HEMA Longsword Fighting
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HEMA Longsword·Federico Malagutti HEMA
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HEMA Longsword
FamilyHEMAロングソード(HEMA Rongu Sōdo)
TransliterationTranslation: HEMA longsword
Overview
The HEMA Longsword family covers the two-handed sword techniques of the German Kunst des Fechtens and the Italian school of Fiore dei Liberi, the most widely studied and competitively practised weapon in Historical European Martial Arts. [1] The longsword — a cruciform-hilted, double-edged blade with a grip long enough for two hands, typically 100–130 cm in total length — was the quintessential weapon of the European knight from the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries. [1],[2] German longsword technique is organised around Liechtenauer's system of five master cuts (Meisterhäue), four principal guards (Vier Leger), and the concept of Vor and Nach (before and after) that governs initiative. [2],[3] Italian longsword technique, following Fiore, emphasises twelve guards (poste), flowing plays, and the integration of wrestling (abrazare) into sword combat. [3],[4]
History & Origin
The longsword emerged as a primary military weapon in the fourteenth century and was the subject of the most extensive body of European martial arts literature. [1] Johannes Liechtenauer's system, recorded in the Zettel and interpreted by Ringeck (c. 1440s) and Peter von Danzig (1452), became the dominant German school. [2],[3] Fiore dei Liberi's independent Italian system (1409) provides a complementary tradition with different tactical emphases. [3],[4]
Effectiveness
The longsword is one of the most versatile medieval weapons, capable of cutting, thrusting, half-swording (gripping the blade for close-range thrusts against armour), and using the pommel and cross-guard as striking implements. [1] Its two-handed grip provides superior leverage for powerful cuts while maintaining enough point control for precise thrusts. [2] The German Kunst des Fechtens tradition and the Italian school of Fiore dei Liberi both developed comprehensive fighting systems demonstrating the longsword's adaptability across all combat ranges. [3]
Lineage
The German longsword tradition traces its lineage to Johannes Liechtenauer (14th century), whose Zettel (mnemonic verse) encoded the core principles of the Kunst des Fechtens. [1] Liechtenauer's teachings were transmitted through a Society of masters including Sigmund Ringeck, Peter von Danzig, and Jud Lew, whose glosses (commentaries on the Zettel) survive in manuscripts from the 15th century. [2] The Italian tradition is anchored by Fiore dei Liberi's Fior di Battaglia (1409), which systematises longsword alongside dagger, wrestling, and polearm combat. [3] Hans Talhoffer produced multiple fight books (1443–1467) documenting German combat across all weapon categories. [4]
Competition Record
HEMA longsword competition has grown rapidly since the 2000s, with major tournaments including Swordfish (Gothenburg, est. 2007), Longpoint (USA, est. 2011), and the HEMA World Championship organised by the HEMAC. [1] Competitive scoring typically awards points for clean cuts and thrusts to the head and torso, with deductions for simultaneous exchanges (afterblows), reflecting the historical emphasis on striking without being struck. [2]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Cutting, thrusting, or striking with a bladed weapon — edge alignment and trajectory determine cutting effectiveness
Joints Involved — Wrists (edge alignment and rotation), elbows (extension for thrusts, chambering for cuts), shoulders (arc of the cut), hips (power generation)
Force Vector — Varies — downward diagonal cut (kesa-giri), horizontal cut (yoko-giri), thrust (tsuki), or rising cut (kiri-age)
Weapon Mechanic — Edge alignment (hasuji) is critical — the blade must travel along its cutting plane for effective cuts
Position & Entry
From ready stance (chudan-no-kamae or equivalent) — Assume guard position, establish distance (ma-ai), execute the cut or thrust when an opening appears
From engagement distance — Use footwork to close to striking range, execute the technique with proper edge alignment (hasuji)
As counter — Wait for the opponent's attack, deflect or avoid, and counter-cut to the exposed target
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
9
Extreme9/10
Edged weapons cause fatal lacerations; historical battlefield mortality rates >30% (Amberger 1999)
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Advanced
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
— Traditional martial arts — Practiced in traditional kata/...
