What is HEMA?
Historical European Martial Arts — HEMA — is the practice of fighting systems developed in medieval and renaissance Europe, reconstructed from period manuscripts, illustrations, and technical treatises written by the masters themselves.
Fencing from the old masters — the people who had to use fencing in duels, street fights, and the battlefield — was thought to be lost to time forever. However, through the hard work of scholars, historians, and athletes, the actual manuscripts of old fencing masters have not just been discovered, but deciphered and practiced.
These aren't choreographed routines or stage combat. The systems in our curriculum were designed to work — developed by professionals whose lives depended on their effectiveness. Today's HEMA practitioners train these techniques rigorously, applying them in sparring and competition to test them against a resisting opponent, just as the original practitioners did.
Why It's Growing
Historical fencing has become one of the fastest-growing combat sports in the world. What was once confined to small scholarly circles has expanded into a global community of thousands of practitioners, with organized competitions, international tournaments, and a thriving body of ongoing research.
The appeal is broad. For some, it's the intellectual depth — working directly from centuries-old sources, building a personal practice from primary material. For others, it's the physical challenge of a full-contact martial art. For many, it's both. HEMA attracts historians, athletes, martial artists, gamers, writers, and people who simply want something more meaningful than a fitness class.
About NorthPort Historical Fencing Academy
NHFA is a dedicated HEMA training club focused on two of the most technically rich systems in the historical record: Rapier & Dagger and Longsword. Our curriculum is drawn directly from period sources — the actual fencing manuals written by the masters who developed these systems — interpreted through the lens of modern athletic training and safety.
We train in a welcoming environment that takes both the art and the people seriously. Whether you've been doing martial arts for twenty years or you've never thrown a punch, if you're willing to learn and willing to be patient with yourself, you belong here.
Our Philosophy
Good fencing takes time. The masters we study from were professionals who spent years developing their craft, and they were clear in their writings that there are no shortcuts. We train the fundamentals until they become instinct, then build from there.
We also believe that how you train matters as much as what you train. A good training partner makes you better. A good training environment makes everyone better. We hold ourselves to a high standard of conduct both on and off the floor — not because it's required, but because it's the right way to do this.
Our Disciplines
Rapier & Dagger
The civilian dueling sword of the Renaissance, taught through the systems of Girard Thibault d'Anvers, Nicoletto Giganti, and Salvator Fabris. Precise, deeply technical, and endlessly interesting — especially once the off-hand dagger is introduced.
Longsword
The two-handed sword of the medieval battlefield and tournament ground, taught through the German and Italian systems of Liechtenauer and Fiore dei Liberi. Longsword is a superb first discipline that builds foundational skills transferable to nearly everything else.