Uploaded November 2021 | Updated September 2026, 10 hours ago

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“Body Mechanics & Footwork in the Bolognese Tradition”


Jay Maxwell has been studying and practising as a martial artist for over thirty years, switching his focus to Historic European Martial Arts (HEMA) in 2004. He regularly teaches at high profile international events and in his competitive years was one of the top ranked HEMA fencers in the world. Starting his training in London and Oxford in British systems of swordsmanship, he quickly came into contact with the Italian schools and was taken by their elegance.
Jay organises the English Sidesword Open (ESO), started in 2018 and becoming one of the most successful British HEMA tournaments with the largest amount of sponsorship ever accrued for a competitive HEMA event. The ESO has included seminars and workshops with TV personalities and world leading authorities. He is on the panel for the European Sidesword League, a development and expansion of the concept of the ESO, and has had the pleasure of seeing numerous former students compete at a high level.
Jay has primarily focused on the 16th through 17th century north-Italian combat methodologies and the influence these have had on the martial systems of the Holy Roman Empire. He is frequently to be found downstairs in the library at the Royal Armouries Wallace Collection transliterating or translating old fencing manuals. He runs displays, seminars and workshops on Historical combat practices, consults on curation at museums and private collections, and is a member of the Royal Armouries Arms & Armour Society and UK Coaching.




This is one of the six 45 min workshops which were given at the "Swords of the Renaissance II" in October 2021 here in Potsdam. A yearly international two day event with the focus on to create an open space that reflects both the diversity of the historical martial arts between the 15th and 17th centuries and the diversity of today’s practitioners. From the elegant movements of the Italians (Bologna), the deep stances of Fabris, the sporty demands in Germany (Meyer), the dancing forms of the Spaniards (Destreza), the space-creating presence of the Portuguese (Montante) to the grumpy Englishmen (Silver! – not our instructors… they are wonderful – not grumpy!) and many more.
The participants have the opportunity to deal with weapons and styles that are unknown to them by talking to the specialists in conversation and hands-on. (berliner-rittergilde.de/swords-of-the-renaissance-ii/)

Special shoutout to Lorenzo Braschi for providing his additional GoPro footage.

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