General Approach
Swordsmanship is far more than learning to swing a sword. Indeed, swordsmen and Masters at Arms have long since recognized that it is the spirit that is stronger than the body; and while technique is important, we believe that the mental aspects and elements of character are far more critical both in a tactical sense and in terms of the long-term benefit of the art.

Similarly, we believe that the weapon arts are supposed to bring a heightened sense of responsibility into the student's everyday life, and that their lives will be improved through the balance required by serious study of the sword.

Lastly, we believe that the skills developed for use in the salle d'armes or tournament lists should have some measure of real-world application. After all, no one carries around a sword nowadays--but the grappling and knife arts that underscore our course of study should encourage the student to continue and to extend their studies into other arts.

After careful consideration, we have altered our course flow to reflect a "Medieval martial arts" track, since we believe that this course follows in parallel with what students of Eastern and other modern martial arts have established as a norm, calling our form simply "ARTE DELLA SPADA". The Schola maintains a core curriculum and is in the process of developing alternate curricula including such diverse elements as abrazare/daga (grappling), spear/poleaxe, sword in one hand, and more.

Alongside the core curriculum, we offer also recognition for meeting goals in breadth weapons. These "accomplishments" are slowly expanding into alternate curricula which may one day take their place alongside our established progression:

• Zugadore: Studies fundamentals of Fiore's longsword, stance, grip, poste, colpi, punte, and fundamental defenses.
• Compagno: Studies tactics as recorded in Fiore's zogho largo (long play), Refined fundamentals, 8 seminar hours or 1 breadth course.
  
  Intermediate Levels
• Scolaro Minore: Integrates of the first two levels through focused and open sparring. May begin to work towards Achievement rankings in breadth weapons.
• Scolaro: Studies Fiore's tactics and techniques of the zogho stretto (close play), with the most important aspects of the abrazare and daga. Also demonstrates grasp of principles by demonstrating any play with a breadth weapon of the combatant's choice.
• Scolaro Maggiore: Integration of the zogho stretto, abrazare and ligadura principles into the sparring environent.
  
  Advanced Levels
• Primo Scolaro: Individually tailored training and study designed around the student's strengths. Student works on advanced sparring concepts of mental control, selects their pathway for further study, and is accepted by  Magistro of the Schola who will advise their future studies. 
• Scrimatore: Students select one of three pathways to study in their major and minor weapons. They elect to pursue mastery via performance, research, or teaching.
• Magistro: Recognition for the production of a masterwork through one of the avenues above following a petition of the SSG's council of magistri and successful defense.
  

Zugadore - New Students
It has been my observation that new students need to touch and feel the sword at an early phased if their interest is to be sufficiently piqued that they continue their study.

As such, we follow a course intended to move the students steadily but relatively quickly towards various forms of competition, building upon intensively developed basic skills distilled as closely as possible from the most famous Medieval Italian Master-at-Arms, Fiore de Liberi. Fiore's Flos di Battaglia or Flos Duellatorum provides a very powerful basic course of study that integrates unarmed, dagger, arming sword, longsword, spear (or lanza) and poleaxe into single systematic approach. The same skills mastered in the unarmed and dagger portions carry over into the guards and attack principles with all weapons; as such it is a very good place for students to begin their study of the Medieval martial arts.

All students are expected to first complete our introductory course, the First Masters of Battle, offered as a complete unit in the book Sword in Two Hands. This course is designed to provide a foundation that will at once begin to build core skills and get the sexy longsword into new students hands as soon as possible. It covers all material a novice students within the Schola is expected to be familiar with; including the unarmed posta, footwork, the longsword posta with intensive work on transitions, cutting, principles of defense incapsulated in our Six Plays of the Elephant, drawn from Fiore's directions offered in his description of the poste.

Students in remote study groups can follow the curriculem and hone their skills, exchanging video with Schola instructors to help advance their practice.

ZUGADORE TESTING

• Who was Fiore dei Liberi, when and where did he teach, and why do we study his work?
• What is the significance and importance of Fiore's Segno?
• What weapons forms does Fiore's system include?
• Have a solid stance, demonstrating balance in middle, front and back-weighted positions.
• Have a grip that is in control of the weapon, but not over-tight.
• Demonstrate the four unarmed poste and how they are used (English / Italian).
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of each of Fiore's longsword poste, including how each is classified, the appropriate distance for each.
• Demonstrate smooth transitions between the poste with integrated off-line footwork.
• Execute punte at targets, demonstrating accuracy and powered delivery with coordinated footwork.
• Demonstrate each of the six core plays of the longsword.
• Be able to displace basic fendente and punte in front of and behind the attack while stepping off the line.
  
