Team Events and Tactics

There is a team event coming up in our area soon and my club is hoping to field some teams in various age groups. Team events are different animals all together when compared to individual competitions. The cumulative nature of the scoring means that once one team gets ahead it is defficult for the opponents to recover. In a team event you really need to work for your other two compatriots; if you are behind in a match, even if victory looks hopeless you must strive to score as many points as possible, thus narrowing the gap. There is no place for caution when behind in a team event as you only have a limited amount of time to try and close the gap, therefore you must attack. If you are ahead consolidation is the best ploy; gain points whilst not losing many and keep the lead. Protecting a lead is imperative and I have often seen team morale drop when a lead is narrowed by the opponents and then conceded.
It is also worth considering the order of your fencers. In my opinion it is best to have your strongest fencer fencing the last bout, therefore giving you the greatest chance of recovering from a deficit or finishing off the match. One bout can make all the difference in a team event and can turn a match completely on it's head. in view of this it is best to have a balanced team of roughly equal ability as a less experienced fencer can feel quite exposed in this format.
Whilst fencing is primarily an individual sport it provides an exciting variety to participate in a team event and all fencers should give it a go at some point.

Quote Of The Week

"Age is only a number"
Danny Cipriani

Cherry blossom in the snow

OK, so you're all wondering what I am on about with this title. Well, today is Easter Sunday and it's snowing quite hard. The cherry blossom outside my window is covered in snow and I've never seen that before. It looks kind of cool and I thought it would make a great title for a post as it sounds nicely Japanese and a bit 'Zen'. My wife thinks I'm being pretentious but I leave that up to you Dear Reader.
So, how can that title have anything remotely to do with fencing and/or sport in general? Well, the snow will soon melt from the cherry blossom and reveal the flowers once more. Normality will return and the snow will be a memory. For some, the snow is an inconvenience; for others it is an exciting event. Either way, things will return to how they usually are.
There is a saying in sport; "Form is temporary, class is permanent". In other words, you may be great now, or you may be rubbish now, but either way it is your attitude and spirit that under pin things that is important. It is the constant by which you are judged. If you are giving all you can and you are approaching the activity with the right mind (and heart) set then no-one has the right to criticise you. Sometimes you will win and sometimes you will lose. Sometimes you will lose many matches in a row and it will be very hard to motivate yourself to continue. With many things in life this is the point that many people give up; it is simply too hard and not enough fun (or instant gratification) to carry on. But if you continue, if you persevere, eventually the bad results will turn into good ones and your efforts will be rewarded. Ultimately the hill must be climbed to see the view and some hills are bigger than others! Just remember when you get up there to enjoy the view because no matter what, things will change again and there will always be another climb and another summit.
So next time you are stuggling for form and are frustrated with your lack of progress remember that all things change and recall the snow on the cherry blossom.
Happy Easter!

Trying something different

I recently fulfilled an ambition of mine and purchased a bokken or wooden training sword, used in Kendo and other Japanese martial arts. Despite the strange looks from my wife I have wanted to get one for some time for a number of reasons.
a) Because (as regular readers of this blog will know) Musashi used one in most of his duels
b) I wanted to actually feel what it was like to wield one as it gives me more of an insight into the techniques of the Samurai that have fascinated me for a long time
c) Because sometimes you just have to do things even if they seem crazy!
I also want to understand a little about the way it should be used and with the help of a fasinating book by Dave Lowry, I have been trying out some of the basics. This afternoon I spent some time practicing in the garden, just simple stuff like the stance, basic movement and the overhead cut and it was a really interesting experiment. First, the whole thing is totally different to my experience so far. The stance is different, much more forward and open and obviously holding a weapon two handed is completely new. The dynamics of the cut are subtle and going to take a long time to even begin to get right (and my forearms are aching now)but I think the most immediate thing was the footwork. As described by Mr Lowry and with a real bokken in my hands it became immediately apparent that the whole stance and movement works much more through the hips and also is designed to keep the feet in firmer contact with the ground. It gives a sense of control and balance which is not surprising when you consider a Samurai may be fighting on uneven ground where a mis-step could be lethal. Even after a few minutes practicing this unusual style I could see that there were things I could possibly take through into my fencing concerning weight distribution and balance. It feels a very 'seated' posture and I hope that my dabblings may lead me further on. Obviously without lengthy training I will never be any more than a most junior amateur but the experience may prove invaluable. Sometimes doing something completely different shows you things about that which you thought you knew.

Size isn't everything....

.... particularly in fencing. I was at the Junior County Championships today and was presiding some under 14 age group fights. One of the fencers from our club is very big for his age and in some sports this would be a distinct advantage. In fencing it isn't necessarily the case. When you're pitted against a much smaller opponent it can be very diffcult to hit the target area, particularly when you're taller and reaching down. Fencing is a sport where technique and point control count, not just physical size. The fencer in question was doing all the right things but just couldn't quite get the accuracy needed to hit his opponents. But this is something that can be developed. A fencer in such a position can develop point control by concentrating on hits to the shoulder or flank when fencing in practice sessions. The coach can get them to target specific areas when giving individual lessons and thus develop accuracy. Every challenge can be solved creatively.

In search of the perfect lesson...

