Hey folks!
My cross training adventure has turned into a new interest in fencing and I am filling in a spot on my university club’s team at a tournament this weekend at Temple U. We’ll be fencing several other schools from the NE US!
The unicycling has been a great advantage in the fencing class I am taking because of leg strength. I’m twice the age as the other fencers and my endurance is every bit as good as the 19 year old ROTC guys who are in the class.
I am certain I will loose every bout, but I am hoping to get in a couple good parries and maybe even get a few touches. I’ll gave my son take pictures and I’ll post. He’s six, so no guarantees on the quality!
Any other fencers here? I know Mikefule. Any one else?
I am a fencer, podzol… though I haven’t fenced in quite a long while. I used to fence sabre in High School and College and I do really miss it. I’m thinking about joining a club in the City.
That’s great that you’ve been fencing and that you are going to be competing in a tournament! What weapon do you fence?
I always wanted to find someone to fence sabre with on giraffes (but instead of a strip, we’d use a circle like in wrestling)!
If you can call what I do fencing, I fence foil. Sabre is nuts! I went to a tourney as a spectator and the sabre fencers were out for blood! Wild.
Someone posted a while ago about fencing on unis. It might be a lot of fun, but certainly have a different rhythm and feel than fencing on the strip.
I’d try it.
ive never fenced but i have some words of encourage ment…1.dont let him/her hit you. 2. hit him/her at any oppourtunity. but seriously ive always wanted to try fencing it looks like fun…good luck.
I love the fact that us unicyclists view fencing as a cross training exercise!
I’ve not fenced for a few years now but would love to get back into it. I’m an epee man myself…Sabre, despite all the flamboyance is really for girls. Right of way, schmite of way.
There’s an old fencing joke that goes: What do you call people who hang around with fencers?
Sabreurs.
(No offense HCR!)
Good luck with your comp Podzol! Don’t stress it and remember fort to foible.
well I just got back from practice and they have me fencing SABRE at the tournament!!!
I had never even held a sabre before tonight.
The poor coach complained that I was beating him too hard and I need to relax. I was being way too heavy handed. Poor coach.
Somehow he got me on the back of the head. Wow that smarts.
I knew I was gonna loose at foil, so now I’ll just get wholloped at sabre. I always like learning something new and I don’t mind failure as long as I havea fun time trying.
My kid has his own foil and mask already. we work on footwork quite a bit at some basic blade work. He’s 6 so he just gets so pumped up, he’s really not in a learning state of mind, but it is fun.
Yeah, way to go!!! Welcome to the wonderful world of sabre fencing… the most fun you can have with a sword! (Don’t mind Mr. Boogiejuice… he’s just jealous that he can’t cut! ;))
Actually, I never have fenced epee… so in all fairness to Mr. Boogiejuice, my statement is not 100% based on personal experience… but I have seen many epee matches and sabre definitely looks like more fun to me!
I do have to admit that there is something allluring about not having those right of way rules Boogiejuice mentioned, though! I would like to try epee fencing sometime.
Sabre should definitely be the sword of choice when combined with fencing, though, because the sabre was originally the sword used on horseback so sabre fencing has the proper targer area (waist up) as well and is thus ideally suited for uni-fencing. (the ride of choice should be a giraffe :D).
As in what do you call someone who hangs around with musicians all the time? A drummer.
There are only so many fencing jokes.
“Barbed wire?” and all its variants. (= “Where’s your other wheel?”)
“Fencing three nights a week? I bet you get through a lot of Creosote” (= “Let’s see you do a wheelie.”)
The fencers’ own joke:
How many foilists does it take to change a lightbulb?
Three: one to change the bulb and two to argue about whose light it was.
Various variants of “on the piste again, I see.”
“No such thing as a free lunge.”
Good luck in the tournament. Keep your point low, extend before you step forward, watch your diistance, but don’t be pushed back. In competition, they come at you like terriers. If you back off too quickly you’re doomed.
Hi everyone,
THanks for all your encouragement. I got back late last night and I am pretty tired.
I did pretty well considering I had never fenced sabre before, I went 5 wins and 7 losses. My team was very happy with me. I had two shut outs, and scored at least 3 points in every bout except one, where I scored only one.
It was a great deal of fun. I am so glad I went.
Today I am pretty sore. Appparently I didn’t guard my weapon arem very well, I noticed a bunch of bruises on my forearm this morning.
I think I need to continue developing my foil skills before switching weapons, but it was great to get a taste of competition. All these aggressive/competitive juices started flowing again. It was invigorating.
Bear took pictures, I will post later today when I unpack my camera.
Which sucks.