Curriculum Vitae of the IMAF Masters at Arms.
The IMAF Masters at Arms are Western Martial Arts practitioners and teachers who have created a complete teaching methodology and have studied at least one traditional western armed system under a Master coming from a living tradition and lineage of those disciplines that have still survived in the western world, in their most possible original forms, such as Classical and Duelling fencing, Knife or Stick fighting, not influenced by modern sport systems or new interstyle forms.
IMAF MASTERS AT ARMS
M. Andrea Lupo Sinclair (Italy)
M. Paul MacDonald (UK)
M. Jeannette Acosta-Martinez (USA)
M.Marian Zakrzewsky (Canada)
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Traditional Fencing Master
Ramón Martínez (see curriculum vitae) is a teacher of classical and historical fencing.
He studied classical fencing with the late Maître d'Armes Frederick Rohdes in New York for ten years. Maître Rohdes (see bio) was one of the last fencing masters to teach fencing as a martial art. During that time Mr. Martínez became assistant and protégé of Maître Rohdes and was the only one of his pupils permitted to teach with full authorization at the Rohdes Academy. In late 1982, shortly before his death, Maître Rohdes conferred the rank of Fencing Master on Mr. Martínez.
In all, Maestro Martínez has devoted over 28 years to the study and teaching of classical fencing. He has also done extensive research in historical fencing.
Many of the most prominent masters of the past centuries left elaborate, highly detailed treatises of the systems and styles which they taught. Maestro Martínez has spent years carefully and thoroughly researching these treatises (see bibliography) in an effort to accurately reconstruct these varied styles. These ancient and historical forms are then taught as authentically as possible to those of his students who are interested. Maestro Martínez' goal is to teach, promote, and preserve this rare martial art.
Maestro Martínez is a member of the Council of Advisors of Swordplay Symposium International. He is associated with the Federazione Italiana Scherma Antica e Storica and the British Federation for Historical Swordplay. He is the current president of the Association for Historical Fencing, founded to promote, preserve and revive classical and historical fencing. He is also one of the founders and the Official Spokesman of the IMAF and a research consultant for the American Society for Chivalric Research.
Traditional Fencing Master
Andrea Lupo-Sinclair is the founder & technical director of the Federazione Italiana Scherma Antica e Storica (FISAS), the Italian Ancient & Historical Fencing Federation. the first national independent Federation ever created in the world for the study and practice of the Historical and Traditional Fencing and of the Accademia Scherma Tradizionale "Manuela Lecchi" .
Born in 1964
in Florence, Maestro Lupo-Sinclair has been training in Traditional
Fencing for over 20 years; as a true pioneer of the Western Martial
Arts revival he has conducted extensive researches of reliable teachers,
old duellists, traditional systems and documents for the knowledge and
teaching of the Art of Fencing since its roots.
Since 1985 Maestro Lupo-Sinclair studied and trained in traditional
Italian Duelling Rapier (Spada all'Italiana), Northern Italian Dueling
Sabre (Sciabola da Terreno), and practiced several martial disciplines,
travelling for years throughout all Europe researching and reconstructing
the old systems of fencing from the Traditional methods known and the
study of period treatises, mostly of the Italian Schools, often having
the opportunity of handling original historical weapons and training
several times with sharps.
Maestro Lupo-Sinclair has a refined academic background in Classical
Studies (Latin, Greek, History, Philosophy) and in Psychology. In addition
he was educated in the interpretation of historical documents. He also
uses his expertise in antique weapons to evaluate and authenticate pieces
for museums and private collectors.
Stemming from his vast academic and practical study, Maestro Andrea
Lupo-Sinclair has developed a method of teaching and training which
can be used by any researcher, from the martial artist, to the fine
artist, to the philosopher or historian. The "Sinclair Method" is not
involved in any way whatsoever with modern competitive sport fencing,
nor is it a hybrid of modern and traditional fencing. This discipline
solely concerns itself with fencing as a martial art, encompassing all
aspects of tradition and etiquette. Maestro Lupo Sinclair's didactical
method is firmly based on his education, training, extensive research
of historical documents and proven experiments.
Its focus is on four weapons which are the reconstructed systems of
Longsword and Italian Sidesword, and the traditional systems of Italian
Rapier and Duelling Sabre, with accurate steel replicas being used for
training, practice and fencing.
The Maestro is also the designer of the FISAS blade, considered the
best Rapier full contact training blade ever created in modern times.
Recently he has also created steel Longsword and Sidesword foils for
contact training and he has developed a complete fencing gear and equipment
that set the standards for FISAS and other organisations in Europe for
the safe practice of historical fencing.
