Of (School/Guild) Ranks

 Greetings,

Some schools have a formal ranking structure, some don't. All schools have ranking structures whether they realise it or not. This post talks about both formal ranking structures and also less formal ranking structures which result from the relationships that inevitably occur. It compares and contrasts these relationships and demonstrates how one gives people a step-by-step method of attaining a particular position, whereas the other is more fluid. Neither structure is better than the other, they simply just are. One may suit some better than others, it is just the way things are.

I will be examining a structure used by the London Masters of Defence which formally operated in England in at least the sixteenth-century, and possibly further. This structure has been adopted by various schools of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) around the world as it provides a structure by which a student can observe their increase in learning and skill. Others have modified this structure to add steps within it, or previous steps to it to ease students into it. I will address the ranks in general terms, examining the meaning of the ranks, some of the meaning of the words and how this affects the ranks themselves.

Formal Ranks

The London Masters of Defence had four ranks: Scholar, Free Scholar, Provost and Master. Some schools in our current era have sandwiched in a rank between Free Scholar and Provost, others have added ranks before Free Scholar, but the essential structure has remained the same. Then, of course there is the contention, which I have mentioned previously about the word "Master". You can find my discussion on that topic here. In the discussion of these ranks, I will be examining what these words mean, and some of the implications of their meaning based on their position in the learning process.

Scholar

The Scholar is the lowest rank on the tree, and is the one where the individual, like the indicated "scholar" is learning about the Art of Defence. At this stage, the individual is likely being taught by another, being given information, and direction for their study. At this rank, the individual learns the proper form and theory of the Art which they have chosen to practice. The fundamentals should be present at their weapon in any individual who wishes to examine for this rank, should there be an examination for such. 

The individual really is at the "monkey see, monkey do" stage of development. Those who teach a student at this rank need to be especially careful as what they teach can decide the difference between the student progressing with an understanding of the true foundations of the Art, or floundering in ignorance. It is not only the practical aspects of the Art which are taught, but also respect for the Art, and respect for their fellow individuals who are progressing along the same path. The actions of the teacher will be reflected in the student, especially if actions of a negative fashion are not caught early. It is at this stage that the seeds of the swordsman or duellist are established.

Free Scholar

In some schools this rank is an entry-level, or beginning stage. By the nature of the two words put together, this should not be the case. The Scholar who was under the tutelage of some individual, making the decisions for them, deciding what they should learn, should be now freed. Free to do what though? Free to make decisions as to where they want to go. Free to learn what they want to learn. Free to study the texts that they want to study. The teacher now becomes a person who guides the Free Scholar in particular directions in their study and attempts to keep them focused on the task at hand. The Free Scholar should even be encouraged to take their first (supervised) steps in teaching, especially if their goal is to go further.

Provost

In every case where I have written about the Provost I have at some stage referred to them as an assistant teacher. They are there to pick up the slack where the Master cannot handle the numbers or needs another teacher to handle another aspect. In other cases, it is at this rank that an individual is given permission by the Master to open their own school. It means that the Provost must have skills as a teacher an not just be skilled with their weapons. They must also be well-read and have presented evidence of such reading to demonstrate their reading. Their must be some foundation upon which a school could be based. The Provost must demonstrate clear knowledge of the principles and theories of the Art of Defence and be able to demonstrate these. Becoming a Provost is no easy task, nor is it an easy path to follow, especially if the same individual aspires to the rank of Master.

Master

What is a Master? If nothing else a Master is a skilled teacher. The Master is well-read in the Art of Defence and has internalised the knowledge they have discovered over their time teaching and practicing. The Master demonstrates clear skill, not only in regard to the practical aspects of the sword, but also concerning the teaching of students, and the theories and concepts which surround the Art of Defence. The Master has the skills to teach and open a school, should they wish, and produce students of a respectable calibre. The rank of Master is one not easily attained and may take a lifetime's worth of work. Most continue to work, discovering new information that the Art presents as their life progresses. 

These formal ranks are not the only ones that can exist in schools and not the only ones that do exist in schools. Indeed, informal ranks can, and do, exist side-by-side the formal ranks. The Japanese call it the senpai - kohai relationship, the more experienced to the lesser experienced student. Each person is a student in the path of swordsmanship, it is just a matter of experience in particular aspects.

Informal Ranks

There are also informal ranks which result when one begins to learn from another. Here there is the teacher and the student. Often, this relationship and these ranks are disregarded. Anyone who teaches is a teacher, and anyone who learns is a student. This is regardless of what other rank they might hold. In this way, where the lowly Scholar discovers some interesting aspect, even the Master can be the student again (and this is a good thing as you should always be learning). These are the two essential ranks that all schools, or teaching situations of any kind have.