• Understand the strong vs weak principle at the mezza spada incroisare.
• Have a longsword simulator, mask or helmet, gambeson, and padded gloves or gauntlets.
• Successful candidates are known as Compagni, and are entitled to wear a Yellow belt.

Compagno course of study
The next module focuses on the use of the incrosare and of tactics from the crossed swords position. This is the subject of the book Masters of the Crossed Swords (presently being written), which contains both this module and the next. Students follow the first eight of Fiore's zogho largo, learning the tactical framework critical to all later studies of other weapons and advanced use of the longsword. This is a knowledge level, requiring students to know the material but not necessarily having much experience in sparring. Study-group based students combine the use of seminar experience, video clips posted in the members section, and extensive notes. 

Students first learn about the tre volte di spada (three turns of the sword) and the tre tempi (the three times), using these in their analysis and exploration of the zogho largo plays.

COMPAGNO TESTING

• Complete the zogho largo class, and have refined the fundamental skill sets.
• Have completed an additinal breadth class (listed on Classes page) and 8 seminar hours with non-Schola instructors, demonstrating several techniques learned.
• Compare and contrast either the German and the Italian systems or Filippo Vadi / Fiore dei Liberi.
• For tournament qualification, possess an appropriate helmet, gambeson, hand-defenses and sparring weapon.
• Elaborate on the significance and importance of Fiore's Segno
• Identify several other historical treatises and their significance.
• Talk about the tre volte and the tre tempi, and how they apply to the zogho largo.
• Demonstrate cutting proficiency against tatami mats using footwork and multiple cuts.
• Be able to demonstrate any of the skills in the Elephant test at a higher level of expertise.
• Have internalized Fiore's longsword poste and some advantages and weaknesses of each.
• Create a unique set of poste transition form in multiple directions, making use of each of the volta and at least eight poste.
• Execute all of Fiore's longsword zogho largo plays and identify the principles underlying each.
• Discuss the differences of defending in front of and behind an attack.
• Develop a personal salute for use in the school and in tournaments and dicuss the importance of a salute.
• Successful candidates are known as Scolari Minore (Junior Scholars) and are entitled to wear a Blue belt.

Scolaro Minore course of study
Scolari minore focus on integrating the previous two modules through intensive drill, focused and open sparring. They work to internalize what they have learned so far, striving to find the moment in a fight when the movements and tactics they've learned are best used. The course is build around our "quattro magistri d'entrada," or Four Masters of the Entry, designed to give students Fiore-based techniques for transitioning into combat using known plays.

In addition, students at this level also work to integrate the use of falsing (feints) and compound blows into their repertoire. This helps them to improve their perceptions of an expenditure by their oppopnent and to take advantage of mistakes in balance, focus, or position.

Blended sparring is expected at this level. Inexperienced combatants must learn the fundamentals of mental control in the fight, a significant difficulty. Experienced combatants strive to fight and to apply Fiore's tactical framework instead of previously learned "habits." This is also difficult. Scolari must explore also a breadth weapon, demonstrating the core principles as they would be done with that weapon.

Students also progress down a reading list of works designed to place Fiore's work in context, including Maurice Keen's book Chivalry, Brian's Book of the Tournament, one chivalric romance, one knightly handbook, and one book about the medieval tournament.

They must also acquire a properly medieval helmet, gauntlets, and sparring weapons.

SCOLARIO MINORE TESTING

• Demonstrate the ability to enter into a fight at speed and to apply the tactics of the zogho stretto alongside Fiore's principles. Testing at this level is two-part, one in the usual interrogative session with a second section where the student must defend in a formal pas d'armes.
• Discuss something of the medieval idea of chivalry, and how it manifests both in history and in the scolari's life.
• Talk about different ways that the medieval tourament was conducted and how it affected the renown of a combatant. How does it do so today?
• Discuss the medieval romance read and present something to the class based on the reading.
• Demonstrate refined kinesthetics and a very strong fighting platform, including very solid presentations of the poste, transitions, etc.
• Show power with cuts and thrusts, with superior accuracy for the same.
• Demonstrate the SSG principles with the chosen breadth weapon for both the Elephant and Zogho Largo plays. Defend competently using the weapon in the pas d'armes.
• Possess a medieval-style helmet of sufficient quality, a gambeson or zuparello, medieval shoes, gauntets and trainers for both the longsword and for the chosen breadth weapon.
• Successful candidates are known as Scolaro Maggiore (Senior Scholars) and are entitled to wear a Green belt.