— IWUF — Legal in wushu taolu if applicable
IWUF Competition RulesPDFHEMA — Legal in applicable historical weapon categories {src— various organizations
Training Notes
✓The HEMA longsword is the centrepiece of Historical European Martial Arts — a two-handed cruciform sword used with a sophisticated system of guards, cuts, thrusts, and grappling techniques preserved in medieval treatises (Tobler, Fighting with the German Longsword, 2004)
✓The Liechtenauer tradition (14th century Germany) is the primary longsword system studied today, transmitted through the Zettel (epitome) and its glosses by masters like Ringeck, Döbringer, and Meyer
✓The longsword is wielded with two hands on a grip of 8-10 inches, with a blade of 33-40 inches — the balance point sits 2-4 inches from the crossguard
✓The five master cuts (Meisterhau) — Zornhau, Krumphau, Zwerchhau, Schielhau, and Scheitelhau — are the offensive foundation of German longsword
✓The four guards (Huten) — Vom Tag, Ochs, Pflug, and Alber — cover all defensive positions and transition points
✓HEMA longsword includes wrestling at the sword (Ringen am Schwert): when blades bind, the fight transitions to grappling, disarms, and pommel strikes
✓Modern HEMA longsword competition uses steel feders (flexible training swords) with standardized rules and protective equipment
Common Mistakes
!Swinging the longsword like a baseball bat — cuts must use proper mechanics with edge alignment and body rotation
!Ignoring the historical sources — the treatises provide the technical foundation; modern interpretation must be grounded in them
!Fighting only at long measure — the longsword system includes close-range grappling and half-swording techniques
!Not learning the bind (Krieg) — the bind is where most longsword technique occurs; both fighters' swords in contact
!Neglecting the thrust — the thrust (Stich) is faster than the cut and accounts for many techniques in the sources
!Training only offensive techniques — the guards and parries are essential for survival
!Using only the edge — the longsword pommel, crossguard, and flat of the blade are all used as weapons
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Assume Guard (Kamae/Hut) — take the appropriate ready position with the weapon
2Measure Distance (Ma-ai) — establish correct striking distance
3Initiate Cut/Thrust — execute the technique with proper edge alignment or point control
4Follow Through (Zanshin) — maintain awareness and readiness after the technique
Sources & References
Primary Source
The Art of Combat (Joachim Meyer, 1570)
1BookThe Book of Five Rings (Musashi, 1645)
Alias sources — [1] MMA Instruction Manual (UFC, 2008) [2] MMA Instruction Manual (UFC, 2008) [3] MMA Instruction Manual (UFC, 2008)
2BookThe Art of Fencing (Barbasetti, 1932)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Tobler, C., In Saint George's Name: An Anthology of Medieval German Fighting Arts (Freelance Academy Press, 2010) [2] Forgeng, J., The Art of Combat: A German Martial Arts Treatise of 1570 (Palgrave Macmillan, 2003) [3] Mondschein, K., The Knightly Art of Battle (Getty Publications, 2011)
3OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
4CitationThe Book of Five Rings (Musashi, 1645)
Alias sources — [1] MMA Instruction Manual (UFC, 2008) [2] MMA Instruction Manual (UFC, 2008) [3] MMA Instruction Manual (UFC, 2008)
5CitationThe Art of Fencing (Barbasetti, 1932)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Tobler, C., In Saint George's Name: An Anthology of Medieval German Fighting Arts (Freelance Academy Press, 2010) [2] Forgeng, J., The Art of Combat: A German Martial Arts Treatise of 1570 (Palgrave Macmillan, 2003) [3] Mondschein, K., The Knightly Art of Battle (Getty Publications, 2011)
Community
Athletics
Requires
wrist control for edge alignment, grip endurance, footwork precision
Favours
quick wrists, strong forearms, good posture
Key muscles
forearm extensors/flexors, deltoids, core, calves
Sub-techniques
Grappling At The Sword — Ringen Am Schwert
SubFamilyThe Grappling at the Sword (Ringen am Schwert) subfamily covers the close-quarters wrestling techniques performed while both combatants retain their longswords, a distinctive feature of German HEMA that integrates swordsmanship with grappling. [1] When the distance closes beyond cutting or thrusting range, the fight transitions to Ringen am Schwert, where fighters use their crossguards, pommels, and half-swording grips to throw, disarm, or lock the opponent. [1,2] These techniques include pommel strikes to the face, crossguard hooks to the neck, arm locks using the blade as a lever, and takedowns that use the sword as a wrestling aid. [2,3]
1 genera·1 techniquesExplore
Guard — Huten
SubFamilyThe Guard (Huten) subfamily covers the four principal guards (Vier Leger) of the German longsword tradition — Vom Tag, Ochs, Pflug, and Alber — which form the positional framework from which all attacks and defences originate. [1] Each guard protects specific lines while threatening others: Vom Tag threatens from above, Ochs guards the upper openings while threatening a thrust, Pflug guards the lower openings while threatening a thrust, and Alber invites the opponent's attack while preparing rising cuts. [1,2] Liechtenauer's system teaches that guards are not static positions but transitional states through which the sword passes during continuous combat flow. [2,3]
