New to HEMA?
HEMA is awesome and you should do it immediately!
The best way to get started with HEMA is to join an existing group. You do not have to have any previous experience or have any special equipment, and you should hold off on buying anything until you have spoken to the club you wish to join.
Joining a club
Use our club finder to look for local groups.
Check their website to ensure it aligns with what you are interested in. Consider looking them up on hema ratings to see if the members compete, not a requirement for a good club but a good sign of engagement with wider community and willingness to test their ideas.
Find the contact details for the club and let them know you are interested. Some clubs may invite you to a taster session, but be aware that it is very common to require new starters to attend a scheduled beginners course which are run periodically, so you may be added to a waitlist and contacted when a beginners course is scheduled.
There is no reason to buy any equipment prior to your first session at a club, normal athletic gear such as you might wear for the gym will be fine. After that the new club can advise about future equipment requirements.
What to do if there is no suitable club
If possible, still try to reach out to a the nearest club and attend a taster session so you try it out and see what safe fencing looks like. You may also find that they can connect you with other people locally or support you in getting started.
If you are up for starting your own club I would suggest the following.
You will need at least one other person to learn historical fencing. If you have a friend who is interested great, but if not HEMA is a growing sport and you will likely be easy to find someone if you reach out.
Try posting on local Facebook or reddit groups, or leaving a notice in suitable local businesses like wargaming venues or board game cafes. LARP or re-enactment groups may also be worth contacting to see if any of their members are interested.
Once you have found a partner, you will need some gloves, a mask and a plastic or foam training sword in order to start practicing safely with someone. The HEMA shop has a suitable beginners kit.
Videos on YouTube are your best bet for learning techniques, as the training manuals are quite complicated to understand even for experienced fencers. An awful lot of trial and error was required to get to the level HEMA is at today.
Joining a local Olympic fencing club or failing that boxing gym, could help you learn the footwork and distance control which are essential to become a good fencer.
Finding somewhere to practice together can be quite challenging especially for a new group. A private garden is a good choice, or a village/community hall if you can afford it. If you find you need to practice outside in public, but be aware it comes with some risks.
Practicing historical fencing in public is not illegal, but can be easily mistaken for something dangerous or illegal. Think about this and consider how you may be perceived by passers-by. You may want to use the foam trainers, which are less likely to be viewed as a weapon. Its sensible to contact your local police station to inform them of what you will be doing. If you are approached by the police or other members of the public, remain calm, comply with any instructions from the police, put swords on the ground and remove your mask before engaging in conversation with the public. Most people won’t know what HEMA is so it is usually easiest to describe it as a mix of Fencing and Historical Re-enactment. In addition consider how you transport your equipment and if this could cause any concern to the public.
Congratulations you now have what is commonly referred to as a study group, let us know the details so we can publish them here. Try reaching out to other nearby clubs, going to sparring or workshop events, to make connections with wider HEMA community. You will often need special insurance to attend these events, so contact the organisers before attending to check requirements and ask if they can recommend an insurer.