[1][2] ARMA was formed in 2001 under director John Clements as a continuation of the Historical Armed Combat Association (HACA, since 1992).
[4] The ARMA began in 1992 as the Historical Armed Combat Association (HACA),[1] a group led principally by Hank Reinhardt, an avid sword enthusiast.
Reinhardt's objective was to provide an umbrella organization for individuals interested in Western swords and historical weaponry.
[5] HACA began focusing more intently on the study and interpretation of the historical source literature of Renaissance Martial Arts.
[6] In 2001, the decision was made for the HACA to expand and evolve into what was believed would be a more effective educational organization for the study and practice of Medieval and Renaissance fencing.
2001 also saw the introduction of a "national training program" (a series of seminars and workshops), ranking and certifications in the curricula, and the implementation of the basic philosophy and methodology used by the ARMA today.
[10] The ARMA aims at a reconstruction of historical techniques, avoiding "borrowings" from living traditions of martial arts or classical fencing.
[14] The National Training Program acts as the core instructive curriculum of ARMA, offering basic fundamental knowledge to participants so that they may study and progress on their own.
The program content is a composite approach derived from the teachings of a variety of historical masters, and specifically designed for students and practitioners over extended distances who are without the benefit of competent instruction or practice partners.
[17] Outside of this system, there is a purely academic distinction called "Senior Researcher" that is granted to ARMA scholars who contribute significantly to the general body of knowledge on historical fencing.