Using the same methods and tools from two millennia ago, Scuola Gladiatori in Italy teaches people to battle in the arena:
To become skilled gladiators, Roman slaves needed to be in tip-top physical shape, so students at Rome’s gladiator school first go through an assault course, consisting of ropes, benches, dangling sand bags and a rotating blade carousel that requires, speed, coordination and lightning-fast reflexes to conquer. Once they are deemed ready, participants move on to the second stage of training, weapon practice. Just like the fighters of ancient Rome, they train with a wooden sword called “Rudus”, which is lighter and safer than a metal blade and teaches them to judge the distance from their opponent. Real gladiators spent hours every day practicing their moves and techniques, but during the Gladiator for a Day experience, you have to pick up the basic moves in record time. Once students get used to their weapon, they are taken to the armory where they suit up in genuine armor for their very first combat experience in the arena. They face their trainer, and most often than not, students have to accept defeat in a matter of seconds, but the taste of the sand and the feeling of impeding death as they hit the ground is an unforgettable experience.
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(Photo: Scuola Gladiatori Facebook page)