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From the Blog

Eat, Drink and Be Scary at Our Phantasmagoric Halloween Evening this October 29th!

Posted under: Events

 

Calling all Ghosts, Ghouls, Goblins and Children of the Night!

The Mists of Mischievous Merriment are gathering….

Let them sweep you away

for an Evening of COSTUMED

and FIENDISH delights!

 

Schedule of Terrors

Eight of the Clock

The Doors of the Crypt Open — let the Danse Macabre Begin!

Terrifyingly-tasty Treats ~ Mmm…brains!

Cocktails ~ Slake Your Unholy Thirsts!

Fortune-Telling ~ Learn Your Fate

Door Prizes ~ Treat…or Trick????

and

a Phantasmagoric DJ ~ Shamble and Slither on our Dance Floor!

Ten of the Clock
The Menagerie of the Mad

Costume Contest — Categories and prizes to be announced.

 

Midnight, the Witching Hour
Crowning the Lords and Ladies of Darkness

Our Contest winners are chosen!

 

One of the Clock

The Crypt Closes Once Moor

 

Claim your place on the guest list by October 9th for the otherworldly price of $35 

After 10/9, guest reservations are $45

Tickets at the door are $55

Reserve Here …. if you dare!

(No really, reserve!)

 

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New Workshop! Hugging the Lion, Slicing the Griffon: Italian Martial Arts from Medieval to Modern (February 20 – 21st)

Posted under: Armizare - The Knightly Arts, Combatives, Events

“Cum li braci vegno acusi ben distese per guadagnar in ogni modo le prese…” “With the arms extended I come to you to gain the grappling in any possible way..” – Fiore De Liberi, Flos Duellatorum, XV century

Forteza Fitness & Marital Arts and the Chicago Swordplay Guild welcome Dr. Marco Quarta of Nova Scrimia for a weekend long immersion in the unarmed combat  taught in Italian fencing and gymnastic academies from the late Middle Ages until the early XX century!

Italian Martial Arts can be divided into Zoghi di Concordia – Games of Concord, or combat sports, and Zoghi d’Ira – Games of Fury or Games of Rage, real combat. Based on ruthless efficiency, Abracar developed from the need of surviving in battlefields, as well as quickly defending in dark streets where people could attack armed with daggers at any time. Compared to its combat-sport counter parts Lotta (wrestling), Pugilato (boxing) or Pancrazio, (also called), Abracar shares the use of strategies and techniques (Zoghi), speed (Celeritas and Presteza) and strength (Fortituto). However it is characterized by less elegant and sophisticated actions, focusing instead on quickly escaping, injuring and ending a fight.

This combative approach didn’t disappear at the end of the Middle Ages, but was maintained across the centuries – the XIX century schools of mani libere (“hands”) maintain the same principles, and also focused mostly on self-defense (like in the case of Master Luigi Carmine or Alberto Cougnet schools). Today, similar methods are preserved within south of Italy schools, such as “calci & schiaffi” (kicks & slaps).

Part One: From Abrazare to Mani Liberi – Grappling and Hidden Weapons
In this workshops we will cover basic and advanced strategies for the transition from gioco largo to gioco stretto (long to short measure). We will also focus on the flow of grappling toward striking and back to grappling, including:

  • trovar di braccia (finding and binding the arms).
  • aprire e chiudere i cancelli (opening and closing the gates), to change measure during actions aimed to finalize an opponent. We will see:
  • Prese avantacade e Ligadure (trapping and blocking the opponent’s arms and legs);
  • Rotture (breaking joints and weaker bones of the body);
  • Percussioni (striking with hands, arms, elbows, legs and heads);
  • Lesioni (injuring with pressure and clinching on soft parts such as eyes, genitals, ears, etc.),
  • Gambarole, Capofitti and Stramazzi (different actions aimed to throw and take down the opponent on vital parts, such as the head, in combination with striking).

