Is anybody here into fencing?

[number6]

Thanks. I don't have that many gold medals. I have 2 gold and 1 silver from the last year. Before that I was not competing as much as I have been now. Out of the 18 years since I started fencing, back in 1988, I took a 8 year hiatus starting in 1996 and just recently got back into it in 2004. So I am not as experienced as you may think. Though it was relatively easy for me to get back up and running since all my footwork was still pretty solid. I never fenced your head coach though what I have read about him he appears to have done a lot to promote the sport. Good luck with your first lesson from the master! Lessons are great for perfecting your form and working on strategies. At my club you can't even get a lesson from the Fencing master until you have been formally reviewed for form on several basic/intermediate fencing moves as well as a formal written exam.

[chatfsh]

Had my first official fencing lesson last night.  It went extremely well, meaning

[number6]

I am glad you enjoyed your first lesson. I find lessons can sometimes be more challenging than competing. During a lesson the instructor is forcing you to concentrate on a specific series of actions which is not what you do in a real bout.  Lessons help you improve and they are vital to becoming a good fencer so it is good you enjoyed it. I prefer to bout over lessons, but I still appreciate the lessons I receive.

It's funny you bring up the blind fold. Every christmas my club has a series of crazy fencing games. One of the games is to blind fold both fencers and see which fencer can hit first. It's really funny to watch.

[nemafakei]

Never done the blindfold one because of safety concerns. Dual-weapon fencing is a good one, especially with rules for severable limbs (get hit on the arm, you drop your weapon, on the leg, you hop).

[chatfsh]

Fencing blindfolded, dual weapons, severed limb game...this sounds like it will be more fun than I anticipated.  I

[number6]

Never done the blindfold one because of safety concerns. Dual-weapon fencing is a good one, especially with rules for severable limbs (get hit on the arm, you drop your weapon, on the leg, you hop).

I forgot to mention that we do not use real blades when blind folded. We have some foam cutlass's that our coach made so it is very safe and we have a ref as well as guides if they get too far off course.

[nemafakei]

Ah, foam sabres. I hate them - they're impossible to parry with, never mind theat they're too short.

[chatfsh]

Had my second fencing lesson this evening.  Number6, you were correct in that the master does not instruct new students.  My regular instructor is his 18 year old star pupil.  Yeah, this young guy who towers over my little 5

[chatfsh]

My lesson went very well tonight.  Another student joined the Monday night class, so there go my private lessons.  But since I

[nemafakei]

Hm. As I recall, this is more a foil question, but there are similar influences on sabre. I think it's possible to have your cake and eat it - indeed, it's necessarry. You can't do it in two movements: extend your arm, then lunge - that would count as two attacks. You've got to make sure you're doing it all in one fluid movement - but that movement has to start at the point (i.e. the hand). Your front foot should not leave the ground until your hand has started moving. Does that explain it?

[chatfsh]

Yes, you explained it perfectly.  I guess what I'm saying is starting off moving the hand first feels awkward. (It feels like I'm making two movements instead of one fluid move).  The instructor showed us slowly, then showed us at the normal speed and the difference is almost imperceptible as far as whether the hand or front foot is moving first.  It looks simultaneous.  Yet when I attempted the maneuver, he said I was not leading with the hand.  When I finally got it right, it felt as if I was moving in a very uncoordinated fashion.  So I guess I just need to keep practicing it until it feels normal.  (I'll be sure to practice where there's no ceiling fans or breakables. :))

[nemafakei]

"The instructor showed us slowly, then showed us at the normal speed and the difference is almost imperceptible as far as whether the hand or front foot is moving first."

That sounds familiar. I'm afraid you're right - you just have to keep practising, and you'll eventually get the hang of it. The other thing to remember is that the hand is moving all the time - it certainly doesn't stop when your foot comes off the ground.

[number6]

At my club we always teach extend then lunge. The master at my club is a firm believer in this. In Epee it is important to have the arm fully extended before and after the lunge to keep your arm and wrist covered while attacking.  The tempo can be altered as well. Extend the arm in a fluid motion, then an explosive lunge which makes the move appear to be done as a one motion. We drill a lot with changing the tempo while practicing lunging. It helps a lot during bouting. 

[chatfsh]

The master conducted the training in my lesson tonight.  It was fun but he

[chatfsh]

Fencing strategy question:

Me fencing partner and I are both beginners so are at about the same skill level.  However, he has a distinct advantages over me because he's over 6ft tall while I'm only 5'4", therefore, he has a much longer reach making it difficult for me to get under his guard.  What strategy would you recommend to defeat an opponent with a much longer reach??    >:( I do so hate losing!! >:(

[Caid Ivik]

I do historical fencing (german school, Talhoffer and such) for roughly two years; one learns much if finds good teachers, but without them is any progress an illusion. Also, there is still a problem with free-fence.

[chatfsh]

Okay...but does that mean you have no advice on how to defeat an opponent with a greater reach?  Or did I miss something?  Are you suggesting that I should ask my teacher?  I didn't exactly want to ask him in front of my fencing partner.

[Caid Ivik]

In front of your opponent? It's the best option. Perhaps it sounds weirdly, but even more you would learn after the blow. It't better to try a technique ahead of the teacher as many times as possible on a person with the same skill. Teacher corrects you in what you aren't aware of, and should be ;)

[Mihail]

This is an easy one.

Shoot him. :D

[nemafakei]

"What strategy would you recommend to defeat an opponent with a much longer reach??"

Longer arms are an outright advantage, and, ultimately, either you will have to find some way in which you are better than your opponent or your opponent will simply have an easier time of it. The only conceivable drawback is that they are a bigger target, but I wouldn't class it as enough to compensate (though it's damned frustrating fencing against someone nearly a full foot smaller).

The only answer I can really give is don't let them use the advantage. Concentrate on areas where height is no advantage: footwork, bladework. Make sure you're either close enough that you can both hit or far enough so neither can. Your aim is to ensure that all points are double-hits, and to get your timing and bladework just right so that you win them - that means parrying, beat-attackign, attacking when you're opponent's out of step, and watching your own footwork. If you're close together, but are considering breaking off, beware the parting shot. If you're travelling a way away, or the gap's narrowing, beware the stopcut.

[number6]

The basic strategy to use against an opponent who has more reach than you is to force in-fighting (close distance). If you can get in close without being hit you will then have the advantage because your opponent will not be able to hit you as accurately as you can in close with your shorter arm. The key to closing distance is to take control of your opponents blade as you advance or simply close distance very quickly (change tempo).

[Caid Ivik]

Getting the opponent's blade needs much skill in a standard situation, easier is to dodge an attack by stepping further from him, which gives you more free space for a counterattack of minimally equal strength. If the slice was pushed, the opponent remains in a strong position, but loses dynamics. Of course, all of this counts for a sword-fight, in one-on-one against spear it is another situation...

[chatfsh]

I recall my instructor telling me to work on quicker retreats, to remove myself from striking distance faster.  He also emphasized the parry riposte combination.  This is significant because with everything happening so fast, I tend to be so caught up in a successful parry that I forget to immediately riposte.  So yesterday, a friend practiced with me for about an hour where I just focused on the parry riposte combination, trying to get it to the point that the riposte would become second nature.  (That and making a quick retreat after the riposte)

I

[Caid Ivik]

For that you have slicing techniques, but most possibly you're another school...

[chatfsh]

Had my fencing class earlier this evening.  Though my regular partner was absent this evening I did bout work with my instructor.  Though I know he went easy on me (wouldn