Become a Duello Armizare Certified Instructor
Instructor Certification
The Duello Armizare Instructor Certification Program is a structured path from student to master instructor. Whether you want to lead a local study group, teach at an established school, or open your own academy, this program provides the technical training, pedagogical skills, and ongoing mentorship to develop you as both a practitioner and teacher.
The program combines intensive in-person training with distance learning support, practical teaching experience, and rigorous assessment at each level.
The Path
Apprentice Instructor
Novice Instructor
Journey Instructor
Provost Instructor
Master Instructor
Level Details
Prerequisites
None—open to all levels
Training
Level 1 Instructor Intensive (50 hours)
Certification
4 online quizzes + practical demonstration
You'll Learn
- Foundation in rapier and/or longsword technique
- Learning methodology and pedagogy
- How to facilitate a study group
What You Can Do
- Assist senior instructors in class
- Lead a Duello Armizare study group
- Certify students at the Apprentice (Green Cord) level
Prerequisites
- •Apprentice Instructor certification
- •Scholar rank (Blue Cord) in rapier or longsword
- •Valid First Aid/CPR
Teaching Requirement
48 hours (24 assisting + 24 leading)
Assessment
One class evaluated live or by video (70% pass mark)
What You Can Do
- Teach complete beginner courses
- Certify students through Green Cord
- Mentor Apprentice Instructors
Prerequisites
- •Novice Instructor certification
- •Free Scholar rank (Red Cord)
- •First Aid, CPR, and safeguarding credentials
Training
Level 2 Core Intensive (50 hours) + optional weapon-track intensives
Teaching Requirement
120 hours over minimum 6 months
- •60h leading beginner classes
- •30h assisting in advanced classes
- •10h conducting assessments
- •10h lesson planning and reflection
- •10h continuing professional development
Assessment
4-part written exam + practical evaluation + 15-minute oral viva
What You Can Do
- Lead classes at all levels independently
- Conduct student assessments
- Mentor developing instructors
- Serve as examining instructor (up to one level below your own)
These advanced certifications are for experienced instructors who shape the future of the art.
Provost Instructors
Design lesson plans aligned with curriculum objectives and examine students up to Free Scholar level.
Master Instructors
Broad technical mastery across the system, design curriculum, develop other instructors, and oversee schools.
Each level requires a tailored intensive, a written project or thesis, and comprehensive practical and oral evaluations.
Level 1 Instructor Intensive
The Level 1 Instructor Intensive is the foundation of the Duello Armizare instructor pathway. Over five focused days, students train the core technical, tactical, and pedagogical material of the system through rapier, longsword, and learning methodology.
This is not simply a workshop. It is a concentrated entry into the art: how to move, how to control, how to make better tactical decisions, and how to help others learn. The intensive gives future instructors and serious practitioners a shared foundation for continued study, assessment, and certification.
50 Hours
Five days of concentrated training in the foundations of the system.
Rapier
20 hours of rapier instruction focused on structure, blade control, strategy, and offhand use.
Longsword
20 hours of longsword instruction focused on cutting, crossing, wide play, close play, and grappling.
Methodology
10 hours of learning methodology, drill design, retention, coaching, and training structure.
Certification Pathway
The first step toward Apprentice Instructor and Level 1 Instructor certification.
What the Level 1 Intensive Covers
Students develop the foundations of Italian rapier practice, including posture, movement, blade control, offence, defence, counter-offence, the use of the offhand, and tactical decision-making through measure, cover, line, and tempo.
- Posture and mechanically sound movement
- Blade control and the crossing
- Attack, defence, and counter-offence
- Offhand defence and disarms
- Measure, cover, line, and tempo
- Historical connection to Italian rapier sources
Students develop the foundations of Italian longsword practice, including cutting and thrusting mechanics, control in the crossing, wide and narrow play, tactical response, and the transition into grappling and disarms.
- Cutting and thrusting mechanics
- Posture, movement, and structure
- Blade control and recovery
- Wide play and close play
- Grappling entries, disarms, and throws
- Historical connection to Fiore dei Liberi and related sources
The methodology portion teaches students how to learn, retain, diagnose, and transmit physical skills. It is valuable for instructors, study group leaders, and serious practitioners who want to train more effectively.
- How to learn physical skills more efficiently
- How to build effective training plans
- How to maximize retention
- How to design drills from simple to complex
- How to diagnose and repair technical errors
- How to bridge class training into applied fencing
The week is the beginning of the pathway. After the intensive, candidates continue through quizzes, practical demonstration, video assessment opportunities, and mentorship as they work toward Apprentice rank and Level 1 Instructor certification.
- Four online quizzes
- Practical demonstration
- Follow-up support
- Video assessment opportunities
- Apprentice / Green Cord pathway
- Level 1 Instructor certification pathway
- Study group leadership pathway
Upcoming Instructor Intensives
Your journey begins here. Intensives fill quickly—register early.
View the full instructor intensives page
Can't make these dates? Join our mailing list to be notified of future intensives.
Maintaining Your Certification
All certified instructors maintain active status through:
First Aid/CPR
Current certification (renewed every 3 years)
Code of Conduct
Signed annually
Continuing Development
Minimum 10 hours per year
Annual Evaluation
One class reviewed (live or recorded)
Teaching Activity
Minimum hours or annual academy contact for satellite instructors
Instructors who don't meet yearly requirements can reinstate through a refresher seminar and assessment.
Ready to Begin?
The Level 1 Instructor Intensive is your entry point—no prior experience required. Join practitioners from around the world who are building their path as certified Duello Armizare instructors.