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Fight Like a Knight

Where honor, chivalry, physical elegance, grace, poetry in motion, beauty, force, flow, masculine and feminine are all explored, with one foot planted in the past, and one hand firmly gripping the sword.

Come experience the thrill of swordfighting, the camaraderie forged from combat, and the profound joy of self-discovery.

Come experience Fight Like a Knight!

Welcome

Welcome to the home of Fight Like a Knight. Fight Like a Knight (FLaK) is Los Angeles’ premier school of authentic medieval combat. Taking techniques informed by historical documents, cultivated through thousands of unchoreographed, full-speed, full-contact engagements, and imbued with modern-day kinesthetics, students learn a highly-dynamic, period martial-art that is unavailable from any other school of the sword.

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September 17, 2018

How FLaK Combat Works

COMBAT OVERVIEW

FLaK combat is executed using either rattan or polypropylene (at opponent's consent) weapons. This simulates the weight and feel of a steel sword, without incurring the dangers of using a waster or live-steel, allowing FLaK combatants to fight intensely and realistically with greatly-reduced risk of injury.

Weapon strikes are calibrated to penetrate or damage armor enough that the underlying "meat" has been injured or ruined. Thus, FLaK weapon strikes are quite forceful and akin to getting hit with a baseball bat. Understanding how to deliver as well as how to take a blow is crucial to the learning process. Students will pick these skills up during sparring practice or classes where strikes are delivered to armored areas.

Fight Like a Knight follows a series of rules and customs that, while making the engagements slightly less realistic, keep combatants safe and prevent thuggishness. FLaK technique emphasizes the beauty, elegance, and grace inherent in swordfighting, and our rules and customs reinforce that as much as possible.

RULES An individual combatant is responsible for declaring him/herself dead, thus losing the battle. The recipient of the blow will determine if it landed with enough force to cut through the armor and kill/wound. Any sufficiently forceful blow to the head, torso, or inner-thigh is a kill. If a combatant’s arm is struck with an adequate blow, the combatant loses the use of the struck arm and must fight with a single weapon, tucking the injured arm behind his/her body. If a combatant’s leg is struck with an adequate blow, the combatant loses the use of the struck leg and must fight from his/her knees - he/she can move around but can no longer stand. If a combatant’s hip is struck with an adequate blow, the combatant loses the use of the entire lower half of his/her body and must kneel, sitting on his/her feet - he/she can not move at all from the waist down. Blades of weapons cannot be grappled.   CUSTOMS

In order to keep combatants safe and uninjured, FLaK members agree to abide by the following customs:

Arms, while inevitably getting hit on occasion, are never targeted - too much bone close to the surface that can easily be broken even through adequate armor. Knees and below are also never targeted for the same reason as above. The recipient of the blow has the final say in the quality and efficacy of the blow. Shields will never touch your opponent’s body. Basket-hilts/hafts will never touch your opponent’s body. A fallen opponent is asked to yield rather than be attacked. Slow-work and sparring will only go at the speed and intensity agreed upon by your partner.

 

Tristouroborous

September 6, 2018

FLaK Precedence

The FLaK Precedence is similar to the Eastern martial arts’ belt system, existing to provide students with goals and a way to measure progress through the program. This document describes the various levels of achievement that can be attained through training with Fight Like a Knight, as well as their respective titles, which track an individuals standing within the clan.

The timelines of the levels are fluid, in that the estimated time spent at each level may change depending on the dedication to practice, focus on technique and, ultimately, the skill of the warrior. The Hersir (Knight) will offer the examination when he/she feels the student is ready to progress.

While it is the Hersir’s sole call on whether or not a fighter passes a test and advances to the next level. The tests are given in a group setting and require a consensus before the accolade is granted. This is a core element to the FLaK Precedence, allowing the community to weigh in on whether it accepts the candidate at the sought level or not, demonstrating to the candidate that his/her peers see him/her as ready to move forward as well as being a potential inspiration for those lower in stature. This mutual acceptance is paramount to our values, and each member knows that he/she has the full support of the FLaK community behind each of their accomplishments.

Successfully completing the exam to become a Thrall will garner a leather cord from which the student’s chain will grow. At the Folc level, the student will be taught the technique to craft the rings into our Chain of Station. From that point forward, with each new exam that is successfully completed, a new title will be bestowed, as will the rings necessary for the candidate to craft his/her next section of chain. The Chain of Station will be complete upon successfully obtaining the title of Thegn.

Passing a test should feel like an achievement, pushing oneself to master the level’s forms, technique, and weaponry. Not passing a test should never be construed as a failure, but rather an opportunity to discover areas that need refinement. If the candidate does not pass a test, he/she should accept feedback from the Knight and his/her peers with the same humility and respect with which it was delivered, rising to the challenge of growth, seeking to improve the identified areas, rather than seeing a fault or failure. For we are stronger together than any individual is alone.

 

TITLE
meaning

PROFICIENCY

ACCOUTREMENT
(martial arts equivalent)

SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT

Gjest
guest

N/A

N/A
(white belt)

N/A

Thrall
slave

Sword and Shield

Leather Cord
(yellow belt)

Rattan or Polypropylene sword Shield

Folc
clan member

Greatsword

Copper Chain
(green belt)

Kidney belt Cuisses+Knees Rattan greatsword

Karl
freeman

Single Sword

Bronze Chain
(purple belt)

Spaulders or Pauldrons Vambraces+Elbows Rattan polearm

Kriger
young warrior

Advanced Weapon and Shield

Silver Chain
(blue belt)

Gauntlets Body armor Secondary weapon

Hirðman
hearthman

Advanced Great Weapon

Gold Chain
(brown belt)

Gorget Helm Other single-handed weapon

Thegn
mature warrior

Dual Weapon

Platinum Chain
(red belt)

Demi-gauntlets

Húskarl
(HOOS-karl)

Weapon and Shield Master

Full chain with medallion:

(black belt) Design armor around time-period/culture/fighting-style

Varangian
(və-RAN-jee-ən)

Great Weapon Master

Full chain with medallion:

(black belt) Design armor around time-period/culture/fighting-style

Ulfhéðnar
(oolf-HYETH-nar)

Dual Weapon Master

Full chain with medallion:

(black belt) Design armor around time-period/culture/fighting-style