Scolaro course of study
Scolari maggiore focus on the study of how Fiore' extends his control and the tactics of the zogho stretto. This is an intensive grappling / close play study. They begin with a falling module, progressing next to fundamentals of the abrazare and daga. From here they work into the zogho stretto of the sword in two hands, working through all of Fiore's plays. This is not an exhaustive study of all of Fiore's abrazare or daga, but is meant to inclucate the student with fundamentals necessary to understanding of the sword in two hands and Fiore's spada en arme (sword in armour).

Students are expected to continue their intensive sparring, but at a reduced level while the zogho stretto module is digested.

Because of the greater amount of material (abrazare, daga and zogho stretto), there are no breadth requirements, but students must take at least 24 hours of seminar-study in or out of the SSG and must demosntrate the ability to teach the SSG First Masters of Battle course.

SCOLARO TESTING

• Complete the zogho stretto coursework, and have refined earlier skill sets.
• Have successfully taught an Elephant class
• Demonstrate the ability to fall in and out of armour based on the Schola falling curriculum.
• Elaborate on the significance and importance of Fiore's Segno as it applies to zogho largo and zogho stretto work, as well as to the fight as a whole.
• Show the tre ligadure, ligadura sopra, ligadura mezana, ligadura sotto, and how they apply in unarmed combat, with a daga and with the sword in two hands.
• Explain and demonstrate the principles behind Fiore's throws, and how they apply in the forms of combat above.
• Show how to control an opponent in a fall in terms of safety.
• Successful candidates are known as Scolari Maggiore (First Scolars) and, having completed the Intermediate work within the Schola, are entitled to wear a Purple belt.

Scolaro Maggiore course of study
Scolari Maggiore work to integrate the principles and techniques of the zogho stretto into their sparring. A study of Fiore's sword in armour or with the daga vs sword is included.

In addition, the principles of the zogho stretto are studied with the student's chosen breadth weapon.

Intensive sparring with the abrazare, daga, and longsword is expected, including encounters unarmed versus all three weapons and with the daga versus sword is included.

In addition, students are expected to expand their reading to familiarize themselves with Fiore's book and with the appropriate reference works for their chosen breadth weapon.

Finally, the student should select a preliminary major and minor weapon. These do not have to be from Fiore or from medieval weapons, but can extend to almost any appropriate hand weapon. This selection will suggest an appropriate Magistro from the SSG Council.

PRIMO SCOLARO TESTING

• Complete a study of Fiore's sword in arme or daga vs spada, demonstrating the principles and techniques.
• Demonstrate skills in the abrazare/daga/spada a due mani vs experienced combatants in a testing and pas d'armes environment.
• Teach an overview course on sources for the chosen breadth weapon (~1 -2 hours). What are the sources? What do we know about them?
• Formally declare the Major and Minor(s), and a sponsoring Magistro.
• Apply Fiore's abrazare as common modern defenses of a punch, kick, knife at the front and back, etc.
• Successful candidates are known as Scrimatore and are entitled to wear a Brown belt.

Scrimatore course of study
Scrimatore work on an individual course of study designed around their interests and abilities under the guidance of an SSG Magistro, culminating in the production of a masterwork performance, research thesis, or teaching curriculum. When their study is complete, the student petitions the Council of Magistri to review his or her work, at which time a date and time for the formal defense is set.

Although all magistri are expected to demonstrate strengths in performance of the techniques, in research and in teaching, the Scrimatore may elect to emphasize one of the following three pathways:

• PROWESS: Emphasizes personal performance and presentation on the field both within and outside of the SSG, a fighting harness and equipment of extraordinary quality and authenticity, and renown for superior skills in the documentable historical art and virtue.
  
• TEACHING: Emphasizes renown earned as an instructor, the product of which is a masterwork curriculum usable by the SSG, including its instructors, study group leaders, and independent scolari. Magistri-candidati who emphrasize teaching must also demonstrate the ability to teach both the SSG curriculum and his Major and Minor weapons.
  
• RESEARCH: Renown earned as a researcher, the product of which is a masterwork thesis. Magistri who earn their rank through research should have renown across the WMA community as it develops. Research magistri should also have widely read around the topic, adopting several related subjects as minors outside the fighting treatises. Their work should hold up to sustained academic scrutiny.

Pending a successful testing and defense, the candidate is know with the title magistro, is entitled to wear a belt of black or white, and may assume a place on the SSG Council of Magistri.

Magistro
Magistri are also known by a gold badge featuing their animal of choice within a laurel wreath. The SSG Council of Magstri is supposed to guide the development of future instructors and in the development of further SSG curricula. They also manage our breadth weapons and the development of sub-curricula through the Accomplishment system discussed later.