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.   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: Within the two weeks prior to class, you have experienced any symptoms of COVID-19, including: A fever (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher) or a sense of having a fever. A new cough that cannot be attributed to another health condition. New shortness of breath that cannot be attributed to another health condition. New chills that cannot be attributed to another health condition. A new sore throat that cannot be attributed to another health condition. New muscle aches that cannot be attributed to another health condition or specific activity (such as physical exercise). You have taken a COVID-19 test and are awaiting results or have tested positive. 2. If you have symptoms of or have tested positive for COVID-19, you shall follow appropriate guidelines for quarantine or isolation. Persons with symptoms should stay home until CDC criteria for ending isolation have been met. Relevant CDC guidelines include: What to Do If You Are Sick When You Can be Around Others After You Had or Likely Had COVID-19  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 (updated). 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. Restroom facilities and running water is available. 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 rigid protection is required for all students. Although there is no air conditioning in the gym, is is very well ventilated and you can expect a breeze.

Cutting is back! We've got eighty mats from 2020 that we're excited to cut and hope you can join us. Be advised: If you sign up for this event, you are also signing up to help Jong roll and soak all the mats. Mat soaking will occur at Brazen Fitness on Thursday 06 April during class. Please do not purchase a ticket if you cannot commit to helping with the logsitics of rolling and soaking the mats. Ticket includes 3 mats. 20 tickets total available. Loaner sharps will be available at the event in case you would like to use them. This event is for CKDF members only. Ensure you're logged in to TidyHQ in order to get a ticket.

Welcome! Before purchasing a ticket, review the three waivers below which includes important COVID-19/coronavirus-related information, our gym's internal waiver, and the HEMA Alliance Insurance Waiver. You must SIGN the Brazen Fitness Waiver individually. By signing up for this course, you are indicating your agreement to the CKDF and Hema Alliance Waivers. https://waiver.smartwaiver.com/w/5f1c19cc8e914/web/  https://ckdf.tidyhq.com/public/pages/ckdf-liability-waiver https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55b01d82e4b0ee47a1e0a740/t/5642c105e4b036cd16793279/1447215365176/HEMA-Alliance-Waiver.pdf 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 four classes meeting first on the date above, and then each Monday for three weeks thereafter. This course focuses on the use of sabres according the 18th and 19th century European treatises. If you are interested in attending this four-week intro course, review the information below prior to purchasing a ticket.   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: Within the two weeks prior to class, you have experienced any symptoms of COVID-19, including: A fever (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher) or a sense of having a fever. A new cough that cannot be attributed to another health condition. New shortness of breath that cannot be attributed to another health condition. New chills that cannot be attributed to another health condition. A new sore throat that cannot be attributed to another health condition. New muscle aches that cannot be attributed to another health condition or specific activity (such as physical exercise). You have taken a COVID-19 test and are awaiting results or have tested positive. 2. If you have symptoms of or have tested positive for COVID-19, you shall follow appropriate guidelines for quarantine or isolation. Persons with symptoms should stay home until CDC criteria for ending isolation have been met. Relevant CDC guidelines include: What to Do If You Are Sick When You Can be Around Others After You Had or Likely Had COVID-19 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 (updated). 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. Restroom facilities and running water is available. 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! 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 rigid protection is required for all students. Although there is no air conditioning in the gym, is is very well ventilated and you can expect a breeze.

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.   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 and are limited to 16 students total.  1. You shall not attend class if: Within the two weeks prior to class, you have experienced any symptoms of COVID-19, including: A fever (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher) or a sense of having a fever. A new cough that cannot be attributed to another health condition. New shortness of breath that cannot be attributed to another health condition. New chills that cannot be attributed to another health condition. A new sore throat that cannot be attributed to another health condition. New muscle aches that cannot be attributed to another health condition or specific activity (such as physical exercise). You have taken a COVID-19 test and are awaiting results or have tested positive. 2. If you have symptoms of or have tested positive for COVID-19, you shall follow appropriate guidelines for quarantine or isolation. Persons with symptoms should stay home until CDC criteria for ending isolation have been met. Relevant CDC guidelines include: What to Do If You Are Sick When You Can be Around Others After You Had or Likely Had COVID-19  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 (updated). 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. Restroom facilities and running water is available. 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! 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 rigid protection is required for all students. Although there is no air conditioning in the gym, is is very well ventilated and you can expect a breeze.

