Jonathan Allen has been studying historic fencing (HEMA) for over 20 years and has been the head instructor at Scholars of Alcala since 2012. Believing that no one system is truly ‘complete’ on its own, he studies and teaches a wide variety of topics including rapier, sidesword, longsword, staff, and greatsword. The Scholars of Alcala have been producing free training guides for historic fencing since the founding. In 2024, they started their Drill Book series. These books are a comprehensive look at the historic manuals with a focus on exploring and explaining the drills offered by the original 15th, 16th, and 17th century authors. The interpretation of each technique is tested by a mix of experienced and novice fencers to ensure the instructions are useful for people of all levels. And the books are periodically updated to reflect revised as the club’s current understanding.