We will also study the actions in the context of hidden weapons. Indeed, Abracar (and the Italian school in general) is an art of unarmed fighting for armed fighters (ex. daggers, knives, sticks, swords). It is designed not only for unarmed combat, but in particular it is aimed to display fencing geometries designed for opening opportunities to grab your own or the opponent’s weapon, if available. By doing so, at the same time trying to prevent him to arm himself. Similarly, living traditions in Italy maintain the same concept in the use of the knife.

Part Two: Hands Against the Knife!
Fol 12Now that we are armed with a dagger or a knife, the workshop will move into the second part, dedicated to dagger and knife fencing (short range fencing). Translating abracar dynamics into dagger dynamics, we will:

  • Translate abracar dynamics into dagger dynamics – two weapons, one method!
  • Learn to flow from gioco largo to gioco stretto with short blades, in transitions of opening and closing the gates.
  • Study the use of gioco largo to control measure in opposition to gioco stretto aimed to finalize the opponent while neutralizing his weapon.

SEMINAR DETAILS

Date and Time:
Saturday, February 20th (11:30 AM – 5:30 PM)
Sunday, February 21st (11 AM – 5 PM)

Cost: $125.00 prepaid by February 15th, $150 thereafter.

Required Knowledge: None, but experience in unarmed and knife martial arts is helpful

Required Equipment: Comfortable training clothes, long-bladed training dagger, water-bottle, fencing mask. Additional masks and daggers are available at the studio.

Registration is limited to 30 people so register today!

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Butt-kicking Suffragettes, Edwardian Cults and….Forteza….coming at you in Four Digital Colors!

Posted under: Media Coverage

London, 1914: The leaders of the radical women’s rights movement are fugitives from the law. Their last line of defense is the secret society of “Amazons”: women trained in the martial art of bartitsu and sworn to defend their leaders from arrest and assault.

After a series of daring escapes and battles with the police, the stakes rise dramatically when the Amazons are forced into a deadly game of cat and mouse against an aristocratic, utopian cult…
Learn more about this Edwardian adventure, the almost equally strange true story of suffragettes gone wild, and thrill to seeing Forteza as the artistic inspiration for the Bartitsu Club in Amazon’s guest interview with Forteza Gym Museum Curator, Bartitsuka and Victorian/Edwardian Martial Arts historian, Tony Wolf!

http://www.kindlepost.com/2015/01/guest-post-by-tony-wolf-author-of-suffrajitsu-mrs-pankhursts-amazons.html

Suffrajitsu debuts this weekend!

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Forteza 2014 Year in Review and 2015 Teaser: Combatives

Posted under: Combatives, Events

The past twelve months of Combatives training at Forteza has been so epic, we almost feel bad for everyone who didn’t get to train with us.  Almost.

In 2014, Forteza played host to literally the who’s who of teachers in the field of Combatives and Reality Based Self Defense training.  We kicked off the year with an in house Bowie knife seminar taught by Forteza instructor Keith Jennings.  Students learned the basics of American big blade fighting, and with many of the students having some training in historical fencing or Martial Blade Concepts, everyone took right to the weapon, and Bowie knife sparring has been seen at the monthly Fight Night ever since.

In the Spring we hosted an Urban Survival course taught by Johnny Tsai.  This informative seminar was one half lecture, helping students with contingency plans and how to assemble a bug out bag in case of a local disaster, and the other half we went out to the woods and learned how to build shelters, how to start a fire with a variety of tools, and even practiced some self defense skills.

In May, Forteza played host to Martial Blade Concepts founder and head instructor Mike Janich for a two-day seminar.  Since Forteza instructor Keith Jennings is one of Mike’s senior instructors, and most of the students in attendance had a solid training base, we were able to really amp up the training and focus on the more advanced aspects of MBC training.  On the first day, Mike presented a state-of-the-art seminar on the MBC forward grip knife curriculum.  Mike tuned up everyone’s basics, and then got everyone rocking out on flow drills, combat applications, and even a bit of knife chess.  The second day was a bit treat for all of the attendees, as Mike showed his seldom taught interpretation of  classical Filipino machete and sword and dagger training.  Mike was able to blend the traditonal aspects of sword and dagger with the logic of the MBC methodology into a brutally effective big blade system.

Forteza was honored to host Lee Morrison for an absolutely epic five days of training in July.  Lee is a UK Combatives instructor who is know for both his soft skills training, helping students cultivate the proper Combtives mindset, as well as the hard stills needed to survive a brutal street altercation.  And when we say hard, we mean hard.  Lee spent two days doing private training with the Forteza staff, focusing on developing explosive power and bone crunching power.  Then the two and a half day seminar pushed everyone to the edge.  Everyone took some hard shots, and gave just as much as they got.  The increase in skill level and overall toughness by the end of the last day was a sight to behold.

Self defense guru Hoch Hochheim taught a two day seminar in October.  Hoch is a legend in the field, and was one of the first instructors in the United States to teach self defense removed from the hangups of traditional martial arts.  Hoch covered a wide variety of material in his two day seminar.  We went over his empty hand striking skills, knife vs knife, and his modern version of traditional Filipino stick fighting.  Perhaps the best part of the seminar was hearing Hoch’s war stories of his police days, as well as the many martial arts personalities he’s met over the years.

Lastly, Forteza was extremely honored end the year hosting Kelly McCann for a two day seminar. Kelly is the most sought after instructor in the field of Combatives, but until recently his training was never available to civilians.  Thankfully, that has now changed.  After Keith trained with Kelly at his Civilian Training Center in Virginia, he had been trying to figure out a way to train with him again ever since.  When Kelly announced we was taking his Kembativs training on the road, Forteza jumped on the chance to be one of the first gyms to host him.  Students were introduced to Kelly’s boxing training, both in the sportive sense and bare knuckle boxing for the street.  We also did some classic Combatives training, doing everything from self offense, to stick and knife, and the dreaded pocket stick.  After a weekend full of bare knuckle boxing, chin rips, and combative throws, the amount of pain induced by the little pocket was almost comical, especially to Kelly.  It was an epic way to end an epic year of training.

COMBATIVES 2015

We are only a week into the new year, and 2015 is already shaping up to be an even better year of Combatives training.  To meet the demand of our students, we are going to be offering more weekend focus classes on specific self defense topics, and launch our invite-only Forteza Combatives Club.  Our first class of the new year is the Martial Blade Concepts Fundaments class.  More details to come.

Also, for our first big Combatives seminar of the year will be hosting Dom Rasso of Dynamis Alliance for a two day seminar.  We will be covering situational self defense, team tactics, car Combatives, and Dom will be showing the unique reverse grip knife tactics he used when he was an active Navy Seal.  To register, please follow this link:

https://www.dynamisalliance.com/gear/situational-combatives-course

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Video Recap of Urban Combatives Seminar

Posted under: Combatives, Events

This past July, Forteza played host to Urban Combatives founder Lee Morrison for a three day seminar.  Lee specializes in combining high intensity physical training, with the mental stress of scenario training.  The Forteza Combatives classes are integrating many of these training drills and methodology into our weekly classes.

On Facebook you can find a video compilation of some of the drills Lee taught over the weekend.  Featured in the video are Dom Raso and Dylan Murphy of Dynamis Alliance.  Dom is a 12 year Navy Seal veteran, and Dylan is the guy who Kelly McMann himself has said is one of the future stars of reality based self-defense.  These two gentlemen will be teaching a two day Combatives seminar at Forteza in March of next year.  More details to come!