It's time again for some Kydex crafting. Join us for another CKDF-hosted crafting session to make various armor plates to augment your protective gear. The focus will be on forearm protection, but mainly we will be learning what Kydex is, how it helps keep us safe in HEMA, and how to safely and successfully work with it. Event Details & Rules: Participants only need to bring their own Kydex. Recommend at least one 12" x 24" or two 12" x 12" sheets, in .080" thickness (.060" is too thin, .10" is too hard to work with). Many vendors sell Kydex, easiest source is Amazon; please order well in advance of event to ensure you can bring the Kydex you will need. Event organizers will provide all tools, but personal safety glasses, face mask, and gloves are required. Additional fasteners to fix Kydex to protective gear will be required - event organizers will have some basic materials on hand, but fasteners are best made to individual taste. Please be ready to help clean up when done. If armor besides forearm guards are desired, please contact John Durish via the CKDF Facebook group, or as "Ogon" in CKDF Discord. No food or beverages (aside from water) are allowed in the training space. Alcohol is prohibited at this event. This is a safety precaution as well as respecting the rented space Brazen has provided.

It's the most "wounderful" time of the year!  Join us for CKDF's annual holiday event, Yule Duel.  We will exchange gifts, challenge each other for said gifts, and gorge ourselves on the various yummies our clubmates have contributed. Event Details & Rules: Yule Duel utilizes a "White Elephant" style gift exchange. Dollar limit for gifts is $30.00 Presents must be wrapped before adding to the loot pile. Gift challenge limit is set to 3. Food / Bevs No food or beverages (aside from water) are allowed in the training space. Alcohol is prohibitted at this event.  This is a safety precaution as well as respecting the rented space Brazen has provided. Homemade items, store bought goodies are all welcome!  Please complete registration questionnaire to make sure your contribution is added to the master list.

“You fight like a girl!” If you thought sword fighting was just for the guys, think again! Join us on Saturday, June 11th at 1:00PM for a day of swinging, stabbing, learning, and all-around fun. Our instructors and members foster an inclusive atmosphere where all are welcome to explore the diverse world and weapons systems of bygone ages. This event is centered on the empowerment and satisfaction of sword swinging to women including: cis, trans, genderfluid and variant, femme, and non-binary friends. This event is for 18+ individuals.  Please review the Liability Waiver here: https://ckdf.tidyhq.com/public/pages/ckdf-liability-waiver No experience is necessary. Comfortable clothes and athletic, close-toed shoes you can move / sweat in are highly recommended. Pelvic protection is suggested, but not required. Water is a must, we will be outside for this workshop. We will kick things off with German Longsword, break for snacks, and finish the day with rapier.  Other weapons will be available for discussion and general experimentation.  Sources that HEMA is based on will be available for perusal too. Give a Girl a Sword is a part of the international campaign run by Esfinges. We welcome any and all women to come and share the fun of sword fighting. A Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) organization founded by and for women, Esfinges is focused on getting more women into HEMA. It is estimated that only 20% of HEMA practitioners are female, and an even smaller number compete at events. Many women find themselves the sole female member of their school. Esfinges has noted that if every person in HEMA were to encourage just one woman to try a class, we would make a huge improvement, and has challenged clubs and fencers to encourage friends, colleagues, wives, girlfriends, sisters, mothers and daughters to try HEMA!  Learn more about Esfinges at: esfinges.net.

Thursday Schedule: Polearms (outdoors at Long Bridge Park nearby): 6:30pm-7:30pm Common Fencing: 7:30pm-9pm Kunst des Fechtens: 9pm-10:30pm Please get a ticket to any and all classes that you want to participate in. This system ensures that class size doesn't get too big. Thanks for understanding! Possession of ticket confirms that you have read and agree to adhere to CKDF's rules to limit the spread of COVID-19: Read them here. Bring a copy of your vaccination card. Everyone has to flash a copy (phone picture, photocopy, etc.) of their COVID-19 vaccination card to an instructor in order to participate in class on that day. We recommend keeping a copy in your gear bag so you don't forget - please reach out if you have any questions or concerns about this policy. By participating in Capital Kunst Des Fechtens (CKDF) activities, events, or programs (collectively, Activities), you are acknowledging the contagious nature of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19); that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any place where other people are or have recently been present; and that you may be exposed to COVID-19 by participating in CKDF Activities, despite efforts to mitigate such exposure. By participating in CKDF Activities, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold CKDF; the HEMA Alliance; or any other affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors, or volunteers thereof liable for any loss, damage, illness, or injury directly or indirectly arising therefrom. You further agree to comply with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws and guidelines and all CKDF rules relating to COVID-19 for the duration of your participation in CKDF Activities.