Over the years I have had a number of very capable students who get very annoyed with themselves during individual lessons. It's quite a common thing and in some ways the human brain is always wired up to dwell on it's perceived errors. As a coach I quite often hear fencers go "Grrrr" when they get something wrong once out of ten but I never had a student who went "Yay!" nine times out of ten when they got things right. Strange....
In some ways it's better to treat those little mistakes as gifts not penalties. If you get something wrong you have a great opportunity to figure it out and to get it right next time. Whilst I obviously prefer students who want to get it right (I don't think I've ever had one who wanted to get it wrong) I don't want my students to spend their time frustrated and annoyed with themselves by concentrating on their perceived shortcomings as this doesn't help anything and will not lead to development. We need to acknowledge our errors, put them behind us and move on. No one will ever have the perfect lesson so stop trying. Besides, as a coach it's my job to make it difficult in order to help learning! If it gets too easy I'm losing my touch!
So next time you think you've made a mistake in a lesson, acknowledge it and move on. We'll get it right eventually. Then we'll try something harder......

Let me repeat myself about repetition

I was at the salle this Saturday and the class were merrily carrying out some standard drills. I noticed that some of the older members of the class had finished and were talking and wandered over to find out what was going on. I have to confess that I hadn't slept well the night before so was a bit grumpy and my query was probably a tad sarcastic when I asked if they had perfected the technique. One of the group replied that they'd done it loads of times before so didn't need to keep repeating it. Can you guess what I said.....?

Variety is the spice of life... or is that Cinnamon?

I've noticed over the years that fencers like to gravitate towards the same groups and people when they train and spar. This is perfectly understandable; we tend to like certain people over others and fencing is a sociable activity. The only draw back to this is that it never provides you with a different challenge and you can get stuck in a bit of a rut. I myself am guilty of this as I tend to fence the same groups of people (mostly my students) and I excuse this by arguing that I am helping their development by observing them consistently for improvements in their technique. This is mostly true but sometimes there is a bit of inertia there for me and that is why it can come as something of a shock when faced with new fencers at a competition. Solving the same puzzle week after week can be self defeating and sometimes it is good to try a different opponent who will provide you with a different and unique set of challenges to overcome.

In Japan in the 1600s some aspiring swordsmen used to deliberately travel around the country to actively seek out new challenges. Musashi is credited with a number of duels against opponents who were not only of different schools but also users of different weapons. He fought warriors with mastery of the long spear, the sickle and chain and the Bo staff who all presented him with new and potentially deadly obstacles to overcome. He gained many insights on technique during this period of his life, particularly around the importance of correct distance and timing.

Obviously I am not advocating that a foilist take on a sabreur (although it could be an interesting one to watch) but I am suggesting that a change in training partner wouldn't be a bad thing once in a while.

Quote of the Week

"I can't believe you, if I can't hear you..."
The Editors

Hints and tips for aspiring coaches

I'm pleased to say that there are a number of people wishing to get into coaching in my immediate area, including a couple of my students.
Here's a few hints and tips I have put together.

There are a number of aspects of being a coach that the aspiring candidate must master. First and foremost is the technical knowledge and application of the techniques of fencing. Secondly is the way a lesson is structured. Third is the coaches demeanour, bearing and style during the lesson itself, which can be summarise as the coaches’ personal impact. The first two aspects are taught to all coaches but the third is sometimes left for the coach to develop themselves. I have been coaching for over ten years now and here are some of the things I have learnt along the way. The list is not exhaustive and is not meant to be prescriptive. It is an attempt to share some learning for the benefit of all coaches and the sport.

General tips for controlling a class

It is important that the coach appears confident at all times therefore make sure you are familiar with the lesson you wish to give.
Understand how you are going to introduce the technique so that you start clearly and fluently.
Don’t just talk, but use body language to make your point clear.
If you are nervous about teaching a group, treat coaching as an ‘act’. This can help alleviate some of the fear that being in front of people can evoke.
Fencers will pick up on a coaches’ body language, therefore make sure your impression is enthusiastic and energetic.
Make sure everyone can hear you and raise the level of your voice if this is not the case. Your instructions must be clear and emphatic and leave no room for ambiguity. The class must realise that when you ask them to stop you mean it.
When demonstrating/explaining a technique position the class where you can see them and they can see you, ideally in a crescent or line. Do not have class members on both sides of you.
Avoid labouring an explanation, the class will learn more from doing it.
Make eye contact with your class as this helps reinforce confidence and you can gauge attention and understanding.
Have some stock phrases to re-focus attention when the class are talking amongst themselves and do not be afraid to bring them back under control

General tips for controlling a group lesson

Always choose the most capable student to act as a demonstration partner as this will make you look better and help the lesson run smoothly
When the group is practicing techniques stand where you can see all of them, a corner of the room for example. Try not to have your back to the class for long.
Keep an eye out for safety issues such as jackets that are undone, gloves not being worn, back straps not secured and gum chewing. Also be aware of class members waving foils around and pointing them at people who aren’t wearing masks. It is imperative that the coach be in control of all these issues and spotting a foil with no button will greatly reinforce the classes’ respect for a coach
When moving around the class be aware of the student’s movements and proximity to foils etc
If you spot an incorrect technique, observe a couple of repetitions before correction to make sure it is a consistent fault and you have diagnosed the flaw correctly
Do not spend a disproportionate amount of time on any one student or pair in group lessons; observe, correct and move on. You need to give the entire group equal correction where possible

Individual Lessons

Individual lessons are an opportunity to spend more time with a student, thus building up a rapport and working toward more complex moves. Time can be spent on technique and minor correction but the coach must still take pains to make their instructions and openings clear and un-ambiguous.

Managing Expectations
Do not expect mistakes to be corrected instantly. Often it will take many gentle corrections for a fencer to understand their error. Sometimes it can be a frustrating experience for a coach but if you leave a class or student with even a minor improvement you have done your job.