The Swordfighters Basic Program is the system through which I have introduced Swordfighting to my students. While this is something that continually evolves, at this point my continual efforts to make this program the best that it can be have congealed down into the what you might call the "Swordfighters Approach"

This material is what I introduce to beginners in the Basic Program. It is also the body of information that I use during yearly gradings and it is actually what I expect people to know for their first level grading of Free Scholar.

For Beginners, the emphasis is on teaching them the protocols of how we do things, introducing them to the longsword, and introducng them to the subtle fundamentals that mastery depends on. If you keep at martial arts, you will spend your entire life trying to understand the Fundamentals and the difference between beginners and advanced is a function of their understanding and application of these fundamental concepts in all martial arts.

I am including here a downloadable pdf with a checklist of skills. Beginners are required to demonstrate their understanding and ability to perform what is on the checklist. You have to demonstrate these things to two senior members.

Scholars(regular members) can use this list to focus on their own practice and to prepare for yearly gradings. I am imagining that this list might be useful to you as a way of checking up and focusing on basic stuff.

Incidentally, these are also the things I want you to know for the First major grading of Free Scholar. I expect you to be able to show a high level of competence in these skills at this point and there are other things not on this list that are included in the Free Scholargrading.

For one thing, as a Free Scholar candidate, you have to demonstrate that you can integrate what you have learned into a coherent and functional whole. I ask you to show this by free sparring. I also require that you demonstrate the discipline that it takes to study something for a long time in order to independently grow. I ask you to do this in two ways: the first way is to show me that you have the tenacity to do 5000 Bassai (Trans: To Penetrate a Fortress) and to make that form yur own. The name of this form, "To Penetrate a Fortress" is apt. What is the fortress? The fortress is your own lethargy and complacency. The second demonstration of independence is to do an independent study of a skill and to be able to teach it. This is what you have to do, in addition to what is on the beginner checklist.

My teachers enigmatically advised me to focus on three things: Eyes, Standing leg, and pulling hand. "Eyes" show intent and are the pathway to the mind, "Standing leg" is about how to create a kinietic chain from the ground through the technique to your target, and "Pulling Hand" is about using the core in a biomechnically efficient way.

I want you to think about these things as well.

Here is the checklist: