckdf-liability-waiver. Classes are held in a well-ventilated gym. 1. You shall not attend class if you have a fever or other COVID-19 symptoms. 2. If you have symptoms of or have tested positive for COVID-19, you shall follow appropriate guidelines for preventing the spread of respiratory viruses. Persons with symptoms should stay home consistent with CDC criteria. 3. Vaccine Policy. Only persons who can produce their vaccination card or a copy of it may participate in class. We will check vaccination cards prior to each class, so please bring a digital or hardcopy of your card, or the original, to class with you or else you will not be able to participate in that class. Please reach out if you will require a waiver of the vaccination requirement - we are eager to make all reasonable accommodations and will keep your information confidential. 4. Mask Policy. Class participants are required to retain a mask on their person at all times during class and don their mask upon request of their training partner. You may opt out of wearing a mask in all other circumstances during class, but please be ready to honor the request of a training partner to mask up. As prevailing covid transmission rates change, we will revisit our mask policy but hope that transmission remains low in our region. We tie our decisions to CDC data: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view Location & Directions Class is held indoors at Brazen Fitness located at 607 S Ball St, Arlington, VA 22202. The venue is a short walk from the Pentagon City and Crystal City Metro stations, or feel free to park anywhere in the Brazen's lot, or on-street. Enter from Ball Street and proceed through to the gym space - when you see people with blue CKDF shirts and swords, you have found the right place and should approach them because they're friendly. Restroom facilities and running water is available.  
Introduction to German Longsword & Capital Kunst des Fechtens - Spring 2025
Apr
03
2025 Past Event
Introduction to German Longsword & Capital Kunst des Fechtens - Spring 2025
Brazen Fitness
20:00 – 22:00
Image: Trojanerkrieg - Willehalm von Orlens - Herzog Ernst 1441 http://dlib.gnm.de/item/Hs998/11/html Welcome! Before purchasing a ticket, review our waiver which includes important COVID-19/coronavirus-related information. https://ckdf.tidyhq.com/public/pages/ckdf-liability-waiver Capital Kunst des Fechtens offers periodic introduction courses for prospective club members. Our club is dedicated to providing and maintaining a safe training space for Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA). All are welcome, and we do not tolerate discrimination based upon gender, gender identity and expression, race, sexual orientation, disability, nationality or national origin, ethnicity, age, or religion. If you are interested in reconstructing medieval martial arts, historical swordplay, or modern HEMA competition, then our club is for you. This course consists of six classes meeting first on the date above, and then each Thursday for five weeks thereafter. This course focuses on the unarmored use of the medieval sword (longsword) in the German tradition to give attendees an idea of what to expect as members of CKDF. If you are interested in attending this six-week intro course, review the information below prior to purchasing a ticket. Attire, What to Expect, Etc. This course is for novices - you do not need to be in shape, know any martial arts, or have any knowledge of historical fencing experience whatsoever. To get the most out of this course, all you need is a positive attitude and an open mind! You must be 18 or older to sign up. The intro class runs concurrently with our Kunst des Fechtens class. Instructors will draw your group to the side for instruction and will provide loaner training swords, fencing masks, and gloves as necessary. Please wear comfortable athletic attire that is appropriate to the prevailing weather conditions, and do not forget a water bottle. Please wear a groin protector to class - we won't be targeting the groin, but accidents happen. Although there is no air conditioning in the gym, is is very well ventilated and you can expect a breeze. Restroom facilities and running water is available. COVID-19 Rules Before purchasing a ticket, review our waiver which includes important COVID-19/coronavirus-related information. https://ckdf.tidyhq.com/public/pages/ckdf-liability-waiver. Classes are held in a well-ventilated gym. 1. You shall not attend class if you have a fever or other COVID-19 symptoms. 2. If you have symptoms of or have tested positive for COVID-19, you shall follow appropriate guidelines for preventing the spread of respiratory viruses. Persons with symptoms should stay home consistent with CDC criteria. 3. Vaccine Policy. Only persons who can produce their vaccination card or a copy of it may participate in class. We will check vaccination cards prior to each class, so please bring a digital or hardcopy of your card, or the original, to class with you or else you will not be able to participate in that class. Please reach out if you will require a waiver of the vaccination requirement - we are eager to make all reasonable accommodations and will keep your information confidential. 4. Mask Policy. Class participants are required to retain a mask on their person at all times during class and don their mask upon request of their training partner. You may opt out of wearing a mask in all other circumstances during class, but please be ready to honor the request of a training partner to mask up. As prevailing covid transmission rates change, we will revisit our mask policy but hope that transmission remains low in our region. We tie our decisions to CDC data: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view Location & Directions Class is held indoors at Brazen Fitness located at 607 S Ball St, Arlington, VA 22202. The venue is a ten-minute walk from the Pentagon City and Crystal City Metro stations, or feel free to park anywhere in the Brazen's lot, or on-street. Enter from Ball Street and proceed through to the gym space - when you see people with blue CKDF shirts and swords, you have found the right place and should approach them because they're friendly.