I’d like to add a plug for a workshop I took in the summer last year. Bartitsu: Fight Like Sherlock Holmes, is a course offered at Academie Duello, a studio for the western martial arts, swords, fencing, that sort of thing. When Bartitsu offered in London a hundred years ago, it was the first time eastern martial arts were presented in the western world. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle mentioned Bartitsu (as Baritsu) in his final book on Sherlock Holmes, and hence today we have a new Sherlock Holmes movie directed by BJJ brown belt Guy Ritchie and starring, as Sherlock Holmes, Wing Chung practitioner Robert Downey Jr.

Learn to Fight Like Sherlock Holmes

Bartitsu: Fight Like Sherlock Holmes

Saturday, January 23 – 2:00pm to 6:00pm

Learn the fighting style of Sherlock Holmes in this unique one-day workshop at Academie Duello. England in the 19th century was replete with instructors in martial arts from the world over. E.W. Barton-Wright had returned from Japan and opened a school to teach the English gentleman how to defend himself against ruffians using only the most effective techniques whether unarmed or carrying the accessory of the time: the walking-stick. The Bartitsu system worked so well that Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle wrote that Sherlock Holmes used it to defeat Moriarty.

bartitsu arm takedown

Learn:

• English boxing, French kickboxing and the English interpretation of Judo
• Stick fighting and self-defense with an umbrella
• Modern urban self-defense evolved from the principles of Bartitsu

Whether your interest is in history or practical self-defense, this workshop will give you the skills and knowledge of 19th century fighting.

More info, photos, history, in my earlier blog post.

Learn more at bartitsu.org

Add this Event to your Google Calendar

Academie Duello offers a very creative repertoire of martial arts courses, particularly in the ways of European swordplay and historical styles of fencing, and knightly arts. This summer I enjoyed seeing my nephew, Cassius Page, in action at the summer Knight Camp, a program for youths to learn the fundamentals of the ways of medieval chivalry, with experience in combat with sword and shield. During the five day program, the students learn a wide array of skills, and learned the traditions of strategy and tactics, the core of techniques common to knights, such as was required at medieval games.





The skills of medieval fair play and sword combat might not seem, at first glance, to be very applicable in today’s world. But you may just consider otherwise when learning the ‘Ten Knightly Virtues’ at the core of the program. These virtues are applicable to all the martial arts, indeed to everyday life.

Knightly Virtues:

Obedience, Nobility, Mercy, Justice, Integrity, Valor, Charity, Faith, Courage, Humility.

Its a tall order to learn all the knightly virtues in a few days. We would get to see the result of the hard work on graduation day. The graduation day was a presentation for all friends, family, and commoner alike to witness the advancements of the young knights in demonstration combat, archery, and chivalry.

The contest for best knight of the tournament involved special challenges, with using sword, shield and longstaff, as well as archery. Wins in combat are scored by hitting legal areas of the body. As soon as a hit is made, the duel stops, and the combatant is asked if the hit was a good one. Did they deliver a good hit, or was it a fluke? Winning by a fluke it seems is not very honourable, and in such cases, the combatants reset and the match continues. The lesson in this program is to win honourably and justly, and there is no point in winning at any cost. At the end, the students receive knightings and honours in recognition of their efforts.