Do you want to do more HEMA, but you have a spouse, two kids, and a 45-minute one-way commute out to Alexandria? Do you like daggers or just want another day and venue to stab your friends? Do you live near Woodbridge? Do you like the color green? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might be interested in a satellite study group in Woodbridge. Craig Kellner is leading an additional study group Wednesday evenings focused on Fiore's Dagger.  This weapon is perfect to start with since you need very little equipment and the fundamentals easily transition into baton, abrazare, longsword, and spear. Existing CKDF dues and HEMAA insurance will cover this and existing CKDF policies apply. If you plan to attend, please email craig.kellner@gmail.com or contact him on the CKDF Discord server https://discord.gg/2txjyWfNN2 to work out the details.

Monday Schedule: Rapier (outdoors at Long Bridge Park nearby): 7:30-8:30pm Sabre: 8:30pm-9:30pm Open Floor: 8:30pm-10:30pm Please get a ticket to any and all classes that you want to participate in. This system ensures that class size doesn't get too big. Thanks for understanding! Possession of ticket confirms that you have read and agree to adhere to CKDF's rules to limit the spread of COVID-19: Read them here By participating in Capital Kunst Des Fechtens (CKDF) activities, events, or programs (collectively, Activities), you are acknowledging the contagious nature of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19); that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any place where other people are or have recently been present; and that you may be exposed to COVID-19 by participating in CKDF Activities, despite efforts to mitigate such exposure. By participating in CKDF Activities, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold CKDF; the HEMA Alliance; or any other affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors, or volunteers thereof liable for any loss, damage, illness, or injury directly or indirectly arising therefrom. You further agree to comply with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws and guidelines and all CKDF rules relating to COVID-19 for the duration of your participation in CKDF Activities.

Thursday Schedule: Polearms (outdoors at Long Bridge Park nearby): 6:30pm-7:30pm Common Fencing: 7:30pm-9pm Kunst des Fechtens: 9pm-10:30pm Please get a ticket to any and all classes that you want to participate in. This system ensures that class size doesn't get too big. Thanks for understanding! Possession of ticket confirms that you have read and agree to adhere to CKDF's rules to limit the spread of COVID-19: Read them here. Bring a copy of your vaccination card. Everyone has to flash a copy (phone picture, photocopy, etc.) of their COVID-19 vaccination card to an instructor in order to participate in class on that day. We recommend keeping a copy in your gear bag so you don't forget - please reach out if you have any questions or concerns about this policy. By participating in Capital Kunst Des Fechtens (CKDF) activities, events, or programs (collectively, Activities), you are acknowledging the contagious nature of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19); that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any place where other people are or have recently been present; and that you may be exposed to COVID-19 by participating in CKDF Activities, despite efforts to mitigate such exposure. By participating in CKDF Activities, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold CKDF; the HEMA Alliance; or any other affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors, or volunteers thereof liable for any loss, damage, illness, or injury directly or indirectly arising therefrom. You further agree to comply with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws and guidelines and all CKDF rules relating to COVID-19 for the duration of your participation in CKDF Activities.

Do you want to do more HEMA, but you have a spouse, two kids, and a 45-minute one-way commute out to Alexandria? Do you like daggers or just want another day and venue to stab your friends? Do you live near Woodbridge? Do you like the color green? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might be interested in a satellite study group in Woodbridge. Craig Kellner is leading an additional study group Wednesday evenings focused on Fiore's Dagger.  This weapon is perfect to start with since you need very little equipment and the fundamentals easily transition into baton, abrazare, longsword, and spear. Existing CKDF dues and HEMAA insurance will cover this and existing CKDF policies apply. If you plan to attend, please email craig.kellner@gmail.com or contact him on the CKDF Discord server https://discord.gg/2txjyWfNN2 to work out the details.