Use what is available

A lot of fencers don’t use what is available to them in terms of the piste. What I mean by this is that they contain their movement within a few feet, moving back and forth inside that limited space. You have 14 metres in which to work and it is a waste if you don’t consider how to employ this to your advantage. Give ground to lure your opponent on to your attack on their preparation. Or drive them to their end of the piste in order to fluster them. Either way, it is better to use the whole battlefield than a little piece of it!

Cat-like Concentration

I went with my wife to the theatre the other night to see ‘Cats’ and whilst not really knowing what to expect was very pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the whole thing. Not only was it very entertaining but I was also really impressed by the way the performers remained totally in character and ‘cat like’ throughout the entire two hours. Even when the spotlight was not on them they continued to preen, twitch and stretch like real cats which is no mean feat really, especially when they do it day after day on a long tour. Imagine the mental effort it must take not to drift off and think about tea tonight or what time you’ll get home. It’s possible that they were all so good that they may have been thinking that and just didn’t show it of course, but the show itself is so intricate and choreographed that somehow I doubt it.

Imagine putting this much concentration into everything you did and then imagine how it would improve your performance. It would be especially effective when fencing to be so focussed on the match or activity, even on mundane practice, which is an area where I see many people struggle. There are many times when I’ve heard a fencer say “I’ve got that one then” after about eight repetitions and most people whilst practicing will actually stop before the coach asks them to. It is actually this time that is most valuable as it gives you the chance to really concentrate on the technique; to put everything into it in an effort to improve. So the next time you are feeling bored with a mundane technique… concentrate!

Why a fencer should be like a swan...

And I'm not talking about the fact that they are mostly both white. I am referring to the old classic saying "grace above the waterline, frantic paddling beneath". What I mean by this is that a fencer should think as if they have a horizontal line at their waist. Below this, the feet are moving rapidly, changing rhythm and distance in order to confuse the opponent and bring them into (or keep them out of) range. Above the waist the fencer is relaxed and ready to smoothly extend the arm to complete the lunge. If the fencer starts to tense up above the waist, they will snatch at the attack and most probably miss by a country mile... Also they may start punching the hit, which is illegal and will lead to penalties.
You must think of the whole body as nothing more than a point delivery system; whilst the legs and feet are doing all they can to get you to the right place, the torso, shoulder, arm and fingers must be relaxed enough to get the point onto the target in the correct way.
This should be considered at all times when you are fencing; if you are missing your hits have you forgotten to emulate the swan?

Deference

Deference, de'fer-ens, n. A yielding in opinion; regard; respect; submission,

I want to discuss deference in this post (in case you hadn't guessed). As you can see from the dictionary definition above some aspects of deference are quite positive. It is good to have respect for someone and to regard them and their opinions as valuable. It starts to become a problem in fencing when the last definition creeps in and you start to submit to someone. This is when it can become a negative phenomenon.
The other night I was watching a match in the salle in which one of the fencers was obviously the dominant one. I don't know either fencer particularly well, except to say that they are both polite and well adjusted individuals but I could observe that one fencer was clearly being dominated by the other, even to the point where a clear hit on his behalf was being conceded to the other player once the more assertive fellow questioned the president's phrasing. Yes, even the President was swayed on more than one occasion from giving the hit the way he thought he should; instead he gave it to the more vocal fencer. Naturally the more dominant fencer continued with this behaviour and why not? It was getting him lots of hits!
So how do you as a fencer deal with this? Well first, you should decide whether you are a dominant fencer already. If so, be aware that there are limits to this behaviour that are acceptable (in my opinion). It is fine for you to be confident and enter the piste as if it is your territory, give a firm handshake and eye contact during the salute. It is not fine for you to start questioning decisions and generally being rude.
If you are on the receiving end of such behaviour I always feel it is better not to concede anything or express an opinion. If you feel that the president is being unfairly influenced then you should take the action that you feel is the most considerate; telling the president he is weak is not the best option!
So be assertive, not aggressively dominant and be polite, but not a doormat!