Fencing.Net Blog by Craig

Learned something new in Sabre - Frustrated in foil

Craig

, 10-18-2011 at 10:26 PM (307 Views)

At the Tiger Open I got to observe a few sabre bouts with running referee commentary from Justin Meehan. After a few actions I started to see what was being talked about with the searches in the middle of the box by one fencer, which were often being called simul.

It was great to be able to start to see that tempo and know what to look for in sabre compared to foil. That tidbit helped up my understanding of the calls when I rewatched some of the stuff going on in the world championships bouts.

That same setup (search in the middle to give a double-option in the box) almost cost me in foil. In one of my bouts, my opponent was doing the same thing we talked about in sabre - taking the first step and searching - if he found it would try for riposte, if not would make it look simul. I was going with a feint preparation then accelerating through the attack.

My referee didn't see the searches, so I got caught chasing instead of setting up a secondary action. My fault for not adjusting to what my referee was seeing in the bout.

In my last bout, I was forced into a slower game. (I usually finish my bouts in the 1st period and this one went into the 3rd.) I had just come off of a 15-14 bout over 3 periods, so I was gassed. Entered the 3rd having given up a 2 touch lead to be tied at 12. Went for a couple of gambles and one didn't pay off, one was a 50/50 that went the other way, and then I missed a riposte to give up my 15th.

Overall, a decent showing as I've been missing any training days and have only fenced twice in the past 4 weeks - both of them tournaments.

I need to check the schedule to see when the Vet NACs are and get my conditioning schedule back on track.

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Comments

Inquartata - 10-19-2011 05:43 AM
The first Vet NAC is Dec. 9 - 12, and the regular registration deadline for it is Monday, so hurry! ( Unless you like paying triple fees! )
ladyofshalott99 - 10-21-2011 04:52 PM
I also fenced (and was eliminated) by the opponent you faced in your last DE. He was exceptionally good at wearing out his opponents and making it look easy. He reminded me of a cat lazily batting at a feather toy. Point being, he had a higher level of understanding than anyone else in the building, save maybe his own last opponent--who actually knew and fenced with him in Texas previously.

Just curious, because I personally notice this when I travel to a completely different area of the country to fence an event (that is not both a NAC or a National event): How do you find the fencing when you are outside of the region in which you live, with respect to the quality/caliber of fencers you encounter with your same rating (and adjusting for age)? The opponent you faced was indeed from a completely different region. You may have noted suprise because, much as many of us do, we get used to fencing a particular "variety" of fencer in our region. There's a different cadence, a different style, call it what you will--but it's a marked difference, and it's something I've only noticed when travelling to non-National events that contain a region's toughest fencers. It's as if the phrases are 'spoken' in a completely different dialect.

Just my thoughts.

Also, you might try adding double-unders (jump rope, pass rope 2x under your feet per jump) with a wire speed rope as a small means of changing up your training for stamina/endurance. It's difficult, but it's one thing you could do almost anywhere/any time without much advance planning.
KD5MDK - 10-23-2011 02:12 AM
I remember reffing that same fencer against Justin in El Paso at Sectionals...
Craig - 10-25-2011 08:23 AM
Not so much that I was outthought on that one. We each were playing our strong game. It's also not about changing up my training - that would involve having time available for training. (I'm thinking you're not remembering that I have 3 boys that each have their own activities.)

The Tiger Open was a training day for me - that and the last ACN tournament were the first two times I have picked up a blade in over a month.

That said, I'm going to go back to my normal sprint workouts as soon as I can juggle a couple of activities around so that I'll be ready for the December NAC.