Little foil playtime with Maestro Ryan Mank (Red Sun Classical Fencing). Always a huge joy to dance with Mank. He got the better of me in these passes. From Fencing Masters Certificate Program Summer 2026 program. —— #classicalfencing #historicalfencer #historicalfencing #classicalfoil

Was nice to leave my enclosure and get some play time in with Cody.

August is here which means apple cider donuts, pumpkin spice, and Cloaktober is just around the corner! Been working with Lance this summer on his rapier and cloak work. 🧵 #medfordma #somervillema #rapier #historicalfencing #historicalfencer #rapierandcloak

This sweet baby goblin

No Pennsic for me but still repping.

Great first session with Edvard. He’s a fellow SCAdian and been part of @bosacademiearme.bsky.social for the last year but this was our first private lesson together. 🧵 #mysca #rapier #hema #historicaleuropeanmartialarts

Having some fun with @heroforgeminis.bsky.social A few in my SCA garb/persona and then one in my coaching outfit. We'll ignore the fact that the buttons are on the wrong side for me. :) Fun way to kill some time #mysca #heroforge #societyforcreativeanachronism #historicalfencer

More renewed attack work with Bella. This one is cue off the coach retreating with a parry and holding their riposte. To reach, the student has to recover forward and disengage around the parry. 🧵 #bostonfencing #historicalfencing #rapier #societyforcreativeanachronism #medfordma

Fun epee workshop with Maestro Kevin Murakoshi, Maestro Ryan Mank and Maestro Brian Bacher at FMCP this summer. We looked at the cross-section of modern epee fencing techniques with classical Italian epee. Getting some solid reps with Marli #classicalfencing #historicalfencing

Richelieu inspects another dubious feder before the local HEMA tournament

Making our way through Eli’s saber tournament prep from the spring. Here we worked on stop cuts to the arm. These are counterattacks against an opponent’s feint or improper delivery of a cut. —— #bostonfencing #saberfencing #historicaleuropeanmartialarts #classicalfencing #medfordma

Hang it in the Louvre 🎨 I don't remember this but must've been during Random Actions if we're both laughing. It's a long day & the test can feel like a tough, uphill grind. I'm glad Marli & I were able to find a moment to laugh during it all. #classicalfencing #historicalfencing #historicalfencer

Now that ​⁠ is over, I can focus on more private lesson vids. This was from a somewhat recent sessions with Diego. We’ve worked a few times when he’s visiting Boston. #bostonfencing #rapier #historicalfencing #westernmartialarts

First lesson with Magdelana in the books. Magdelana is a longtime SCA friend and fencer. Always nice to give lessons to friends. Just worked in a little tuneup of basics before she runs off to Pennsic. —- #bostonfencing #societyforcreativeanachronism #mysca #historicalfencer #rapier

As promised, here's the blog about my exam experience with the Fencing Masters Certificate Program. It includes what questions I got, my lessons, and random actions. justinswordfit.com/2026/07/17/a... #bostonfencing #classicalfencing #classicalfoil #classicalsaber #classicalepee

We did it, fam. More when I’m back home.

We got delayed 5hrs to like 12:20pm takeoff 🙃🙃🙃

Flight delayed again. Original: 7:20 Now: 9:30 There was a mechanical issue with the first plane. So they got a second one from the hanger but seems like something is wrong with that one too? A long day is getting longer.

Off to Sonoma for my provost exam and the SSU Fencing Master’s Certificate Program

Design based off a leather cushion I already had. Some wool stuffed between two layers of leather. My wife Kate did the sewing since I was struggling with it.

And so this project has been on the To Do list for about a year. I picked up some nice pink leather while at Pennsic last summer. I haven’t been able to do a pink handle but was able to make a pink leather cushion.

Grab your 🎫ticket 'cause today's post is a little bit of a Feels Trip. It's been about a year since Mom went into hospice (she passed end of July last year). Around that time when I was visiting, she asked what the lightest sword there was. 🧵🧵

Thanks to Pat for the sweet long stem clay pipe! 💙💙💙

Funny little sequence from some warmup passes with Alejandro last month. False attack which draws a late counter attack, counter parry w/dagger & riposte while he's a little off balance. 🧵 ---- #rapier #historicalfencer #historicaleuropeanmartialarts #musketeers #westernmartialarts

2026 marks the five year birthday of Boston Academie d'Armes and Anna and Alexis have been there with me since the beginning. 🧵🧵 @bosacademiearme.bsky.social ---- #bostonfencing #somervillema #historicaleuropeanmartialarts #historicalfencingcommunity #swordwoman

Coached-sparring session at the end of a rapier lesson with Anna. As always, my goal isn’t to win these. 🧵🧵 —- #bostonfencing #medfordma #rapier #historicalfencing #westernmartialarts #historicaleuropeanmartialarts

The upside of HEMA is no right of way; the downside of HEMA is no right of way.* Because of that, we wanted to make sure Eli could choose the right moment to riposte and not just auto-parry & riposte while the opponent is making a second swing, risking a double. 🧵🧵

Also had a great time giving Jeff and Oliver their first Italian saber lesson recently. Swordplay is definitely a cool way for father-sons to bond. —- #bostonfencing #classicalfencing #historicalfencer #medfordma #massachusetts

Fun afternoon a couple of weeks ago teaching Italian saber for a local birthday party. A fun group eager to play! We did some basic offense and defense and ended with round robins and a little melee. —— #bostonfencing #historicalfencing #classicalfencing #militarysaber #westernmartialarts

Wiffle Ball with the fam