FIS Scherma Combat

Olympic modern practice of historical Italian fencing

Nova Scrimia participated in the development of an emerging new Olympic discipline in the fencing tradition within the Italian Federation of Fencing (Federazione Italiana di Scherma - F.I.S.), the official historical istitution recognized by the Italian government. Scherma Combat is the historical fencing actualized in contemporary methods and technologies to offer a practice focused to compete in tournaments based on rules and strategies. To reintegrate the classical and historical fencing into the Federation of Fencing, where it belonged a century ago. Scherma combat is HIMAs evolved in the sport fencing and transferred back to other weapons of the Italian traditions (rapier, dagger and rapier, one hand and half, dueling saber, etc.). Taking advantage of modern technological development, electrified weapons, accurate scoring systems, calibrated and standard protective gears and technologies HIMAs can experiment different forms of tournaments. Scherma Combat is an emerging competitive practice that reintegrate the Italian fencing traditions. The Italian Federation of Fencing at the National Fencing Academy of Naples (institution founded in 1861) certifiy trained instructors, often coming from long experience in HEMAS and HIMAs in particular, by Masters of the Academy of Italian Masters of Fencing (AIMS) which now includes also historical fencing. Instructors and masters must undergo an accurate period of study, training, official competing and proved researching, they must provide a final thesis on an Italian fencing treatise written before 1980, defend a collegial exam, and prove official teaching skills evaluation in front of an official selected committee to be certified by the FIS, similarly to the Olympic Fencing Masters program in existence since the XIX Century in Italy, but with a program focused on historical fencing. Again, the focus and the goal is to train and practice for competition in tournaments, and not with the primary goal for an accurate philological practice or "self defense". However the rules and technologies, standardized and included into a professional and technological modern framework, offer an evolution of the athletic components of historical fencing in a growing Olympic practice. Nova Scrimia Research Group developed specific blades and swords for FIS scherma combat. Still, this is a game for the fun and skills developments, but is NOT the full martial art of "Scherma". Just another tool to play with.