GROUPS
The SSG has two kinds of groups, plus resources for independent scholars.
BRANCHES have at least 10 paid members, an a certified SSG Instructor.
STUDY GROUPS have at least 3 paid members, and do not require an instructor.
Each branch and study group may choose for itself the kinds of simulators it prefers, structure of the practices, and what kinds of competitions they engage in. However, all groups share a common curriculum, anchored in the works of Fiore dei Liberi.
Many groups develop close relationships with local "sword" communities, exercising themselves in arms through the larger group. The American Combat League (ACL), the Society for Creative Anchronism (SCA), Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) all provide good additional places to test and improve our interpretations. We don't have the "one true way" a la Fiore, but we do feel our interpretation is solid.
Membership, which supports our insurance, web site maintenance, and other very low operating expenses (all Board members and staff are unpaid volunteers, is $35/yr. No one may spar before becoming a paid member and signing a waiver.
Branches and study groups may also have a small fee. Some groups work with a local community center, which gathers class fees directly. Details are included in each group's page.
Don't See a Group Near You?
Drop us a note and we'll help!
Est. in ~2005 by SSG President Bryan Johnson. In Atlanta we have a true mix of students and combatants. Many of our companions compete in the many HEMA tounaments in the Southeast, and we have a lot of contact with other groups like the Atlanta Freifechter, SSG Charleston and the Savannah study group.
Est. in 2004 by SSG co-founder Brian R. Price, SSG DFW holds classes at the Tiger's Claw Crossfit Gym in North Dallas. Our group participates both in local HEMA events, like the Purpleheart Open, and we hold many of our own feats of arms--at least twice yearly. We are a friendly bunch - Stop in!
SSG Branch, established 2012, and led by Dr. Brian R. Price, the SSG co-founder. In Hawaii we practice with true concordia and amore--the medieval version of aloha. We are focused on the medieval feat of arms, rather than HEMA, and since there are no other HEMA groups, we are close to the island's SCA community. Whether visiting or relocating to the island, come visit!
SSG Montgomery
Just established in early 2019, SSG Montgomery is oriented at 'chivalric' feats of arms. Already by May we are finishing the first Ellefante cohort, and are building harnesses. We have access to a dedicated fighting site, a working armour shop, a friendly and accomplished local SCA group, and Dr. Price's full library. Several of our combatants are building or buying armour, so come and join is for excellent fun!
Anchorage, Alaska Study Group
Established in early 2018, our group has progressed in the zogho largo, and hosted a popular tournament that brought in other HEMA groups and the SCA for one big sword-swinging party!
Albany, GA Study Group
We're a new group for now, still getting established, but we're currently working on our first set of Elephante students and simultaneously testing out a new in-development curriculum on self defense, in addition to our main work with Sword in Two Hands. For now those are our areas of focus, though of course we'll be bringing in other weapons as our students advance.
The First SSG group founded by Dr. Robert Holland and Brian R. Price in 2000. Today the group practices a more diverse blend of material in a more informal way.
We will definitely need text here!
Jacksonville, FL Study Group
Welcome to SSG Pensacola, established in 2018! We are a small group of compagni looking for anyone who is interested in swordplay as an art. We are primarily using two-handed swords, and are starting to add wrestling to our studies. Our members compete in HEMA and SCA tournaments throughout the region.
On hiatus at the moment, but Carl Fryday is active in the regional SCA, working with rebated steel cut & thrust, rattan & rapier forms. He is presently Baron, hence the reason for the hiatus.
New Braunfels, Texas Study Group
Located just north of San Antonio, the New Braunfels group used to study the German system, but decided to switch over to the SSG approach in May, 2018.
We are a budding new group just starting, and which has been in the making for the past five years now since Hugh Sovik was introduced to Schola in Atlanta, GA, but moved away (then eventually grew weary of commuting to ATL just to get some practice in-spite of having some great friends in the ATL SSG).
The Portland SSG study group is very new and is currently focusing on the basics. We are not currently doing contact sparing at practice but are hoping to move in that direction soon.
Quito, Ecuador Affiliated School
"La Scuola Gladiatori es una academia y centro de bienestar cuya instrucción se especializa en la enseñanza de artes marciales coreanas, Tang Soo Do, y es la primera academia de Artes Marciales Europeas Históricas (HEMA) en Cumbayá, Quito. Ofrecemos programas para niños y una gran variedad de disciplinas de ejercicio, rehabilitación, tratamiento y entrenamiento como Yoga, Pilates, Fisioterapia y Cursos Vacacionales."
We spend the majority of our time focusing on Fiore's unarmored sword in two hands, abrazare, and other medieval wrestling traditions. Our approach to the Schola curriculum prioritizes fundamental skills and pressure testing Fiore's armizare with time spent open sparing and as many HEMA competitions as we can get to up and down the East Coast.