There is a thriving HEMA scene in Glasgow, and we are delighted to be part of it all at the Vanguard Centre!
Established in 2015, the Vanguard Centre is a full-time training centre for archery and HEMA. We have a venue just south of Central Station in Glasgow city centre and our sessions are taught by professional instructors with years of experience.
Our HEMA practices are thoroughly based in historical sources. We follow books written by fencing masters of the past and we try to recreate these methods as a functional and enjoyable martial art today.
Safety is of great importance to us, so we wear protective gear such as modern fencing masks and padded gloves. We also work hard to make our space as welcoming as possible and are always happy to chat and see what we can do to help include you in our sessions.
We believe that the Vanguard Centre is one of the foremost HEMA schools in Glasgow (and, indeed, in Scotland), and we strive every day to make this statement true!
Information for Beginners
If you are looking to start practising HEMA and don’t have much experience yet, then we would strongly recommend the Scottish Broadsword & Military Sabre class if single-handed swords appeal to you, or the Longsword – Fundamentals class if you like the idea of the two-handed longsword.
Alternatively, you can contact us to book some private tuition, where we can give you a more personalised lesson to help you get started.
We can supply all the necessary equipment. You just need to come along wearing sensible footwear and comfortable, loose-fitting clothing so that you can move easily.
Book your place using the online booking system, following the links below, and then come along and let our instructors introduce you to the wonderful world of historical fencing!
Current HEMA Classes
Scottish Broadsword & Military Sabre is the class where we study some of the various different methods for using single-handed cutting swords during the 18th and 19th centuries. Whether you see yourself more as a Jacobite or Covenanter, or if you have an interest in military history, these sessions will have something for you.
- Suitable for beginners!
- Also suitable for more experienced people.
Read on for more information about broadsword and sabre.
- Book your participation in one of our broadsword and sabre classes.
- Runs on Wednesday evenings, starting at 7:30pm.
Longsword – Fundamentals is a whole-body workout with one of the most iconic medieval swords! In this session, we will go through the basics of how to fence with a two-handed sword. It is a competent grasp of the basics that wins sparring matches, you can’t go wrong by practising your fundamentals.
- Suitable for beginners!
- Also suitable for more experienced people.
Read on for more information about longsword.
- Book your participation in one of our longsword classes.
- Runs on Saturday afternoons, starting at 4pm.
Longsword – Intermediate is a fast-paced and athletic sword-fighting discipline from the 15th and 16th centuries. The intermediate class is intended for people who already have some experience with the longsword and who can work happily at slightly higher intensities.
- Most suitable for people who already have experience with the longsword.
Read on for more information about longsword.
- Book your participation in one of our longsword classes.
- Runs on Thursday evenings, starting at 7:30pm.
Rotating Fighting Arts is where we look at a new HEMA discipline every two months, giving an opportunity to taste and experience the variety of fighting systems described in the historical source material. Examples of topics include sword and buckler, medieval dagger, quarterstaff, and anything that doesn’t fit into one of our other regular weekly sessions.
- Most suitable for people who already have experience of our other HEMA classes.
Read on for more information about rotating fighting arts.
- Book your participation in one of our rotating fighting arts classes.
- Runs on Tuesday evenings, starting at 7:30pm.
Tournament successes
At the Vanguard Centre, we have always placed our emphasis squarely on learning how to fence effectively and according to our historical source material. We don’t train specifically for tournaments, but every so often our members will enter a tournament to see how well our training is working – and we do have quite a history of Vanguard Centre members bringing home medals and recognition, not just from the UK, but from across Europe.
We have compiled a list of tournament successes and victories by Vanguard Centre members over the years since 2015, the year in which we opened.
If you have any questions about any of these activities, please send us an email or give us a call, and we will be happy to help.