In the final installment of the series I chat with a couple of fellow Filipino-American HEMA practitioners. Chris Vivo has been fencing and coaching for over 30 years while my friend Swan is a new practitioner. Chris discusses the importance of having a good mindset while having fun as the key to a good tournament experience while Swan shares his experiences as a beginner and the things that keep him in the community. 

This episode was recorded 3 April 2022. 

In the continuation of this series, I talk to instructor Joe Cantore and some folks from Einhorn Los Angeles. In this episode I get to know some of the members of the club as we chat about the importance of free play and what it means to be the best swords person one can be. 

In this episode of Swords and Mental Health, Janna travels to California to spend time with HEMA folks to free spar and ask the question, where do you find joy in this hobby? In this first installment, she meets with folks from Wednesday Nights In the Park. They chat about common fencing, special interests and a special audio appearance of a pack of coyotes in this episode. This episode was recorded 30 March 2022