Can the practice of HEMA have a positive effect upon an individual's life during the present chaos of the pandemic and civil unrest throughout the world?
It has been said that the year 2020 was the worse year off the 21st century and while this is certainly true when you consider the global impact of Covid-19 on its negative effects upon the lives of millions of people. We've born witness to the loss of health, of wealth and loved ones around the world due to the pandemic. However, we've seen so much more as the darker side of humanity reared its head in the systemic violence of the legislative and enforcement aspects of governance, the rise of hate groups, unprecedented political corruption, destructive rioting and a great enmity between neighbors and fellow countrymen who see each other as the enemy rather than as their friend and compatriot.
HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) and I should add the martial arts in general is a great way to combat these present struggles. Let me clarify that HEMA in no manner is a cure for the coronavirus but it is a great panacea during this turbulent time. Allow me to simply highlight the primary benefits of HEMA both generally and specifically to our present moment and its great benefits to our overall lives.
1.) HEMA Training Can Create Success in Life – I know this is a big claim but as a coach of our local HEMA club I get a great feeling of satisfaction from the progress of our members. This feeling is not just relegated to an individual's progress in being able to employ a certain technique correctly or in winning a competition rather it's in the general improvement of that person's general disposition. The most important thing that happens to an individual in the club has the capacity to transcend to their lives outside of the walls of the club. Therefore if a member utilizes certain principles in the club to become a better fencer and martial artist then they can easily implement these same principles to live a better and more successful life overall.
Unlike many other martial art clubs in our area which all have a strong focus of children we do not currently have a children's program and focus on adult training. Our youngest members tend to be teenagers and the effects of our martial training can clearly be seen most significantly upon this age group of participants. Typically a teen who joins us has a large level of uncertainty and confidence in themselves but through the months of training within our community we often see these same teens become more confident and more assertive within the club and by implication these qualities also show up in their lives outside of the club. These qualities which are engendered, nurtured and developed within the club environment are important attributes which will carry them through to success throughout the rest of their lives.
It must also be noted that becoming proficient and well-rounded in HEMA takes a lot of effort, hard word and perseverance. This is likewise a fundamental truth of life but it is often the case that these qualities of perseverance and hard work are not engendered in the minds of some people. In life the one path towards reoccurring failure is to possess an attitude of entitlement. Within the HEMA and martial arts world entitlement is a negative attribute that is quickly discouraged because the environment of striving for excellence, success and quality of performance is not served by an attitude of entitlement. An attitude of entitlement can be defined as someone who feels that success in life should be handed to them; it is a person who wants the prize but doesn't like the process, they want to be the one who hold up the trophy and to exclaim to others "I did it!" but they don't want to put in the work that it takes to actually do it. HEMA is a long path to learning unique skills that have to be acquired through work and perseverance and it is a long process and within this process an individual learns that their expectations can never exceed their effort. A common refrain that is learned in the club and which is carried over to life is that you shouldn't wish for something more than you're willing to work for it. In our club nothing is given to anyone except potential – what a member decides to do with that is invariably upon their own shoulders, they are the authors of their own life's journey and will become a success or a failure based upon their own choices and actions. That's HEMA and that is life.
2.) HEMA Helps Battle Depression – Depression and anxiety has been a consistent battle in our modern society and the pandemic has caused the rates of depression to triple since the beginning of the Covid-19 restrictions and its subsequent effects upon the wealth and health of individuals and their families. The CDC states that the most dramatic impact has been felt by young adults who report a statistical rate of depression, anxiety and suicidal thought of just over 60%. Many are finding it difficult to cope with the lock-downs, the social isolation, the closure of schools and Universities and the general lack of functionality that defined pre-corona life.
HEMA can be utilized as an invaluable tool for battling this 'plague of the mind' by providing purpose. HEMA provides purpose through the setting of goals and the consequent effort it entails to attain those goals. These goals are not just worked on in the context of the club but the acquisition of goals requires the active participation through effort at home when one is not in the club. The greatest martial artist in a club is the one who transcends the club and practices at home. This practicing and effort put towards attaining specific goals is a purpose oriented approach to living a quality life.
Another practical aspect of joining a HEMA club is the social interaction which alleviates the depression from social isolation. Currently our local club is open and operating in a manner that is in conformance with the advisements of the CDC and this includes the wearing of masks when social distancing isn't always maintained within 6' of others, temperature checks of each member before class, sanitization of equipment and the clubs policy of not attending a class if any signs of symptoms of illness are present. Our club takes these steps to insure that each member is safe and also feels comfortable in the environment of our classes. With these precautions in place we have been able to maintain a fun and social atmosphere for our members who may need that interaction and engagement with others more than they need to exercise of the martial art itself.
As a club we are here to serve our community through the application of principles pertaining to historical martial swordsmanship and through service to community by edifying and enriching the lives of our individual members.
3.) HEMA Improves Social Interactions – The whole world seems to be engulfed in the flames of civil unrest and we are consistently reminded and indoctrinated with the negativity by our televisions and through social media. While much of the debate has led to a healthy discussion of some very difficult social and moral topics, there is also a continual feed of non-stop violence, civil disorder, intolerance and inhumanity impacting us all. The tenets of HEMA mandate a deep-rooted courtesy for one another in all things. We are instructed to even show a courtesy to our opponents in HEMA by saluting them before a match. This courtesy extends beyond the salute to a general attitude and demeanor of courtesy in our club that is extended to all members regardless of their race, politics, beliefs, etc. The club is a safe place for everyone and a place where each individual is approached as an individual defined only by their own character and not by any labels they identify themselves with outside of the club. Our salute and courtesy is a much needed symbol of our shared humanity towards one another. We don't have drama between diverse members of our club because we don't define our clubs mission as a force to change others rather our club is a vehicle to drive personal change alone. It is this attitude of the club that if transcended to life then the world would be a more peaceable and contented existence.
Conclusion
There are many other benefits of HEMA practice that I have not mentioned such as physical fitness and the specifics of embracing a chivalrous culture but I feel that these few points mentioned herein are often overlooked and are probably the most important during this time of pandemic. 2020 was a year defined by pain, tragedy and social unrest. I believe things will invariably improve but the impact of last year's events will reverberate for many years into the future. The new year of 2021 brings hope for change and I am asking all of you who are reading this article to look at your local HEMA club during these difficult times as a place of respite and refuge. Therein you will find a culture to challenge you to become a better individual, to establish goals and create purpose, to socialize and to battle depression or just a general apathy towards life.