Start a Study Group

You don’t need a certified instructor to start learning Westcountry Martial Arts.

You need a training partner, our curriculum, and a willingness to begin.

A Study Group is any group of people learning together — in person, online, or both — at their own pace.

Study Groups follow the same curriculum and earn the same certifications as practitioners who train at our institute in Exeter. We built the curriculum this way on purpose. 62% of our enquiries come from outside Devon. 20% come from outside the UK. We designed everything so that anyone, anywhere, can learn.

What you get

The full curriculum. 10 principles. 20 wrestling techniques. 2 weapons (short stick and long staff). The Westcountry Wrestling Textbook (physical | digital) is your primary training resource — it contains everything you need to start, including illustrated techniques, rules, and the complete theoretical framework drawn from over 600 years of primary sources.

Our brand and our frameworks. We don’t want to monopolise. We want to democratise. You are welcome to use the DWS brand, syllabus, and organisational structure to bring Westcountry Martial Arts to your area.

Ongoing support. Join our mailing list for structured learning materials. Contact us with technical questions. Attend our seminars and events across the Southwest. You are part of the community from day one.

How certification works

Study Group members are certified through the same process as every other DWS practitioner. It is entirely online, and there are no limits on attempts.

• Register and pay the one-time certification fee at devonshirewrestling.org/certify. The fee covers your entire journey. Unlimited resubmissions.
• Submit video demonstrations of techniques from the curriculum.
• At least two qualified instructors review each submission and assign a proficiency rating.
• Track your progress in real time on your dashboard.
• Resubmit any technique at any time to improve your rating.

You progress through five ranks: Novice, Student, Licensed Student, Proficient/Coach, and Master. Each technique carries a proficiency rating. When all skills reach the required level, you advance.

How to start

1. Get the Westcountry Wrestling Textbook (physical | digital), and a jacket (you can use anything when you start).
2. Find at least one training partner.
3. Contact us at hello@devonshirewrestling.org to register your Study Group.
4. Begin with wrestling. Work through the techniques cooperatively. Study the 10 Principles.

That’s it. Start where you are. Start with what you have.