Teacher

The teacher is a person who teaches. They are the person who imparts knowledge to another person. In most formal situations the teacher will have more knowledge than the student on the particular subject that is being taught. This is really a role that a person plays rather than a kind of rank, though it is often assumed to be, hence it was placed under the heading of such. Teachers can be found in all sorts of places. In the case of those who have formal positions in schools there are some more specific things that need to be said.

I have previously discussed the difference between a teacher and an instructor, you can find that discussion here. There is a preference for a teacher because there is a two-way flow of information. Questions can be asked, and answered. A teacher should always be willing to answer any question a student may have, regardless of how "stupid" it might seem. There are no "stupid" questions. If the teacher does not know the answer, not only should they admit it, they should go and find the answer and come back to the student with it, and not expect the student to go find it. The teacher should always be expanding their knowledge. Even better would be if both teacher and student went and investigated  the question so they could compare their findings, then both get to share their learning experience when they make their comparison.

The teacher should always have a regard for the health and future of the student, this not only includes their safety, but also how the student will be perceived. Lessons on etiquette and other social concerns should be part of standard training practices. In the same way the teacher should be aware that the student will learn everything from them, even things you do not expect.

Student

The student is the one who learns (this means that a really good teacher is also a student). They are the one who receives knowledge from another person. In a formal situation, the student will likely have less knowledge than the teacher on the particular subject that is being taught. Again, this is a role that is being played rather than a rank. The role of the student and teacher can be swapped in certain circumstances where the student has knowledge about their movement or their perspective. The student has their role to play.

The student has a role to play to be a good student. The prime job is to learn what the teacher is teaching. This means being attentive in class. Listening to what the teacher has to say, and even if you disagree with it, taking it in to see where it has value. All information has some sort of value to it. The student should not be disruptive as it distracts other students. They should also follow drills as they are laid out, there is a reason that the drill is presented in this fashion. If you do not understand what that is, ask. They should also ask questions in a respectful manner and at an appropriate time. The role of the student is as important as that of the teacher as without them there would be no teacher, but likewise the reverse is true. A student can leave a class, but a teacher can also do the same.

Why is it important?

It is important to acknowledge that the ranks exist whether we realise that they are present or not. Some have formal ranks, some do not. In any case, there is always the presence of the informal ranks, the teacher and the student. The formal ranks are easier to define, so they were. Then some information about the each rank and what it means was presented. This information was designed to elucidate what it means to be at these ranks, and some of what is required to attain them as well. Regardless of how a particular school, guild or other structure uses the terms and ranks it is useful to address each one of them and understand what they mean. These are my interpretations of their meanings.

For the informal ranks there was some information about how to get the best out of the situation and what the role of each person was. There can be good teachers and bad teachers, but there can also be good students and bad students. Both can make for a good or poor learning environment. Both must do their part.

Who is important? Each student and each teacher is as important as the other as they exist in a symbiotic relationship. The one does not exist without the other. Sure there will be teachers who are not so good, likewise there will be students who are not so good. We will experience both in our path and through our travels. The vital thing for our personal growth is that we strive, as individuals, to be good students and teachers, to ensure that we are doing the best we can to make the best learning environment that we can. This is not only for our benefit, but for the benefit of others.

Cheers,

Henry.

Those Who Can't, Teach?

Greetings,

There is this idea going around that if a person is an instructor or trainer or master of a particular school then they should also be some sort of high-level competitor, able to dish out the hard stuff to others in competitions.  On the other hand there is this idea that those who cannot dish it out in competitions allow others to do so, and thus teach instead, hence "those who can't, teach". Both of these notions are fallacious in their own ways. Both need to be addressed so that we do not get the wrong idea and wrong expectations of our teachers.

Trainers cannot, in general, maintain the position as high-level competitors for a simple reason. A competitor's focus is on themselves: making sure that their skills are honed, making sure that their timing is in focus; and making sure that they are fit enough to compete in competitions. A person who truly takes on the position of the trainer does not have this focus. Their focus is on the individuals that they are training; focusing to make sure that the skills that they are teaching are up to date with the latest research; making sure that the method of delivery is understood by the students; making sure that the students can excel; the trainer's focus is outward rather than inward. Usually on more than one student.

Trainers spend much more time on others than they do on themselves. This is the reason why their skills may not be as sharp as the high-level competitors, because they have someone to think about other than themselves. Their students are their focus, not the next tournament win, not making themselves better through improving their fighting skills, but making themselves better through their teaching skills. This is another place where this idea of "those who can't, teach" is a misnomer.

A person who competes demonstrates their skill by performing it against an opponent. They can even sometimes give you all the technical information about the skills that they were using. Often, they cannot teach those skills. The trainer can. Not only does the trainer need to know how to perform the actions that the competitor does, but the trainer also needs to know how to teach those skills to others.

