User:Rappkarl

Karl Rapp was born 1974 in Vienna and joined the HEMA Community in 2008. Before that time he trained asian martial arts for a short time (Teak-kwon-do, Kendo, Iado) but was always more interested in the european way of arms. In January 2008 he started training with Klingenspiel of Vienna, initially with rapier and sabre, and later also sword and buckler (I.33). Since 2011 his interest is mainly 16th century italian rapier, with Ridolfo Capoferro's treatise as the primary focus of study. 2013 saw him becoming instructor of Klingenspiel's beginner class in intalian rapier, followed by becoming main rapier instructor in 2014. His interpretation of Capoferro's work is based on the hypothesis that it shows a martial arts form centered on courtly duels and fencing in the salle, as opposed to e.g. Francois Dancie's treatise which shows a figthing style that seems to be based on a more realistic approach including psychological factors.