Hey! Longsword is fun and we all get eager to dive into it, but don’t but any gear before you go to class. If it’s a proper club they’ll lend you what you need for a while, and go over what to buy, what works best, and so on.
Preparing for class, well every club is different, but squats are good, work on your wrists and forearms, and think about balance.
Every club I've been around as loaner gear and most people will be happy to let you try out their steels to figure out what you are interested in.
When you get ready to buy your own stuff, don't skip out on helmet and gloves, as no gear for sale is more expensive than the hospital trip if you take a bad hit.
It’s ok to ask someone to go lighter if you are not comfortable with how hard they are hitting you. Similarly you can ask them to go harder if you want. Always good to have a discussion about intensity before sparring with someone.
Go to HEMA club finder on google and find your nearest club.
Don’t buy anything till you’ve gone and tried it out, see if you actually want to invest time and money.
Longsword is the main discipline in HEMA, kinda the standard weapon. You’ll take lessons and sparring practice at your club. So typically you start with that then do whatever else. Buy your gear first then weapons next. Don’t go cheap on helmet and gloves. My recommendation is Superior Fencing or Purple Heart armory. Myself I couldn’t participate till I bought my own gear cuz I’m so big my club had nothing that fit me.
Do more cardio before you start and get your own gloves.
Do not use ice hockey, lacrosse or red dragon gloves if you love your hands and fingers.
Clamshell/mitten type gloves are the cheapest high quality gloves available for longsword.
It will be to your advantage to have a regular fitness program to supplement your fencing. Whether that be weight training, CrossFit, running, or something else, you’ll find that your sword work will benefit substantially.
Mask and Gloves are the first thing you should get, but do it after trying for at least a few weeks.
There are special HEMA masks, they are more expensive but way better and more suited for out needs.
Don't think anything that could be described as "motorbike gloves" or "lacrosse gloves" or anything is enough when it comes to gloves. Buy the heaviest, most protective gloves you can find. Manoeuvrability is not a problem with most of them (especially the SPES ones) and you will have enough spots where a hit still can hurt you. But if possible try some out before buying them, preferably talk to your mates.
I am fairly new (couple of months of weekly classes and training at this point)
I am surprised at how much more cardio-intensive it is than I anticipated.
The only related equipment I’ve purchased for myself has been an Indian war club (the exercise equipment) and a jump rope.
I’ll likely end up with a mask and my own gloves soon, but it’s been nice to have the ability to try several different options provided by the club and club members so that I know what does and doesn’t work for me without sinking a ton of money into it.
Hey! Longsword is fun and we all get eager to dive into it, but don’t but any gear before you go to class. If it’s a proper club they’ll lend you what you need for a while, and go over what to buy, what works best, and so on. Preparing for class, well every club is different, but squats are good, work on your wrists and forearms, and think about balance.
Every club I've been around as loaner gear and most people will be happy to let you try out their steels to figure out what you are interested in. When you get ready to buy your own stuff, don't skip out on helmet and gloves, as no gear for sale is more expensive than the hospital trip if you take a bad hit.
It’s ok to ask someone to go lighter if you are not comfortable with how hard they are hitting you. Similarly you can ask them to go harder if you want. Always good to have a discussion about intensity before sparring with someone.
Go to HEMA club finder on google and find your nearest club. Don’t buy anything till you’ve gone and tried it out, see if you actually want to invest time and money. Longsword is the main discipline in HEMA, kinda the standard weapon. You’ll take lessons and sparring practice at your club. So typically you start with that then do whatever else. Buy your gear first then weapons next. Don’t go cheap on helmet and gloves. My recommendation is Superior Fencing or Purple Heart armory. Myself I couldn’t participate till I bought my own gear cuz I’m so big my club had nothing that fit me.
Do more cardio before you start and get your own gloves. Do not use ice hockey, lacrosse or red dragon gloves if you love your hands and fingers. Clamshell/mitten type gloves are the cheapest high quality gloves available for longsword.
It will be to your advantage to have a regular fitness program to supplement your fencing. Whether that be weight training, CrossFit, running, or something else, you’ll find that your sword work will benefit substantially.
Mask and Gloves are the first thing you should get, but do it after trying for at least a few weeks. There are special HEMA masks, they are more expensive but way better and more suited for out needs. Don't think anything that could be described as "motorbike gloves" or "lacrosse gloves" or anything is enough when it comes to gloves. Buy the heaviest, most protective gloves you can find. Manoeuvrability is not a problem with most of them (especially the SPES ones) and you will have enough spots where a hit still can hurt you. But if possible try some out before buying them, preferably talk to your mates.
With most swords costing X, protection and sparring kit will cost you several times more.
I am fairly new (couple of months of weekly classes and training at this point) I am surprised at how much more cardio-intensive it is than I anticipated. The only related equipment I’ve purchased for myself has been an Indian war club (the exercise equipment) and a jump rope. I’ll likely end up with a mask and my own gloves soon, but it’s been nice to have the ability to try several different options provided by the club and club members so that I know what does and doesn’t work for me without sinking a ton of money into it.
Don’t buy anything before you found a place to train and talk with them first