What is HEMA?

HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) is the revival of the combat systems used by the knights, duelists, and soldiers of Europe’s past. These arts are drawn directly from surviving manuals written by fencing masters who lived and taught centuries ago. Within these detailed treatises, masters documented their techniques, strategies, and philosophies for fighting with weapons like the longsword, rapier, saber, and more. HEMA is the process of martial artists and scholars working together to bring these teachings back to life with careful study, interpretation, and practice.

With one foot rooted in the past, and other firmly grounded in the present, these interpretations are battle-tested and reborn into a dynamic, full-contact martial art. We train with historically accurate replicas of steel weapons, using protective gear that allows us to spar and compete at high intensity. As HEMA grows, the competition gets more fierce, the tournaments more dynamic, and the fighters more skilled. Passage of Arms exists to bring these swordfighters to the world stage, giving everyone the chance to witness these living legends in action.