Lightness of Touch
I gave four individual lessons last night and the one thing that struck me was the complete difference in the way my four students held their foils and shifted their weight when lunging. I suppose this shouldn't be a total surprise really; everybody is physically different after all. But the thing I noticed was how much of a difference the way they held their blade made to their lessons.
For me, the blade is best held firmly yet lightly. It is no good holding it like a club and at the same time don't cradle it like an egg. I suppose they way you'd hold a paint brush is about right; after all the foil is a device for artistry not vandalism. It's important to get your grip right otherwise you will not get the sentiment de fer or feel of the blade (one of my favourite fencing terms). If you are holding your foil correctly you will sense the opponents movements much quicker and be able to react more appropriately. If you hold the blade too tightly there will be too much resistance and you won't sense anything short of a chainsaw. If you hold it too lightly your opponents will do pretty much what they like with your foil. It's all a question of balance and it's an important one to get right otherwise your techniques will fail. Beating/engaging an opponent's blade with something akin to a wet lettuce is unlikely to get you far! And conversely, if you are gripping your foil like a vice you won't have the accuracy to hit. Like most things in foil it's something to ponder and practice well.
For me, the blade is best held firmly yet lightly. It is no good holding it like a club and at the same time don't cradle it like an egg. I suppose they way you'd hold a paint brush is about right; after all the foil is a device for artistry not vandalism. It's important to get your grip right otherwise you will not get the sentiment de fer or feel of the blade (one of my favourite fencing terms). If you are holding your foil correctly you will sense the opponents movements much quicker and be able to react more appropriately. If you hold the blade too tightly there will be too much resistance and you won't sense anything short of a chainsaw. If you hold it too lightly your opponents will do pretty much what they like with your foil. It's all a question of balance and it's an important one to get right otherwise your techniques will fail. Beating/engaging an opponent's blade with something akin to a wet lettuce is unlikely to get you far! And conversely, if you are gripping your foil like a vice you won't have the accuracy to hit. Like most things in foil it's something to ponder and practice well.
posted by Dave at
9:19 PM
3 Comments:
It is a balance barely struck accurately, but beautifully executed when it's performed correctly.
I often like to change the level of grip depending on the action taking place though- a fleche required something more solid to make it harder to parry, no?
Also, I just visited the NAF ladder, and see that Josef Igali has been doing well. Not to put a damper on his successes, and my admiration for them, but I remember him being of a timid nature, much less likely to gain than concede ground.
Has he mastered counter attacks, or simply revealed himself as a much-improved fencer?
Rob, in answer to your first comment, I would say that there may be occasions when the grip should modified to match the situation. However, care must be taken not to snatch slightly at the grip when clenching the hand as this can cause a deviation of the point. I would agree that the fleche needs to be driven through with a strong grip as you suggest.
As for Josef, he has been practicing hard and attending at the Norfolk Club. This does seem to be paying him some deserved dividend at the moment.
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