4 genera·4 techniquesExplore
Liechtenauer Cut
SubFamilyThe Liechtenauer Cut subfamily covers the primary cutting techniques of HEMA longsword fencing, anchored in the German tradition's five master cuts (Fünf Meisterhäue) — Zornhau, Krumphau, Zwerchhau, Schielhau, and Scheitelhau — along with the fundamental Oberhau (descending cut) and Unterhau (rising cut). [1] Each master cut is not merely a strike but a complete tactical concept that simultaneously attacks and defends by displacing the opponent's blade while cutting to an opening. [1,2] The principle of Indes (meanwhile) teaches that cuts must flow without pause from one action to the next, maintaining constant pressure. [2,3]
5 genera·5 techniquesExplore
Winding — Winden
SubFamilyThe Winding (Winden) subfamily covers the blade manipulation techniques performed when two longswords are crossed in the bind (Binden), one of the most distinctive and sophisticated aspects of the German tradition. [1] Winding involves rotating the sword around the axis of the bind — by turning the hands and hips — to change the angle of threat from a cut-line to a thrust-line or vice versa, without breaking contact with the opponent's blade. [1,2] Winding is governed by the principle of Fühlen (feeling) — sensing the opponent's pressure through the crossed blades to determine whether they are hard or soft in the bind, and responding accordingly. [2,3]
1 genera·1 techniquesExplore
Notes
The longsword (Langes Schwert) is the primary weapon of the Liechtenauer German tradition and the most popular HEMA discipline. Modern HEMA longsword competition uses steel or synthetic simulators with protective gear. The weapon requires two hands and combines cuts, thrusts, and pommel strikes. (Clements, Medieval Swordsmanship; Tobler, Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship)
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I improve my technical adaptability in longsword sparring?
Federico Malagutti suggests that during sparring, you should focus on finding out what your opponent will do and then counter it technically while playing the same game, which helps increase your technical adaptability over time.
How does the HEMA Longsword work?
The HEMA Longsword family covers the two-handed sword techniques of the German Kunst des Fechtens and the Italian school of Fiore dei Liberi, the most widely studied and competitively practised weapon in Historical European Martial Arts. The longsword — a cruciform-hilted, double-edged blade with a grip long enough for two hands, typically 100–130 cm in total length — was the quintessential weapon of the European knight from the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries.
Where does the HEMA Longsword come from?
The longsword emerged as a primary military weapon in the fourteenth century and was the subject of the most extensive body of European martial arts literature. Johannes Liechtenauer's system, recorded in the Zettel and interpreted by Ringeck (c.
Is the HEMA Longsword legal in competition?
Traditional martial arts: legal — Practiced in traditional kata/forms and weapon-specific competition under var…; IWUF: legal — Legal in wushu taolu if applicable; HEMA: legal — Legal in applicable historical weapon categories
How dangerous is the HEMA Longsword?
Danger rating 9/10. Extreme — edged weapons cause fatal lacerations; historical battlefield mortality rates >30% (Amberger 1999)
How do I set up the HEMA Longsword?
The standard setup chain: Assume Guard (Kamae/Hut) → Measure Distance (Ma-ai) → Initiate Cut/Thrust → Follow Through (Zanshin).
How do I defend against the HEMA Longsword?
Standard counters include: Parry (Absetzen) — deflect the incoming blade with a counter-displacement / Void (Step Back) — withdraw from measure to avoid the cutting arc / Counter-Cut (Nachreisen) — strike into the opponent's opening during their attack.
What are the variants of the HEMA Longsword?
Common variants: Standard cut (primary cutting angle from the ready stance); Thrust (tsuki) (straight thrust targeting the throat, chest, or face); Rising cut (kiri-age) (upward diagonal cut from low to high); Diagonal cut (kesa-giri) (downward diagonal cut following the kimono line).
How effective is the HEMA Longsword in competition?
HEMA longsword competition has grown rapidly since the 2000s, with major tournaments including Swordfish (Gothenburg, est. 2007), Longpoint (USA, est.
What are common mistakes when doing the HEMA Longsword?
Top errors to watch for: Swinging the longsword like a baseball bat — cuts must use proper mechanics with edge alignment and body rotation / Ignoring the historical sources — the treatises provide the technical foundation; modern interpretation must be groun… / Fighting only at long measure — the longsword system includes close-range grappling and half-swording techniques / Not learning the bind (Krieg) — the bind is where most longsword technique occurs; both fighters' swords in contact.
What are other names for the HEMA Longsword?
The HEMA Longsword is also known as HEMA Rongu Sōdo, European Longsword, German Longsword, Langes Schwert.