For the benefit of Academie Duello students who are continuing their pursuit of Bartitsu without an instructor present, I provide this outline. I recommend this format for any study group, but encourage anyone new to Bartitsu to seek out an instructor with experience before gathering a group of friends to try it out.

The monthly format is this:
Week 1: Jujitsu
Week 2: Pugilism
Week 3: Savate
Week 4: Walking stick

Jujitsu

The first week of the month, students should focus on the primary strategies of Bartitsu which come from traditional jujitsu.

In a 2-hour class, this is the schedule:
00-10: General warm up
10-15: Break falls (appropriate to each student’s level)
15-30: Review fundamentals:

  • Outward wrist lock
  • Arm bar
  • Come-along hold
  • Figure-four takedown
  • Back-heel throw

30-75: Review and development of level-appropriate technique.
Green Sash will review of all jujitsu lessons:

  • Head locks, neck cranks and escapes
  • Lever throw and scooping ankle throw
  • Collar and Elbow tactics

Blue Sash will review all jujitsu categories:

  • Hip throws: Major hip throw, shoulder throw, drop throw
  • Other takedowns: Spring hip throw, scissors takedown, sacrifice throws
  • Locks and holds: lock flow, kimura, and head cradle takedown

75-110: One or more of the following explorations:

  • sparring
  • inventing or reviewing combinations that integrate all aspects of Bartitsu
  • self-defence scenarios, emphasizing jujitsu responses
  • learning from the Bartitsu Compendium or other legitimate sources

110-120: Cool down and stretching

Pugilism

The second week of the month, students should focus on the most common unarmed attacks: punches. The pragmatic defences and powerful strikes of bare-knuckle boxing are the best way to close distance until a jujitsu takedown is possible.

A 2-hour class should follow this schedule:
00-10: General warm up
10-15: Medicine ball throw/catch or skipping rope or shadow boxing
15-30: Review fundamentals:

  • Lead punch
  • Cross punch
  • Slips
  • Milling

30-75: Review and development of level-appropriate technique.
Green Sash will review of all pugilism lessons:

  • Hooks and uppercuts
  • Elbow block and Chopper
  • Lead hand parries

Blue Sash will review all pugilism categories:

  • Strikes: Supinated punches, pronated and over-pronated punches, edges and elbows
  • Pummeling and follow-ups
  • Guards: Palm-up and turtle-shell, palm-down blocks, bob-and-weave

75-110: One or more of the following explorations:

  • sparring
  • inventing or reviewing combinations that integrate all aspects of Bartitsu
  • self-defence scenarios, emphasizing pugilistic responses
  • learning from the Bartitsu Compendium or other legitimate sources

110-120: Cool down and stretching

Savate

The third week of the month, students should practice the most difficult and powerful attacks within Bartitsu: kicks. Savate was the original source of all kicks in Bartitsu and integrates perfectly with pugilism.

A 2-hour class should follow this schedule:
00-10: General warm up
10-15: Leg swings
15-30: Review fundamentals:

  • Shin kick
  • Evading kicks
  • Knee strikes

30-75: Review and development of level-appropriate technique.
Green Sash will review of all savate lessons:

  • Round kick
  • Side Kick and chasse
  • Stop-kick

Blue Sash will review all savate categories:

  • Lead leg: Snap kick, hook kick, fouette
  • Rear leg: Front kick, switch-side kick, crescent kick
  • Spin kicks: Back-kick, spin hook kick, spin crescent kick

75-110: One or more of the following explorations:

  • sparring (purring)
  • inventing or reviewing combinations that integrate all aspects of Bartitsu
  • self-defence scenarios, emphasizing savate responses
  • learning from the Bartitsu Compendium or other legitimate sources

110-120: Cool down and stretching

Walking Stick

The fourth week of the month sees the quintessential tool of Bartitsu: the walking stick or cane.

A 2-hour class should follow this schedule:
00-10: General warm up
10-15: Indian clubs
15-30: Review fundamentals:

  • Bayonet form blocks and the bayonet drill of attacks
  • Striking and guarding in high guard
  • Preemptive strike from rear guard with follow-ups.

30-75: Review and development of level-appropriate technique.
Green Sash will review of all walking stick lessons:

  • Bayonet form jujitsu
  • Outside guard
  • Using the crook

Blue Sash will review all walking stick categories:

  • Le Boucher drills
  • Reverse-grip and two-handed strikes, blocks and jujitsu
  • Other self-defence weapons: kubotan/knife, Bowie knife, Escrima/Kali sticks

75-110: One or more of the following explorations:

  • sparring
  • inventing or reviewing combinations that integrate all aspects of Bartitsu
  • self-defence scenarios, emphasizing weapon responses, especially from an unready posture
  • learning from the Bartitsu Compendium or other legitimate sources

110-120: Cool down and stretching