They used to make wooden sculptures and practice on those or sometimes on each other!
They had practice grounds set up in and around the estate.
When the knight was not fighting, they maintained their skills by competing in tournaments and other competitions.
In the medieval period knights were usually wealthy gentlemen, often members of nobility, as such they were able to engage in activities which required wealth to pursue. This resulted in acquiring skills that other men were less likely to possess. Equestrian skills would top the list. Originally knights were mounted soldiers roughly equivalent to today's military officers. They would have been skilled horseman on and off the battlefield and especially in jousting tournaments. What makes these skills unique to knights and those training to be knights was the fact that only men of means or those being sponsored by men of means could have access to riding horses which in those days were quite expensive. Besides horsemanship a knight would have trained to use superior weaponry again accessible only to knights. In battle they would have been the equivalent of today's military officers so they would need to be skilled in leading men into battle. Not unique to knights but a skill possessed by a knight would be management skills. Many knights owned large estates and much of their time was spent managing those estates. They also would serve on juries and dispense justice, again not a skill they performed exclusively but one of the things they did.
A young learning knight was often called a squire. Squires were apprentice knights who assisted experienced knights in battle and learned important skills and knowledge necessary for knighthood.
They had tournaments like we have contests. Skill games and the prizes were money, honor, or slaves.
okay
Yes, you should practice, practice, practice. If you can stay in one position for 40 hours and hold your airsoft gun to the left, you will learn even faster and military snipers will be jealous of your mad skills.
A stuffed dummy used for target practice by knights-in-training is typically referred to as a "practice dummy" or a "training dummy." It is designed to simulate a human opponent for the trainee to practice their combat skills, such as sword fighting or spear handling. The dummy is often made from materials like straw, fabric, or leather to withstand repeated strikes during training exercises.
practice, practice, PRACTICE !
In the Middle Ages, squires were young men, typically aged 14 to 21, who served as apprentices to knights, learning the skills of warfare and chivalry. They often accompanied knights into battle and were responsible for caring for their armor and horses. A notable aspect of their training involved not only martial skills but also the code of chivalry, which emphasized honor, bravery, and courtly behavior. Upon completing their training, squires could be knighted and ascend to full knighthood, marking a significant milestone in their social and military careers.
* PRACTICE * PRACTICE * PRACTICE
practice, practice, PRACTICE !