In this article: Learn what to expect during your first HEMA class, what happens before you pick up a sword, what equipment you need, and why your first training session is more about learning the fundamentals than sparring.
Your First HEMA Class Is Probably Not What You Expect
For many people, the decision to attend a first Historical European Martial Arts class comes with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty.
Will everyone already know what they’re doing? Will you need expensive equipment?
Will you be expected to spar with steel swords on your first day?
Fortunately, the reality is much less intimidating than many beginners imagine. A well-run HEMA club understands that every experienced practitioner once walked through the door for the very first time.
You’ll Probably Spend More Time Learning Than Fighting
One of the biggest surprises for newcomers is that the first lesson rarely begins with combat.
Most clubs start by introducing the training environment, explaining safety rules, and demonstrating the basic structure of a class. Before learning techniques, beginners are usually introduced to movement, posture, footwork, and the safe handling of training weapons. Rather than trying to “win” exchanges, the goal is to build good habits from the beginning. HEMA is a skill that develops over time. Like learning a musical instrument or a new language, strong fundamentals make everything that follows much easier.
You Don’t Need to Own Equipment
Many people postpone their first class because they think they need to buy a sword, mask, or full protective kit beforehand. In reality, most HEMA clubs maintain a selection of loaner equipment specifically for beginners.
Masks, gloves, synthetic or steel training weapons, and other essential items are often available for newcomers during their first weeks or even months of training. This allows you to discover whether HEMA is right for you before making significant purchases.
Every Club Has Its Own Training Culture
Although HEMA is built on historical sources, no two clubs are exactly alike.
Some groups place greater emphasis on historical interpretation and technical precision. Others focus more on sporting competition, while many combine both approaches. What matters most during your first class is not finding the “perfect” club but finding an environment where instructors communicate clearly, safety is taken seriously, and beginners feel comfortable asking questions. A good club doesn’t simply teach techniques. It helps people become part of the HEMA community.
You Won’t Be Expected to Know the Terminology
One of the things that intimidates newcomers is hearing unfamiliar words such as Zornhau, Ochs, Prima, Moulinet, or Custodia.
Don’t worry if none of these terms make sense yet. Every practitioner started in exactly the same place. Learning the vocabulary of HEMA happens naturally through regular training. Over time, historical terminology becomes part of the shared language used by instructors, training partners, and historical sources.
Sparring Usually Comes Later
Many people first discover HEMA through tournament videos or exciting sparring clips online.
Those videos represent only a small part of training.
Before practitioners fence freely, they spend many hours developing control, coordination, distance management, and the ability to work safely with a partner. Depending on the club and the discipline, beginners may not begin free sparring until they have demonstrated a basic understanding of safety and control.
The objective isn’t to rush into fighting. It’s to build the skills that make meaningful fencing possible.
Your First Training Session Is Only the Beginning
Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that nobody expects you to be good on your first day.
HEMA is a long-term discipline built on curiosity, patience, and continuous learning. The first class is simply the moment you stop watching from the outside and begin becoming part of the community. Everything else develops one training session at a time.
Learn More
HEMA MANUAL explains how to find the right club, what to expect when entering the HEMA community, how training is organised, why club culture matters, and how beginners gradually progress from introductory classes to regular practice and responsible sparring.