There are some great competitors who have striven to the height of their particular chosen pursuit, but they cannot teach. Just because you know the skills does not mean that you automatically know how to teach the skills. This is an additional level of learning which is involved. It is a process which the trainer goes through to learn how to teach, often the students learn through this process.

To teach a skill. The teacher has to know how the skill works. The teacher also needs to know why the skill works. For fencing, the teacher also needs to know when and where to apply the skill to a situation for it to work. These must be real understandings of how the skill works not just surface/physical understanding, but intellectual understanding of how the skill works. It is only through this level of knowledge that the teacher can explain to the student how to perform the skill properly.

If you see a trainer or teacher, and you see them fencing, examine what they are doing. You will notice that their fencing is more technical than athletic, because they are focused on getting things right. They may not keep up with the high-level competitors but fencing them will always be worth your while. They have a different focus, a focus which is toward the education of others in swordsmanship rather than seeking the heights of fame. It is an extremely important role as if there were no person willing to teach, there would be a lot less people to compete with.

"Those who cant, teach" is a misnomer.

Those who are teaching are doing, all of the time.

They may not be representative on the tournament honour's list. They may not be present on the world rankings. They are present in the school every week teaching people from beginners all the way up, spending their time on others. Without their technical knowledge and technical skill swordplay would not be what it is today. It is these people who do most of the study to ensure that what is being taught and thus what is being learnt makes sense, and works. Thank your teachers and trainers, they are a great asset.

Cheers,

Henry.

Females and Fencing (Part 3)

Greetings,

Welcome to Part 3! If you have not perused the previous two instalments of this subject I would strongly advise you to do so. The previous ones have looked at the Physical and Psychological differences between male and female combatants in Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA). This was based upon a lesson which I presented at an event known as Swordplay '15. It was based upon some of my observed findings of the female combatants at the event and their interactions and fighting at the event. This post really will get to some of the really important stuff, which we all need to take note of.

You Are Not Alone

While the numbers of female combatants in HEMA may be smaller than those of their male counter-parts, the important thing for the female combatants to realise, and even the males to realise is that, you are not alone. Without a doubt there is another combatant out there going through the same problems as you are having, and working through them just like you are. The feeling of loneliness is one that can kill your fighting spirit in no time at all and it is one that you need to purge. You are not alone, there are people out there to help you.

So, the first thing that you are going to tell me is that you are the only female in a class of all males. You are still not alone. Your first point of call should always be your trainer. If they cannot help then you can find help elsewhere. So, you are not a member of any formal organisation and you are studying as a singular individual. You are still not alone. Thanks to the internet there are multiple sources to consult and people often are more than willing to help people and share their own insights and research. In fact, for the most part the harder task is to get us to shut up so you can get a word in. Below you will find a list of links to various Facebook groups where you can link up with other women in HEMA.

Ostensibly, I began the class at Swordplay to demonstrate to the group of ladies that they needed to move differently to the male fighters who were competing in the competition. Something more grew from the conversation that I had with the ladies who were there (Yes, I am calling you all ladies). It was the realisation that most of them had not talked to one another about HEMA and how it worked for them, and how it affected them. This was actually quite a shock to me. Guys tend to sit and chat about technique, this master over that master, and what armour suits and protects us better, so I assumed that it would be the same with the ladies. I was wrong, for this I apologise. I just hope that the class which turned into more of a discussion got people talking and that this series of posts will also get people talking, and especially the ladies. Oh, and in case you are wondering, Yes, I will be checking up on you.

Facebook Links

AUS/NZ HEMA/WMA ladies group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1732046537016304/
Started by Evangelina Corona it is a place for AUS/NZ HEMA/WMA ladies to share their thoughts, meet new friends and change the face of women in Australian and New Zealand Sword play groups. "I began this after SP15 [Swordplay '15], feeling there was a need for we ladies down under to be able to share things solely with each other."

Esfinges
https://www.facebook.com/groups/esfingeshema/
The worldwide group, this group was made for women who practice fencing, to unite them and let them get to know one other. 

Ladybits
https://www.facebook.com/groups/565948176761635/
A group where ladies share.. Well, they are ladies, doing ladies things!

What You Can Do (Conclusion?)

Note that there is a question mark after the word conclusion. This is there because I am not actually sure that this is the end of the subject at all. I would not be surprised if there are further posts on this subject, possibly inspired by future events or comments. Another thing is that this process is one that needs to continue. Some of what follows will question the way things are done and I expect a certain amount of contention, but I believe that lively intellectual discussion and argument is healthy.

As combatants we all have a role to play to ensure that our female combatants are included and not side-lined in any form. This will begin with a change in attitude. We need to remove some of the negative expressions which we have grown up with such as, "You hit like a girl." and "Stop acting like a girl." All of these put our female combatants in a negative light and this is not healthy for us and definitely not for them. Rather we need to promote a the positive nature of their participation in HEMA. Further to this we also need to promote the levelling nature of martial arts in general.

