"AHA German Longsword" - German Longsword Study Guide (EN)

The AHA German Longsword Study Guide compiles three years of research on the Liechtenauer tradition conducted by Keith Farrell and Alex Bourdas, instructors at the Academy of Historical Arts. This award-winning book (HEMA Scholar Award "Best Instructor" 2013) is particularly aimed at advanced practitioners and assistant instructors who wish to place their technical knowledge within the context of historical sources.

The book details the fundamentals of the system: sword anatomy, central guards (Vom Tag, Ochs, Pflug, Alber) and their variants, basic strikes and "secret strikes" (Zornhaw, Zwerhaw, Schaitelhaw, Schilhaw, Krumphaw), concepts of binding and winding (Binden, Winden). Tactical aspects are explored through the notions of distance, timing, and the principles Vor/Nach/Indes.

Beyond pure technique, the book contextualizes each element within historical manuscripts, identifies the different masters of the tradition and their specificities. The proposed exercises allow for structured work, solo or in pairs. A reference tool for those who want to understand the Liechtenauer system in depth.

About the Authors:

Keith Farrell is a senior instructor at the Academy of Historical Arts, regularly teaching at international events. Alex Bourdas, also an instructor at the AHA, primarily focuses on the Kunst des Fechtens.