Fencing

Back to fencing, I know that it's a bigger deal on the coasts than in the middle of the country. You should also be able to find a number of fencing salles in Metropolitan areas and pick up equipment reasonably inexpensively on ebay. I have a herniated disc that prevents me from continuing but I've been taking my twelve year old son to lessons for a couple years now here in NJ.

now begins dapper dan's inevitable descent into the swamp that is SF

Paging Etienne

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I have read this is a popular sport for homosexual males.

Confirm/deny?

Originally Posted by Reggs

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I have read this is a popular sport for homosexual males.

Confirm/deny?

is that why my daughter regularly kicks their ass... i was wondering

The majority of the good fencing salles are in California and New York. There are a handful in NJ, Oregon, and the midwest, but the vast majority are on the coasts.

Also, i would feel that contrary to popular belief, starting with foil is a bad idea if you plan to switch. Foil habits are not good habits for either saber or epee. Start with the weapon you actually want to fence.

Originally Posted by 4Mica

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I didn't say it was the best strategy, only the most satisfying for me.
Oh, I know it's satisfying but half of that is because it means your opponent screwed up badly and missed entirely.

I always liked counterattacking to someone's hand and having them hit me in the head and think they got the touch, then be crestfallen when they looked at the box. Ahhhh

Could someone explain the difference between the three: foil, epee, and sabre? The differences in weapons and fighting styles. There are some coaches in my town and I've had an interest, but wouldn't know which to choose. How could/should a person choose which style?

Thanks in advance.

jag

Originally Posted by jagmqt

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Could someone explain the difference between the three: foil, epee, and sabre? The differences in weapons and fighting styles. There are some coaches in my town and I've had an interest, but wouldn't know which to choose. How could/should a person choose which style?

Thanks in advance.

jag

Foil: torso only is target area. Use point of weapon only. You score points by establishing an attack or getting a parry then counterattack. Blade is fairly light and flexible (you can actually hit people in the back if you're good).

Epee: whole body is target area, feet, hands, head, everything. Use point of weapon only. Whoever hits first gets a point, simultaneous hits equals a point for each. Since your whole body is vulnerable, tends to be the slowest weapon. Heaviest, stiffest blade, big guard to protect hand. Have to hit harder than foil to register a point.

Sabre: everything about the waist is target (torso, arms, head). Same attacking rules as foil, but you can use the point and the edge of the blade. Very aggressive, very fast paced. Lots of screaming.

As far as choosing, just get to a club and see how they like to start people. Many coaches give intro classes in foil then branch out. You'll get a feel for which one you like best, and it may surprise you.

I played kendo for two years. Does that count?

Originally Posted by Gibonius

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Foil: torso only is target area. Use point of weapon only. You score points by establishing an attack or getting a parry then counterattack. Blade is fairly light and flexible (you can actually hit people in the back if you're good).

Epee: whole body is target area, feet, hands, head, everything. Use point of weapon only. Whoever hits first gets a point, simultaneous hits equals a point for each. Since your whole body is vulnerable, tends to be the slowest weapon. Heaviest, stiffest blade, big guard to protect hand. Have to hit harder than foil to register a point.

Sabre: everything about the waist is target (torso, arms, head). Same attacking rules as foil, but you can use the point and the edge of the blade. Very aggressive, very fast paced. Lots of screaming.

As far as choosing, just get to a club and see how they like to start people. Many coaches give intro classes in foil then branch out. You'll get a feel for which one you like best, and it may surprise you.
Also, he touched upon it but did not come right out and say it, foil and sabre both incorporate "right of way", epee does not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fencing...ay.22.29_rules

So back in the day, like during the French Revolution (think three musketeers) time frame was that a saber they used?

What type of sword was used?

Originally Posted by Gibonius

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Foil: torso only is target area. Use point of weapon only. You score points by establishing an attack or getting a parry then counterattack. Blade is fairly light and flexible (you can actually hit people in the back if you're good).

Epee: whole body is target area, feet, hands, head, everything. Use point of weapon only. Whoever hits first gets a point, simultaneous hits equals a point for each. Since your whole body is vulnerable, tends to be the slowest weapon. Heaviest, stiffest blade, big guard to protect hand. Have to hit harder than foil to register a point.

Sabre: everything about the waist is target (torso, arms, head). Same attacking rules as foil, but you can use the point and the edge of the blade. Very aggressive, very fast paced. Lots of screaming.

As far as choosing, just get to a club and see how they like to start people. Many coaches give intro classes in foil then branch out. You'll get a feel for which one you like best, and it may surprise you.


Good stuff...Thanks. Is experience the only way to determine which best suits a person, or are there certain tendencies or physical characteristics a person might have that would make them more suited to one style over another?

jag

Originally Posted by BP348

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So back in the day, like during the French Revolution (think three musketeers) time frame was that a saber they used?

What type of sword was used?

When dueling? A rapier, which in modern fencing an epee most closely resembles.