 

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Hoch Hochheim Seminar October 11 – 12, 2014

Posted under: Combatives, Events
bannerhockhochheim3
2014 has proven to be Forteza’s year of combatives and practical, personal protection, welcoming famed instructors Michael Janich (Martial Blade Concepts) and Lee Morrison (Urban Combatives). Now we finish our “trifecta” by welcoming world-renowned instructor Hoch Hochheim for two days of training!
With over 30 years of military, police and civilian combat and self-defense experience, since 1996, Hock Hochheim’s mission has been to “bridge the gap between the military, the police, the martial artist, and the aware citizen.” Each group knows things about fighting that the other doesn’t. Today, we add to that mission statement the concept that you should: “use only that force necessary to win or survive.” All fights are highly, highly situational. We live in a mixed weapon’s world and a mixed peoples world with rules of engagement and use of force issues. This workshop will address two very different aspects of that world:
Saturday 10/11/14 11am-6pm
Day 1: Extreme close quarters knife training. Hoch’s close quarters knife module, called Death Grip of the Knife, will focus on face-to-face, nose-to-nose, grip-to-grip knife combat. Ground knife fighting will also be covered.

Sunday 10/12/2014 10am-5pm
Day 2: Military and police stick, as well as Filipino stick fighting. Hoch will cover striking, blocking, grappling and ground fighting. Hock has also organized Filipino single and double stick materials from so many FMA systems and programs down to their scientific, easily digestible essence.

About the Instructor

Hock Hochheim has taught force necessary combat strategies to citizens, the police and military all over the world in places like South Africa,  Australia, Germany, Europe, The United Kingdom, Southwest Asia for the military and of course, throughout the United States.  Hock has actually done more in real life than most people reputed to be…“ famous and experienced.”   Currently hock teaches hand, stick, knife and gun combatives in some 40 seminars in 11 or 12 allied countries a year. Hock served as an MP in the U.S. military both stateside and in Korea.  He also worked as a police officer and detective for 23 years in Texas working violent crimes and narcotics.  Also during his career he worked as a security guard, doorman, private investigator, body guard and security consultant, most notably for “America’s mayor”, Rudy Giuliani.
As a martial artist, Hoch began his journey in 1973 with Ed Parker Kenpo Karate. Since that time he has amassed black belts in Filipino Martial Arts, Kempo, Kajukenbo and Aiki-Jutsu, and was  voted by readers into the Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame in 2001. Since the 1990s, he has been a pioneer in the integration of hand, stick, knife and gun training, and the use of the term “combatives” which was used by so few back then, but is now a widespread title today.
Seminars with Hoch fill fast, to register today by visiting Hoch’s site: http://www.forcenecessary.com/shop/combatives-seminar-hock-chicago.html

For more info, contact us at info@fortezafitness.com

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The DeKoven School of Arms: A Weekend of Renaissance Swordsmanship

Posted under: Events, Renaissance Swordplay


The Chicago Swordplay Guild and the DeKoven Foundation – the same team that have brought you WMAW for over a decade – are please to present an event for students in the Noble Art and Science of Defense: The DeKoven School of Arms. This full, three day event features:

  • A roster of leading instructors and experts in Renaissance Swordplay, including Devon Boorman, Puck Curtis, Tom Leoni, John O’Meara and Tim Rivera
  • Introductory and in-depth classes in early 16th century swordplay, including Iberian “Esgrima Comun” and Bolognese swordsmanship;
  • Expert instruction in the jewel in the crown of Renaissance Italian swordplay: the elegant rapier;
  • A chance for extensive training in the mysteries of LaVerdadera Destreza;
  • Lectures and demonstrations;
  • A Contest of Arms with sword, rapier and their trusted companions, the buckler and dagger.

Located at the picturesque DeKoven Center, home to the Western Martial Arts Workshop, the conference is a retreat with attendance limited to the 60 students that DeKoven can host. Your registration fee  includes entry, lodging and all nine, hot meals.

This is a unique event and a unique opportunity to train in a private environment with some of the finest modern teachers of the Art of Defense. Act now, because spaces will go fast. We look forward to crossing swords with you!

DETAILS:

Dates: September 5-7, 2014

Location:

The DeKoven Center
600 21st Street
Racine, WI 53403

(Details for getting to Racine can be found on the WMAW website)

Accommodations:

On campus; all rooms have two single beds. You will be able to request the roommate of your choice when you register, and we will make every effort to accommodate you. Lodging is from Thurs to Sat.

