Fencing... it's a funny old game...
Greeetings dear Reader, I have returned!
It's been a few weeks since I last posted as things have been a bit hectic and I kind of lost my muse for a while there but now it's back and so am I. Sometimes it's easy to forget why things are fun but last week at the club I remembered due to a number of incidents.
First I was able to elaborate on a lesson given by Coach Andy on compound attacks. Andy stressed the concept of distance; if you're close go simple, if you're further away go compound, which is the fundamental foundation of this type of stroke. I was able to expand on this with the class to go into the feint, which is also integral to the whole thing. The interesting thing about the feint is that it is a paradox; to fool your opponent with it you must let them see it.... otherwise they won't react to it and let you take advantage of the opening you are trying to create. It's a fun concept and a fun lesson to teach and one that is common to all martial arts everywhere*
Secondly, I actually did quite well in the group epee lesson that Andy taught afterwards, which is always a boost. We did a nice technique involving provoking a counter attack to wrist and then taking the blade to hit to chest, another variation of a feint in action.
Finally I got a really good epee bout in with a respected opponent. I am happy to say I lost 15-8 but I was well pleased with this as my opponent usually beats me 15 to 2 or 3. At one point I was even 4-0 up. This was particularly pleasing as I hadn't fenced competitively for a while and wasn't expecting much. But also, as usual I had a great post mortem discussion which was very thought provoking. It shall now be known as "The Night My Point Died..." It's this kind of thing that makes fencing so much fun in my book and has recharged my blogging appetite. Expect more soon.....!
* Great feints of history
1. Hannibal luring the Romans in at Cannae by collapsing his centre and surrounding the ensuing attack
2. William provoking the Saxon shield wall to give chase at Hastings by feigning retreat and luring them down off the tactically strong Senlac Hill
3. The Allies convincing Hitler that the D-Day landings would be in the Pas-de-Calais rather than Normandy through the ingenious invention of a fictitious army and creative use of dummys and a dead body
4. Fay Wray in King Kong - ooops, that was a faint, sorry
It's been a few weeks since I last posted as things have been a bit hectic and I kind of lost my muse for a while there but now it's back and so am I. Sometimes it's easy to forget why things are fun but last week at the club I remembered due to a number of incidents.
First I was able to elaborate on a lesson given by Coach Andy on compound attacks. Andy stressed the concept of distance; if you're close go simple, if you're further away go compound, which is the fundamental foundation of this type of stroke. I was able to expand on this with the class to go into the feint, which is also integral to the whole thing. The interesting thing about the feint is that it is a paradox; to fool your opponent with it you must let them see it.... otherwise they won't react to it and let you take advantage of the opening you are trying to create. It's a fun concept and a fun lesson to teach and one that is common to all martial arts everywhere*
Secondly, I actually did quite well in the group epee lesson that Andy taught afterwards, which is always a boost. We did a nice technique involving provoking a counter attack to wrist and then taking the blade to hit to chest, another variation of a feint in action.
Finally I got a really good epee bout in with a respected opponent. I am happy to say I lost 15-8 but I was well pleased with this as my opponent usually beats me 15 to 2 or 3. At one point I was even 4-0 up. This was particularly pleasing as I hadn't fenced competitively for a while and wasn't expecting much. But also, as usual I had a great post mortem discussion which was very thought provoking. It shall now be known as "The Night My Point Died..." It's this kind of thing that makes fencing so much fun in my book and has recharged my blogging appetite. Expect more soon.....!
* Great feints of history
1. Hannibal luring the Romans in at Cannae by collapsing his centre and surrounding the ensuing attack
2. William provoking the Saxon shield wall to give chase at Hastings by feigning retreat and luring them down off the tactically strong Senlac Hill
3. The Allies convincing Hitler that the D-Day landings would be in the Pas-de-Calais rather than Normandy through the ingenious invention of a fictitious army and creative use of dummys and a dead body
4. Fay Wray in King Kong - ooops, that was a faint, sorry
posted by Dave at
7:30 PM
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