Fencers thread

[Elfdaughter]

I'm new to fencing, and I've been told all the basics. It's now just up to me to practice. What this thread is for, is for all other light fighters (and heavies if they wish) to come and discuss training methods, how they got into fighting, what ever they want! The poll's just to get an idea of what type of blades people prefer to fight with.


Just to get you started: I've been told to practise my point control. My instructor told me to get a tennis ball, and string it up somewhere, and try to hit it. well, I haven't got a tennis ball..... I'm using an empty (rather battered now!) coke can!!

Anyone else have training tips?

[Elfdaughter]

Advance/retreat
A footwork drill for groups or individuals.
Start in "en garde" position. Advance across the room using correct footwork. Retreat backwards to your starting place.
Variations:
Repeat in each of several guards
Repeat with the other foot forward
You can do it without anything in your hand (for absolute beginners, injuries, etc)
Substitute crossover steps (passata)
Substitute sideways steps (mezzo passo)

Advance/retreat sequences
A footwork drill for groups or individuals.
As for advance/retreat, but when going across the room, do two forward steps and one back. Then, on your return, do two backwards steps and one forward.

Run away
A drill for individuals or groups ,to practice getting the hell out of the way, without tripping over your feet. Can be mixed in with advance/retreat or similar drills.
Extend your sword, then retreat as rapidly as you can, maintaining good footwork, all the way across the room.

Line attack drill
A line drill for attacks.
Standing in en garde, perform simple step attacks and lunges. A leader may call out which to do in each instance. Beginners should think of the attacks in four steps: extend, attack, recover, en garde.
Variations:
Recover forward

Poke the wall
A wall drill for individuals or groups.
Stand en garde at a suitable distance from the wall. Extend sword to touch a spot on the wall. Recover. Repeat until you can get 5-10 in a row within a small distance of the chosen spot.
Variations:
Repeat using spots at head/chest/groin height
Step back and repeat with a step attack
Repeat with lunges
Step back again and repeat with step-then-lunge
Repeat from different guards, eg prime, quarte.
Repeat all of the above with off-hand

Simple parry drill
Simple parry drills for individuals or groups.
From en garde, parry to the inside, then to the outside.
Variations:
Mix in low parries

Parry and retreat
A line drill combining parries and footwork, for individuals or groups.
Perform various parries, retreating with each one. A good drill to mix in with advance/retreat.

Parry kata
A simple parry drill for individuals or groups.
1) Stand in normal en garde position. 2) Parry to inside. 3) Parry to outside. 4) Parry to low inside. 5) Parry to low outside.
Now parry up to the inside, and repeat from the opposite direction:
1) From parrying to the inside, you're now in quarta. 2) Parry to outside. 3) Parry to inside. 4) Parry low outside. 5) Parry low inside.
Variations:
Too confusing? Beginners can start with simplified sequences, for instance just switching between inside/outside parries. Build up to the 5-step sequence.
Do a circle parry in each position in between steps
Do the parry kata while retreating across the hall

[Pil]

Well i did fencing for a few months at lunchtimes in school, this time last year infact. I really enjoyed it, and i got 'grade one' in it :)

I dont remember many of the names of the moves, but i just remember the thrill and excitement of learning a new one and being able to slip it in when against a les experienced fencer, or when a more experienced one becomes complacent ;) lol

[Elfdaughter]

Oh yeah... I know what you mean! I totally got my instructor caught out - at first I didn't go for the face - concentrated on the torso - then I learned to feint.... got him right on the mask! lol

[Pil]

lol nice one Elfdaughter!!! :p I do miss fencing, perhaps i shall take it up again this summer? :)

[Treebeard]

Great thread to open Elfdaughter.

Ive been fencing for ages now and its nice to see due to the lord of the rings trilogy more people are getting interested. A really good book to get (no matter what your experience) is by Brian Pitman, who is very sadly not with us now.

He used to coach the GB team and many of the moves, techniques and such are in the book.

Ive just started to pick up the epee, naturally being 6'7'' does help getting over my opponents guard.

Hope some1 replys to this looking at the dates!

[Elfdaughter]

Thanks! Actually, I got interested through the SCA, but what's the title of the book? I might be able to order it through Waterstones.

[Treebeard]

The books called Fencing (how original)

[Elfdaughter]

lol Very original! Thanks, Treebeard!

[Glorfindel]

Good thread :)
I don't know any of the words, because I've learned fencing all on my own... I won'tsay I'm an expert, but I know how to wield my weapon :)

[azimaith]

Though I do not fence I would recomend anyone who fences or otherwise to read: The Secret History of the Sword. It follows the history of the western military blade in relation to the sport of fencing. Very cool.

[Elfdaughter]

Sounds good! Thanks, I'll take a look. Just been promoted to Rapier Marshall for the Shire of Pont Alarch! Unfortunately, it maens tons of paperwork!!

[Night Wolf]

I've only done rapier from historical manuels, no longer do it though...lost all interest in it after only a few months.

Heres my rapier... (http://forums.swordforum.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=359408)dont really want it anymore and i've been trying to get a trade on it for something japanese in style but no takers yet.

[Elfdaughter]

Ahh!!! Me Want!!!

[Night Wolf]

lol well I sold it today to a friend in the local Prima Spada group...

...so officially I dont have anymore fencing gear lol but now spending thousands on my japanese art, damn expensive :p.

[Elfdaughter]

*pouts* lol Yeah, I know what you mean - not so much money obviously, but being a student, even a hundred pounds on a sword can make a serious dent in my bank balance....

[Night Wolf]

consider yourself lucky you do and enjoy rapier form...japanese shinken (sharp for cutting) swords start at $2000 and go as high as $25,000 for one out of japan, for the clothing its like $600, training sword (made from zinc alloy) $300 - $1500...and thats just getting started lol

[Elfdaughter]

ouch! lol Now that's GOTTA hurt.... lol

[Night Wolf]

lol not really, its what i want to do...but when I move to New York I'm gonna have a hard time finding a dojo lol...

...Rapiers all fine and good, but just isnt my taste...that and i'm left handed, and too cheap to buy a left handed rapier ;)

[Elfdaughter]

Well I can fight left-handed with a right handed rapier... it's just a matter of practise (although I admit, I'm not as good as with my right hand.)

[Night Wolf]

you do know the basket on a rapier is made for a specific hand unless its exactly the same on both sides. the typical 3 ring hilt is made prodominantly for right handers, swords like the Gustav Vasa from Arms & Armor is for either.

Myself I can use a sword in either hand and can do sword and dagger easily...but japanese arts all require the use of only the right, the left is considered inpure to take life with (or in these days train with). but I'm omnidexturous for that stuff...

[Elfdaughter]

That's what I meant - same hilt! lol Sorry, I keep forgetting about hilts - I've got a basic cup hilt on mine. I wish I was amidexterous... I have trouble fighting well in my left hand - which is why I usually go for rapier and buckler.

[Mithrandir]

Excuse my ignorance but whats that?

[Elfdaughter]

What, a buckler? It's a round shield, usually relatively small - mine's about 14 inches in diameter.