York School of Defence

EHRC "guidance" is just that... ignore it if you feel able to do so. Submit and file harassment reports if you encouter any problems. This isn't an option for everyone but if you're comfortable doing so please make a fuss, make yourselves heard. If you need help, just ask.

And to all of the non-trans folk reading this page... They're likely coming for you next. All eyes may be focusing on the "T" but they'll be heading right for the LGB next. Cis women's rights will also be on the chopping block... Cis men who aren't stereotypical in their demeanour or appearance? They're coming for you as well. Unless you're a middle class cis white male stereotype you're in the firing line whether you realise it or not.

Support maginalised groups in society, and if you can't bring yourself to do it because morally it's the right thing to do and should be the default for decent human behaviour, do it because they're coming for you at some point in the future unless we work together to stop this.

Everyone benefits from a fair, equal, and unbiased society. Do your bit to make it happen.

My amazing friend Lucy did a thing, and it's a great thing and you should all go and subscribe for more top content in the future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhZOqDvIiQA

The REAL Reason WOMEN Should Learn To FIGHT Most people tell women to pick up a martial art for self defense. B...

Someone recently had the cheek to ask me what logo generator I used for the YSD t-shirts and branding.

None... This is a GenAI free zone. I'm certain it could be better but it's all done by me, by hand, in Photoshop, and I'm quite proud of it.

And I think we're long overdue a Christmas t-shirt.

P.S. It's a goose, not a duck. If you live in York, well, you know. I'm tempted to do a Tansy Beetle one as well, but the angry York Geese will forever be our mascots. And yes, it looks like a hockey logo because I love hockey and I thought our original logos were a tad boring and lacked whimsy.

Tonight at the YSD, a group of experienced wrestlers who know what it's like to be down on the mats with someone trying to crank, rip and choke them into oblivion, got to experience, try out, and improve some Aikido "knife defences" that were advertised as genuinely being for actual self defence.

The comments were not pretty.

We're big fans of Historical Fencing Armory at the YSD. They're lovely people and the kit is excellent quality at an excellent price, and it's delivered incredibly quickly.

Expect more orders from us in the future!

Shop pegboards... Perfect for sword storage.

I love private lessons. It's splendid being able to dig deep down and explore why the magic happens.

https://yorkschoolofdefence.co.uk/private-lessons/

A reminder that this is a GenAI free zone. Art for our club is all done in-house by moi, and we work with local artists and friends to produce artwork for our events. Whilst our artists produce amazing work I will be the first to admit that my own efforts aren't the greatest. But that's okay, because an actual human took the time to do the thing (mistakes and all) rather than being lazy and actively contributing to the ensh*tification of society.

Generative AI is awful. Please stop using it. Every time you use AI to produce a poster, a meme, or a t-shirt design, or to generate a load of word salad for your latest post, you're using systems that have been trained on plagiarised art, and you're contributing massively to a worsening environmental crisis. And if you want a reason that may seem closer to home, see your laptop? Your mobile phone? Your console? Any consumer technology you have? Prices are skyrocketing thanks to AI data centres buying up hardware, very soon you will have to rent computing power rather than owning it and you've only yourselves to blame... "They will own nothing and be happy about it."

Put in the work yourself if you can't afford to hire someone to do it for you, and stop letting billionaire tech bros mansplain to you.

Cutlass is featuring heavily in our workshops and classes at the moment, and it was absolutely wonderful to be invited to teach some cutlass drill to York Sea Cadets on Friday evening. A fantastic bunch with some real talented swordfolk coming through the ranks!