Chest Protectors for Guys

[D'Artag-NOT]

I had a (female) director checking me for an underarm protector (I'm also female), and I remember wondering what the HECK she was doing, since that's the only time a director ever did that. ("Oookay, honey, I know I'm pretty . . . ")

[Army Fencer]

I've always just opened up my jacket to let them see my plasteron. Maybe if I didn't.... hmmm....

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Try using a piece of cured leather in the jockstrap instead. Eliminates the pain procnevos, and allows plenty of mobility.

[MyraTrue]

You know, I've heard of directors (male) checking for female chest protectors (or "battle kippahs," lol) by tapping each one as he went by. Makes you wonder.

Army- I think I'd be a little disconcerted if a male (heck, even a female!) director just wandered up and knocked on my breast plate. Then again, its a "thing" in the club... so maybe not.

I do remember having a male director ask once, while I was in England on the BUSA's. I was actually fencing another American exchange student, and both of us were asked if we were wearing "protection", and both smiled a great big smile and rapped on our brest plates loudly telling him "YES Sir!". He turned a lovely shade of red and told us in a choked voice that a simply said "yes" would have been enough.

Most times I see the director asking the other fencer, and unzip my jacket enough to see the plastron and the breast plate, and zip it back up. IF they're just asking about breast protection, I'll just knock on it. I don't really care.

As to the cup check, I've never seen a director actually go over to check, but he'll ask and the general reply is to knock on it around here. Its pretty self evident if you're wearing. I've just got this image of a director going to check, and the fencer backing up saying "Sir, I DON'T pass!"

[epeefencer74]

All the replies here talk about using the chest protector while bouting, what about coaching. You get hit plenty of times when coaching and sometimes so hard that the hit still manages to leave a bruise through my thick leather padded coaching jacket. Now I wear a chest protecter both when fencing and coaching, saves me a lot of pain. Though the one that I have doesn't quite cover the collar bone properly.

[epeefencer74]

Ok this might gross some people out. I coach in an all boys school. In order to ensure that they stick to club rules I sometimes conduct random checks on whether a student is wearing a cup while fencing. Basiclly I get the student to stand with legs shoudler width apart, and thwack them hard in the nethers with whatever weapon is currently in my hand. They soon learn to wear their cups.

[telkanuru]

I'm surprised you haven't been sued, times being what they are.

[Artisan]

Originally Posted by epeefencer74

Basiclly I get the student to stand with legs shoudler width apart, and thwack them hard in the nethers with whatever weapon is currently in my hand. They soon learn to wear their cups.

I was gonna respond with some flame-bate post about how horrible you are, that its a poor way to teach a lesson, no way to set an example, blah, blah, blah..

The I saw you are from Singapore, where reportedtly one can be caned for chewing gum...so, nevermind. Good Job!

[epeefencer74]

Originally Posted by telkanuru

I'm surprised you haven't been sued, times being what they are.

Not worth taking a civil suit here in Singapore. The awards you get barely cover your leagal fees.

Artisan, we don't get caned for chewing gum, we get fined for selling it. We get the cane for things like graffitti, rape, molest and some other stuff.

[epeefencer74]

And besides its for the good of the boys. would you rather have a student suffer once and then learn forever to wear a cup, or to forget to wear his cup once, and get injured there and be forever unable to reporduce.

I don't hit so hard as to injure, only hard enough to remind, and besides those not wearing will not let me hit them, they automatically drop and give me 20 push ups and then go and wear their cup.

[MikeHarm]

One of the epeeists I know, , Manchun wasn't into wearing a cup and ended up getting a severed testicle in epee practice many years back. After he mentioned it I've been wearing a cup to my epee competitions ever since.

[Army Fencer]

Originally Posted by MyraTrue

Army- I think I'd be a little disconcerted if a male (heck, even a female!) director just wandered up and knocked on my breast plate. Then again, its a "thing" in the club... so maybe not.

Yes, Myra. I thought the situation was quite horrible when I heard it myself. Directors really aren't supposed to do things like that.

[MyraTrue]

The thought that came to mind was... well... I hope they WERE wearing breast protection. And I'd be a lot more comfortable knowing it was a full plate, not the hub caps!