Andrea Lupo Sinclair
is a founder, coordinator and promoter of the IMAF. He is a member
of the Martinez
Academy of Arms and Association
for Historical Fencing (USA), and British
Federation for Historical Swordplay (UK). He is also
M.C.T. of the American
Chivalric Order, and a member of the Advisors Council
of the Swordplay
Symposium International.
Traditional Fencing Master
Paul MacDonald was born in 1972 and raised in the West Highland village of Glenuig, Moidart, Scotland. He began his study of fencing in the 1992 at Napier University, in Edinburgh. With a keen interest in historial swordsmanship, he founded the Dawn Duellists Society in 1994. During this same period he became a fencing instructor at Napier University.
In1995 Maestro Macdonald definitively ceased his sport fencing, dedicating himself solely to traditional fencing. In 1999, he founded the British Federation for Historical Swordplay (BFHS) becoming its president. After extensive study and training in sword making, Maestro Macdonald established Macdonald Armoury in 1998. His work as a swordsmith is highly regarded for its high level of quality and historical accuracy.
Maestro Macdonald has studied most styles of European fencing from the fourteenth through the nineteenth centuries, including having revived the arms techniques of several lost systems, such as the late medieval dueling shield, the spada in arme, and the sixteenth-century Dusack.
Since 1994, he has traveled all around Europe, performing demonstrations and doing historical research. During this time Maestro Macdonald met Maestro Andrea Lupo Sinclair. In1999, Maestro Macdonald received his Master-at-Arms certification from FISAS
Maestro Macdonald is a member of the Association for Historical Fencing and has given instruction at the Martinez Academy of Arms and the Italian Ancient & Historical Fencing Federation. He is also one of the founders of the IMAF and a member of the Advisory Council for the Swordplay Symposium International.
Traditional Fencing Master
Jeannette Acosta-Martinez is a professional restorer of antique furniture who specializes in works of the 17th and 18th centuries. This, together with her interest in antique weapons, led her to the study of fencing.
She began under the tutelage of Mâitre d’Armes Frederick Rohdes, and after his death in 1983, continued with his protégé Maestro Ramon Martinez. In all, Maestro Acosta-Martinez has spent a total of 18 years studying traditional fencing, both classical and historical. In 1995, she became an instructor at Martinez Academy of Arms, as well as the Academy's business manager. She also became Maestro Martinez’ assistant at all his demonstrations and seminars.
In preparation for her Provost’s and Master’s certification, Maestro Acosta-Martinez devoted time to learning the art of teaching, as well as extensively researching the fencing treatises of the classical and historical periods. In January 1999, she was instrumental in orchestrating a historical exposition at St. Peter’s College, New Jersey, which had international participation and featured demonstrations not seen in public for more than 100 years. In May of 2000, she received her Master’s certification from the International Masters at Arms Federation and a second certification from the Martinez Academy of Arms the following November, thus becoming the only other Master certified to teach the Rohdes system of classical fencing and the Martinez system of Spanish Rapier fence.
Maestro Acosta-Martinez is also the Vice President of the Association for Historical Fencing and a founding member of the International Masters at Arms Federation.
Traditional Fencing Master
Mario Magni was born in 1969 in Milan, Italy. At the age of 18 he began studying Karate with M. Tristano Damiano. He was selected to participate in the Italian Karate Championship (UNAM), he took third place in individual competition and second in team competition.
He began his studies in Traditional Fencing in 1994 as a student of Maestro Andrea Lupo Sinclair, following his first steps of the methodology of research and practice for the early period fencing.
Mario Magni's serious attitude toward studies and practice coupled with his ability to learn quickly enabled him to pass his masters examination for the Early period fencing. He received the Master at Arms title when the first IMAF examination committee met at the FISAS International Meeting in 1999.
At present Maestro Magni is no longer part of FISAS nor following Maestro Lupo Sinclair's evolution of the method, and teaches his personal style and interpretation of the Art to a small group of students in Milan, Italy.
Fencing Master
Born in 1941 in Warsaw, Poland, Marian Zakrzewsky, has dedicated his life to fencing. Beginning his training at the age of 13, he competed for 19 years, becoming a member of the Polish national junior and senior saber teams, and competed in the Senior World Championships in 1965 and 1966.Maitre Zakrzewski has been teaching fencing for over 34 years, coaching the Polish Olympic saber team for the Montreal Olympics and the Canadian saber team for the Seoul Olympics.
He
is the co-founder and the head coach of the Oakville Swords
Fencing Academy in Oakville, Ontario, a club that brings
together both historical and sport fencing. Since the spring
of 2000, he has also been teaching rapier and Polish saber
at the Company of Cavalier Gentlemen in Hamilton, Ontario.
