Create a [[practice doll]] and equip a shaft or other weapon.
If you use a weapon then you should use one that is close to 1.00 ql 1 or you will quickly destroy the doll.
Attack the doll, repairing it whenever its damage gets to 20.
An alternative is to [[Animal husbandry|breed]] cattle and/or horses and kill them off slowly for skill gain. You can back off from horses and cattle in order to safely bandage using cotton or rags.
Don't forget to bandage your prey for first aid skill!
You won't gain much overall fighting skill that way, but it is good to gain fighting subskill and maybe weapon skill.
===Dangerous (but a heck of a lot more fun) way===
Breed cattle and/or horses and kill them off slowly for skill gain. You can back away from horses and cattle in order to safely bandage using cotton or rags.
Go hunting. That's it. Just go hunting. You first want to try hunting down simple farm animals such as pigs, pheasants, roosters, bulls, cows, etc. Even wild cats work at the start.
All melee weapons, including [[mauls]] and [[clubs]], can be used on [[practice doll|practice dolls]].
Additionally, both [[axes]] and [[swords]] (exception: [[shortsword]]) can be used to safely hack at trees for skill up to 20. Skill beyond 20 requires usage of these weapons in actual [[fighting]].
The usage of weapons on dolls can inflict heavy damage on both doll and weapon. Practice dolls over 50ql are recomended.