The Standard That Earned
a Military Contract.
Langley AFB was one of LSTA's military installation programs in the Hampton Roads region. The contract was earned through the same standard that defines the entire LSTA network, and it was delivered personally by Sifu Julliana Armstrong, who brought both the credentialing of a 3× WEKAF National Champion and the discipline of a career military contractor to every class she ran on base.
What to Expect at
Any LSTA Academy
60–90 minutes. Structured every minute: warm-up, form instruction, drilling, and controlled sparring at the appropriate rank level.
Comfortable clothes and water. If you own a light sword, bring it. If not, loaners are available for your first session.
Students at all sash levels. The culture is serious about the art and welcoming to beginners. You start at White Sash regardless of background.
Most consistent students are ready to test for Yellow Sash within 4–8 weeks. Promotion is evaluated by a certified instructor, not time served.
The contracted Langley AFB program has concluded. Train online from anywhere through Shadow Warrior, or in person at a licensed LSTA academy.
9 Forms.
The Same Standard
at Every LSTA Academy.
This academy is led by Sifu Julliana Armstrong, one of the four LSTA Founding Masters who built the nine-form curriculum. Because its lead instructor is a Founding Master, this academy is certified to teach the complete system. All nine forms, from Foundation Strike (Form I) through Master’s Unity (Form IX).
The LSTA curriculum draws from 12+ martial arts traditions. Classical fencing, Chinese broadsword, historical European swordplay, Korean sword arts, Filipino Arnis, and others, synthesized into a single structured system. The rank you earn here is recognized at every licensed LSTA academy worldwide.
Foundation Strike → Flowing Defense → Circle of Power. White, Yellow, Orange Sash.
Iron Will → Lightning Speed → Dual Harmony. Green, Blue, Purple Sash. Live sparring begins.
Phoenix Rising → Dragon's Breath → Master's Unity. Brown, Red, Black Sash.
Every LSTA academy operates under the same license, curriculum, and Code of S.A.B.E.R. The rank you earn here is recognized at LSTA Norfolk, Saber Core CT, and every other licensed academy in the network. Same art. Same standard. Every city.
Four masters.
The system this academy teaches.
The Langley AFB program was delivered by Sifu Julliana Armstrong herself (one of the four below), under her U.S. military contract. The curriculum. The forms, the ranks, the safety protocols, the competition standards. Was built by these four people in Norfolk, and every LSTA academy teaches it.
Built a landmark U.S. light sword academy · Entrepreneur of the Year · Featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox · Parks & Recreation Contract
3× WEKAF National Champion · NASM-Certified Trainer · U.S. military contracts, Langley AFB & Fort Eustis
2× World Champion · 2004 Olympics Performer · Black Belt Magazine Feature · 2nd-Gen JKD, Bruce Lee lineage
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 · Tenet · The 5th Wave · 101 Stunt Credits on IMDb · JKD · Capoeira · Kempo · Judo
Built. Betrayed. Rebuilt by four masters.
In 2015, Edward Armstrong built a nationally recognized light sword academy in the United States in Norfolk. In 2016, the franchise that gave the sport its international structure betrayed the warriors and operators inside it. In 2017, Edward and Julliana Armstrong (with founding masters Nathan Young and Nick Benseman), rebuilt LSTA from scratch as a federation, engineered against every failure mode they’d survived. That rebuild is why this academy can use the system honestly. The federation behind it was built by people who refuse to repeat the betrayal that produced it.
Three reasons
LSTA training isn’t the right fit for you.
The Langley AFB program has concluded. Training today happens online from anywhere through Shadow Warrior, or in person at a licensed LSTA academy. Before you plan either, here’s who shouldn’t.
LSTA academies are 13+, teens and adults. We don’t run children’s classes for under-13, birthday parties, or family-format programming. Younger students looking for sword work need to look elsewhere. That’s a different discipline and we don’t fake it.
The 9-form progression assumes you train at least once a week. Showing up monthly when work permits doesn’t build the muscle memory or the rank progression that makes the discipline rewarding. If your schedule is too volatile to protect a weekly slot, defer until it isn’t.
LSTA is structured combat: contact, drilling, sparring, ranked progression. If your interest in the weapon is theatrical or aesthetic, the rigor here will frustrate you. We respect performance art; we’re not it.
If any of those is you, we’ll save you the time. If none of those is you, your training path (Shadow Warrior online or a licensed LSTA academy in person), is below.
Not military / not at Langley AFB?
The network is a federation-registered network across the U.S. and internationally.
Same curriculum. Same rank standards. Different floors. Find the LSTA closest to you.
Another Hampton Roads military installation LSTA academy. Same instructor team.
VIEW →The civilian flagship in Norfolk. Where the curriculum was built.
VIEW →Questions about training, enrollment, or bringing LSTA to your area? Reach the team directly.
CONTACT US →
LSTA Training,
Proven On Base.
The contracted Langley AFB program brought the full LSTA 9-form curriculum inside the installation, taught by Sifu Julliana Armstrong, and has since concluded. Interested in bringing LSTA programming to your installation or facility? Reach out through the contact form.
Training today: online from anywhere through Shadow Warrior, or in person at a licensed LSTA academy.