Maitre Zakrzewski's education includes classical, historical
and sport fencing at the Academy of Physical Education
(University) of Warsaw with Maitre Zbigniew Skrudlik and
Maitre Zbigniew Czajkowski, where he received his Master's
degree and the title of Maitre d'Arms.
Maitre Zakrzewski has always been interested in, and studied, historical Polish saber technique, and has been involved in several presentations.
In
October 2000 he presented Polish historical saber at the
Western Martial Arts Workshop in Toronto, Canada. His other
main interest lies in nutrition, especially sport nutrition.
He is also currently involved in armor production under
Canadian armorer Scott Nichols.
In recognition of his expertise and long years of
contribution to western traditional fencing, the IMAF has
invited Maestro Zakrzewski to become one of its members.
Maestro de La Navaja Sevillana - Sevillian weapons Master
James Loriega began his formal training in edged weapons in 1967 when he embarked on his lifelong study of Martial Arts with Ronald Duncan, the “Father of American Ninjutsu”.In the mid-70s, after achieving various instructor – level ranks in Asian systems, Loriega gained his first exposure to the Western martial traditions under the tutelage of Maitre Michel Alaux, a former coach to the U.S. Olympic Fencing Team. It was from Maitre Alaux, and his assistant at the time, Ms. Julia Jones, that Loriega learned the rudiments of Epée and Saber. In September of 1980, Loriega founded the New York Ninpokai, a training academy for the Traditional Arts of Ninjutsu. It would be ten years that Loriega was again exposed to western edged weapons.
In July of 1990, while conducting Ninjutsu seminars in Spain, Loriega discovered the Acero Sevillano (Sevillian Steel) knife art of Andalusia. These arts include the use of the Cuchillo (Knife), Punal (Stiletto), Baston de estoque (sword cane), and Navaja (Clasp Knife). His summer for the next five years were spent in Seville, and in August of 1996, he received formal certification as an Instructor de Armas Blancas Sevillanas under Maestro de Armas Santiago Rivera, then headmaster of the Escuela Sevillana de Armas Blancas. At this time, he was also granted permission to open a recognized branch of the Escuela Sevillanas in New York City, known as the Raven Arts Institute.
Today, Loriega continues to travel and to train, in addition to offering instruction at the Raven Arts Institute, where courses are available in the use of the folding knife, stiletto, sword – cane, walking stick, improvised weaponry, and unarmed combatives. His first book, Sevillian Steeel: the Knife Fighting Arts of Spain, (1999 Paladin Press) presents an overview of the edged weapons culture, styles and strategies of this western martial tradition. His writing have also appeared in mainstream martial arts publications such as Black Belt, Warriors, and Tactical Knives.
In recognition of his deep knowledge of Spanish Knifes in the Seville style and other Western styles, IMAF invited James Loriega as one of its traditional Masters.
Master of Stick & Cane Fighting
Cosimo Bruno was born in Mesagne, Brindisi, Italy, in 1966. Growing up in an ill-famed quarter of the city, he immediately found the need to learn survival and street-defense techniques. He first studied boxing, but, noticing the great efficacy of the use of kicks in street defense, he became a practitioner of Boxe Française, a powerful system that includes the use of kicks. At the age of fourteen, he started training under Maestri Italo and Renato Manusardi, and, under them, began an excellent career of competitive combat in Boxe Française. Always looking for a truly effective system of street defense, Cosimo also become an expert in Savate and Chausson, also including in his studies walking stick (canne), great stick (grand baton) and knife fighting. Cosimo, continues to research the psychological aspects of defense, by studying human behavior in extreme defense and critical situations.
Continuously searching for a balance between tradition, geniality, creativity and direct experience, he has become one of the foremost security professionals in Italy. He has worked as an Army Special Forces trainer, a bodyguard, and a director of bouncers, which is still his job today. Cosimo’s system of self-defense applies the basic concepts of “do not waste any time,” “use your nature as your main weapon,” and “minimize any possibility of a mistake or unpredictable event.” He is also very experienced in the use of weapons of opportunity in combat. Maestro Italo Manusardi has named him as his spiritual heir and has given him the responsibility for the development, diffusion, and teaching of the Boxe Française, Savate, and Chausson throughout all of Italy.
Cosimo is always studying in order to improve his abilities in any and all street weapons, reasoning that no one should stop his research because he has earned a title. His personal point of view is that skills must be demonstrated on the field, and that there are too many teachers claiming titles that are not representative of their real experience. In recognition of his outstanding knowledge, experience, skill, and superb teaching ability, the IMAF designates Cosimo Bruno as a Traditional Master of Stick & Cane Fighting.