Author Archives: BartitsuSociety

The Original Bartitsu Club

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Saturday, 5th September 2015 “… a huge subterranean hall, all glittering, white-tiled walls, and electric light, with ‘champions’ prowling around it like tigers …” – Mary Nugent (January 1901) There are now approximately … Continue reading

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Bartitsu at Festival No. 6

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 10th September 2015 Bartitsu instructor James Garvey (lower right, above) represented E.W. Barton-Wright’s “New Art of Self Defence” in the central piazza at Festival No. 6 (2015). This boutique music and arts festival … Continue reading

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Old Time Strongman Morning Routine

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Sunday, 4th October 2015 The Art of Manliness offers this short morning workout routine based on Adrian Peter Schmidt’s 1901 manual, Illustrated Hints for Health and Strength for Busy People.

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Testing the BlackSwift Raven Self-Defence Walking Stick

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Sunday, 4th October 2015 An assessment of the BlackSwift Raven self-defense walking stick for formal Bartitsu training and self-defence purposes.

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Canne Vigny Sparring

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 8th October 2015 Some fast, athletic and skilled sparring in the classic Vigny style from these two instructors of the Gemeiner Academy of Savate (Gold Coast, Australia).

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“… the Latest Trick in Jiu-jitsu”: Cartoons from Punch Magazine (1905-12)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Wednesday, 14th October 2015 During the decade following E.W. Barton-Wright’s introduction of jiujitsu to England, the Japanese martial art was thoroughly absorbed into English popular culture – most famously when Sherlock Holmes made use … Continue reading

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Victorian Street Fighting in “Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate”

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Friday, 23rd October 2015 The protagonists of the newly released game Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, Jacob and Evie Frye, display their hand-to-hand combat skills in this promotional video. Although the kukri knife and wrist dagger … Continue reading

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Self-Defence (The Universal Book of Hobbies and Handicrafts, 1935)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Sunday, 15th November 2015 SELF-DEFENCE may seem a queer sort of hobby, but it is closely allied with jiu-jitsu, wrestling, boxing and tumbling, and many people practise it merely as a form of … Continue reading

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“Learn ‘Glima’ And Protect Yourself Against Hold-Ups” (1923)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 10th December 2015 Click on the image above to expand it. Icelandic glima wrestler and showman Johannes Josefsson enjoyed great success touring throughout Europe and the United States during the early 20th century, including … Continue reading

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Alex Kiermeyer Seminar Photos

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 15th December 2015 Pictures from the recent Bartitsu seminar with instructor Alex Kiermeyer (top) in Igensdorf, Germany.

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