Our unique training method was created by Maître d'Armes Adam Adrian Crown, a lifelong martial arts student and musician who drew upon his experiences in those diverse fields to develop a new approach to the sword.

The method includes three main kinds of practice:

Etudes

Tactical Drills

Bouting.

An etude is a pre-arranged sequence of movements that the student must memorize and perform, either alone or with a partner. These etudes correspond to the "scales" of music or the "kata" of karate, their purpose being to develop technical precision. There are etudes for all weapons (foil, sabre, smallsword, rapier and dagger) except the dueling sword.

A tactical drill is a relatively short sequence in which two or more touches are possible and one of them is delivered.

Bouting, the fencing term for "sparring" is practice fighting, but with a particular focus or objective.

To test our progress—and for recreation—we hold tournaments. Every student may participate at his/her level.

The newest students (Novices) perform their etudes.

More advanced beginners (Scholars) may bout but they are scored only on form and technique, not on touches given or received.

At the next rank (Free Scholars), the student having demonstrated the requisite skill, knowledge and courtesy, only touches received determine the outcome of the bout.