With regard to this I need to approach our first contentious issue the idea of the "Ladies Tournament". I would question whether or not this is actually a healthy idea or not. Is having such a tournament an inclusive or exclusive thing? Sure it is inclusive as it involves the female combatants in a tournament, but it is also exclusive as it side-lines them to another tournament, and almost makes it feel like that they are not welcome to participate in more "general" combats. In my own opinion the nature of HEMA provides a level playing field in which all can compete, thus there is really no need for this separation, but this is a question that no doubt will be debated for some time to come.

Trainers. You are at the forefront of including individuals in HEMA regardless of whether they are male or female, or indeed of their physical nature. I have already written on the nature of bio-mechanics and body-shape, and indeed already on disabilities and fencing. Now we need to look at the male-female dichotomy. These posts are as important for you to realise the differences between the male and female student as they are for the female student to realise their own differences.

You need to approach these differences as simply that, differences, not problems. You need to consider the differences in body shape and approaches to combat. The benefits for taking this into consideration will outweigh the extra work that you will have to put in to making sure that you get it right. Take note of how your female students' bodies want to move and adapt their training to suit that, not the other way around. They will be much more comfortable, and much more successful.

Well, this series of posts has been a lot longer than I ever thought it would have been. I thank those ladies who participated in my class for the information which they gave me. It has enabled me to further understand how the female combatant operates and thinks and thus allowed me to produce these posts without you, this would have been a lot more difficult. So thanks go out to: Eva, Sam, Lois, Bec, Sharon, Emma, Rosie, Tristyn and Jessica (if I have forgotten anyone I apologise). I also need to send a big thank you to Zebee Johnstone for putting me on the right path.

I hope that all of my readers are able to pull something useful from the information which has been presented here. I apologise if there is anything here which has offended you, but I have attempted to do something which I thought needed to be done. I also apologise for some of the rambling nature of the information as I tend to write it how it comes, but then you needed to expect that considering the title of the entire blog.

Cheers,

Henry.

What is the role of the teacher and the student in fencing?

Greetings,

What will be discussed in this blog is the roles of the student and teacher and the relationship between them. It is important to realise that both of these groups of individuals have a role to play in fencing, and especially fencing training. They are actually both important to one another and it is this relationship and how sound this relationship is that will determine how effective the training is and also the ability to excel on both parts.

The first thing to realise is that both the teacher and the student have important roles to play in the training process and this cannot be ignored. In many ways the roles are two sides of the same coin. One does not happen without the other in an effective environment. A person cannot be a student without there being a teacher of some sort, and a teacher cannot be a teacher really without there being a student to teach. Now, in some instances, the student and the teacher will be the same person, but still the same applies.

One is reliant on the other. The student is reliant on the teacher in order to be taught what is required, but the teacher is also relying on the student to learn what is being taught in order that the relationship between the two is fruitful. In this it is important both fulfil the roles that they have in their best capacity in order for the best outcome for the situation and the training process. If one slacks off there is the highly likely chance that the other will slack off. This will result in a reduction in the level of learning. This is where it is best seen that they have a reciprocal relationship. If the teacher is lacking in enthusiasm for what is being taught, then the student will also slack off as they will see what is being taught as not important and also will reduce their efforts in order to learn what is being taught. If the student is lacking in enthusiasm for what is being taught, the teacher will recognise this and will not put in as much effort in the teaching process which will lead to a reduction in the learning. In this way it is important that both put in the maximum amount of effort in their roles in order to achieve the best outcome from the training situation. This also leads on to questions of what it means to be a student or teacher in fencing.

The role of the teacher is to teach. The role of the student is to learn. It is as simple as that, or is it? Does this mean that the teacher may only teach and is precluded from learning, even from the student? Does this mean that the student may only learn and is precluded from teaching? The simple answer to this is "No." This is best seen in the situation where fencing or particular parts of fencing are being learnt alone. In this situation the individual is both student and teacher rolled into one. The individual must not only teach but also learn. Where there are two, or more individuals the same applies. The teacher should also be learning, even if it is only learning how to teach better. The student must also be willing to teach, even if it is to teach the teacher a different perspective. We should all be seeking to learn at all times, and from everyone who has information to part with. The learning experience should never stop and we should never become only teachers as there is so much to learn and in order to do this you must be a student.

....

The rest of this article can be found in Un-Blogged: A Fencer's Ramblings by Henry Walker, which is available in paperback from:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Blogged-Ramblings-Henry-Leigh-Walker/dp/098764470X
Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/un-blogged-henry-leigh-walker/book/9780987644701.html
Among other places...

It is also available in electronic format (pdf) from: https://buy.stripe.com/fZecP419c7CB9VKeUV

... or direct from the author.