- Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Sunday, 19th June 2011
Introductory Bartitsu
(the martial art of Sherlock Holmes)
with “Professor” Allen Reed
$50 until July 1; $75 thereafter and at the door
(Kindly bring a sack lunch)
River Valley Complex, 605 S. Main St., Leaf River IL
Contact GallowglassAcad@aol.com
In 1898, the New Art of Self Defence called Bartitsu was introduced to England by Edward William Barton-Wright. Bartitsu was a combination of savate, jiujitsu, pugilism, and walking stick fighting. Barton-Wright developed Bartitsu to defeat the fearsome street gangs of Edwardian London.
By combining Asian and European fighting styles, Bartitsu may well have been the first Mixed Martial Art. Conan Doyle had Sherlock Holmes use Bartitsu against Professor Moriarty, his mortal enemy, to throw him from the top of Reichenbach waterfall.
This class will provide a practical beginning in this historical system, as well as how to use it for modern self defense.
REQUIREMENTS: Participants should wear comfortable workout clothes, and should bring a sturdy walking stick, cane or 3/4″-1″ diameter dowel rod about 36″ long. If available, bring a fencing mask or closed-face martial arts headgear and heavily padded gloves (hockey style) or equivalent. Gallowglass Academy requires groin protection for men.