Nine hot meals.

Class Descriptions:

Class Roster

Costs:

$375.  No cancellation refunds after July 1st, 2014

Registration Info:

wmaw.registrar@gmail.com

DKSoA registration form

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Victorian Martial Arts: Bartitsu Relaunches May 25th!!!!

Posted under: Bartitsu, Events

IMG_6691

The Lost Martial Art of Sherlock Holmes is BACK! 

Bartitsu and the old Bartitsu Club were key components as we were designing the Forteza studio. Designed as a way to introduce other martial artists to the unique “fusion” and “combat improvisation” of Barton-Wright, the one major request we had from students was a more structured way to introduce new comers to the fundamental boxing, kicking, throwing and stick-fighting skills upon which Bartitsu is based.

We listened, and after a year of fine-tuning, Bartitsu returns to Forteza on May 25th with a five hour workshop taught by renowned Victorian martial arts historian and Bartitsu Club of Chicago founder, Tony Wolf. A highly experienced martial arts instructor, Tony has taught Bartitsu intensives in England, Ireland, Italy, Australia, Canada and throughout the USA. Tony also edited the two volumes of the Bartitsu Compendium (2005 and 2008) and co-produced/directed the feature documentary Bartitsu: The Lost Martial Art of Sherlock Holmes (2010).

New “Introduction to Bartitsu” Course

But the relaunch does not end with the workshop.  Tony will be ably assisted by Forteza instructors Nathan Wisniewksi and Treyson Ptak, who will then be taking the lead with our newly designed Introduction to Bartitsu course. Beginning June 5th, 6-week class is designed to instill basic striking, kicking, cane-fighting, grappling and safety skills. Perfect for those new to martial arts as well as those who are not familiar with the particular art which comprise Bartitsu, this course is high-energy, skills-focused and designed to lay a foundation that students will bring to on-going training in the Bartitsu Club of Chicago. The club meets twice a month for advanced training and “combat integration” – the unique blending of its component arts that makes Bartitsu an unique fighting art in its own right.

A Whole New World of Victorian Martial Arts

But Bartitsu is just one aspect of Forteza’s new Victorian Martial Arts program, which includes a wide-range of antagonistics, the study of fencing, boxing, wrestling and stick-fighting  typically combined with physical culture (calisthenics, gymnastics and weight-training) that was popular in Britain and America in the late 19th century. Forteza’s Antagonistics courses include:

  • Sabre and Bayonet Fencing;
  • Stick Fighting;
  • Bowie Knife and Tomahawk combat (most distinctly American weapons);
  • Physical Culture; a truly “old school” workout regimen of calisthenics, Indian clubs, and more!

As we have done previously with our wildly popular Bowie and ‘hawk seminars, Antagonistics will be taught in a series of workshops and short courses, allowing students with limited time and busy schedules to get chance to sample the breadth of 19th century martial culture.

How Can YOU Get Involved?

Whether you’ve trained us before or are brand new to any martial arts, there are many ways to jump in to the relaunch of our Victorian Martial Arts program, and the sooner you get involved, the more affordable it is!

Bartitsu Seminar Date, Sunday May 25th from 12-5pm
$60, $75 at the door

Introduction to Bartitsu Course, Starts on Thursday June 5th from 7-9pm:
Length – 6 weeks
Cost – $125, discounted to $100 for seminar attendees!

Pre-register for both the seminar and introduction for $150, a $50 savings!

Continuing Classes: Bartitsu Club of Chicago Starts on Friday July 11th from 7-8pm:

Classes are on the second and fourth Friday of each month

Cost: $50/month and includes on-going access to the Introduction class, providing 10 hours of training a month!
Antagonistics Courses
One day workshops and short courses are held throughout the year and registered for separately.
As you can see, if you are called to by the rough-and-tumble and gentleman duelist side of the Victorian-era calls to you, there are multiple ways to get involved and start training today!
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