Influenced by age-old stories of knights in shining armor and modern sword epics, many people are attracted to swordsmanship because of the notion that they can study the art behind Western knightly combat or musketeer rapier dueling.

Until recently, these arts had largely been lost and forgotten. However, current historical research is just beginning to uncover these techniques in the form of ancient manuscripts in which masters of Medieval and Renaissance combat describe in detail how they performed their craft.

Guard Up has worked with such notable organizations and individuals as Higgins Armory (the only museum dedicated to medieval warfare in all of North America) and Christian Henry Tobler (author of Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship) in interpreting these texts and collecting core concepts.

Simplifying these techniques to suit the practical realities of the equipment, the Sport Sword® program is able to use as its basis actual methods derived from the martial arts of Medieval and Renaissance Europe.

As a first installment for the Sport Weapon^® Programs and Weaponry, future curriculum will expand to other weapon forms including two-weapon systems, weapon and shield systems, pole weapon systems, and more. Meanwhile, each program will provide an historical foundation from which to draw upon.

Future programs will draw not only from Medieval and Renaissance Europe but from any time and place around the world, allowing students to learn about both Western and Eastern weapon combat forms in unison.