Hit What You Aim At Webinar: Point Control for Historical Fencers (1st and/or 2nd August 2026)

Your sword should go where you want it to.

In these live online workshops, we’ll explore practical methods for developing point control through a series of solo training exercises that can be practised almost anywhere, with very little equipment. No partner is required.

To take active part in the seminar you will need a wall target fixed to a sturdy wall, or some other stable target (a “Bob” would work). In a pinch I use a drawing pin stuck in a notice board. If the available wall or target are flimsy, you can still get the basic idea of how to train, you’ll just have to be more careful about the level of force.

Instructions for making your own wall target and hanging target are included in the handout.

Although I’ll be demonstrating primarily with the smallsword, the principles apply to anything you thrust with. Whether you fence with a rapier, longsword, sidesword, foil, or smallsword, you’ll leave with practical drills that will improve your precision, coordination, and body mechanics.

Whether you’re completely new to historical fencing, an experienced practitioner looking to refine your mechanics, or an instructor interested in teaching point control more effectively, this class will give you practical tools you can use immediately.

In this class we’ll cover:

• The tools you will need
• How grip and grounding affect point control
• Fundamental exercises for developing precision
• Training at every measure
• Training with either hand
• Common causes of poor point control (and how to fix them)
• How point control exercises differ between smallsword, rapier, and longsword
• Ways to incorporate these exercises into your regular practice
• We will also discuss (but not train) pair drills for point control.

The class concludes with a live question-and-answer session.

Duration: 90 minutes, plus about 30 minutes for the Q&A.

What You’ll Need

• Something to thrust with
• Something to thrust at
• Masking tape and a sharpie pen to improvise thrusting targets.

Workshop Format

* Live online instruction (Zoom)

* Solo training: no partner required

* Questions and answer session included

* Recordings included

* Downloadable workshop handout included

Dates and Times

To make the workshop accessible across multiple time zones, it will be taught twice:

Saturday August 1st, 8:00 am UK time

(Europe and Australasia)

Sunday August 2nd, 7:00 pm UK time

(Europe and the Americas)

Register once and attend either session or both, or just watch the recordings.

All registered participants will receive recordings of both classes.

I’ve never taught exactly the same class twice, so while both sessions will cover the same material, there will be differences between them.

Registration includes:

* Workshop handout

* Attendance at either or both live sessions

* Recordings of both sessions

* Live Q&A access

Click “Add to cart” and you’ll gain access to both seminars. There’s no need to choose one or the other—you can attend both!