Learning Sabre - how long?

[reposte]

Where I come from, there is practically no Sabre.
As a foilist who is drawn to the school, how long will it take me to study sabre from the very beginning, and I mean from how to hold a sabre, to a high level - even competitive level, assuming - and this is the tricky part - that I'm a high level foilist?

[noodle]

ummm...that depends on a large number of factors.
if you're a high level foilist (which is also a relative factor), it shouldn't take you too long. weapon skills tend to transfer reasonably easily once you pass a certain skill level. the best answer i can give is "as long as it takes".

[fencergal33]

It also depends onthe coaching you have available to you, the practice time you put in, and the competition you have to work with. If you are the only saber fencer in your area....you are already very good there. If you live in say, NYC or something.....it may be a while. Good luck!

[reposte]

If I were to move to Hungary, say?

[fencergal33]

Ummmm...having never been there, I would say probably the same answers I gave you for living here.

[GGK]

Given that there is practically no saber where you are you might try a camp. One or two weeks of intensive training under a couple of Maestros would be a good kick-start for someone who making the transition you are describing. As opposed to say moving to Europe to find that you don’t like it.
Things that help you move along better are:
1. A good, solid coach in the beginning who can give you the basics correctly. Nothing will hold you back longer than bad habits.
2. Many fencers better than yourself to practice with/against. Beating the snot out of two or three poor fencers makes it really, *really* hard to develop your fencing.
3. Heart, Brains, Determination and being just a little obsessed

Luck,
G

[oiuyt]

Starting as a C-level epeeist with 5 years of experience before trying sabre, it took me 27 months to earn my A. It took an additional 2 1/2 years to make points at a Div I NAC.

During most of that time I considered myself primarily sabre. I do relatively little personal training as the vast majority of my fencing time is taken up by coaching others. I compete a lot, which is to what I attribute my successes. The area I live in has a number of good sabre fencers, although it's not close to the quality available in NYC (area for competitions rather than area for practice, the area I practice in is relatively weak in sabre). I self-coach in sabre (not recommended for fastest development).

Realistically, it'll be hard to become a top-level sabre fencer if you have no one to train or compete with. Other than that, most of the fencing knowledge a top-level foilist (or epeeist) has will translate fairly smoothly. Ann Marsh seemed to do fairly well in Charlotte. :)

So what do you consider to be high-level? Given that you're talking about moving abroad are you aiming for world cup level? I'd suggest starting a bit lower than that. Move to NYC, Portland, OR, Columbus, OH, or Atlanta, GA first (partially depending on your gender, although all four clearly work for either). If that's not enough for you and you decide to move to Europe for further training, the time spent domestically will not have been wasted.

-B :)

[Mo]

Given that there is practically no saber where you are you might try a camp. One or two weeks of intensive training under a couple of Maestros would be a good kick-start for someone who making the transition you are describing. As opposed to say moving to Europe to find that you don’t like it.
Things that help you move along better are:
1. A good, solid coach in the beginning who can give you the basics correctly. Nothing will hold you back longer than bad habits.
2. Many fencers better than yourself to practice with/against. Beating the snot out of two or three poor fencers makes it really, *really* hard to develop your fencing.
3. Heart, Brains, Determination and being just a little obsessed

Luck,
G

There are two maestros in the USA at the Oregon Fencing Alliance where saber is in the only weapon. They are secure enough in their abilities that they do not even have to refer to themselves as maestros.
There is a camp coming up in August. Go to Oregonfencing.org to find more information about the camp.

[KShan5[PrFC]]

There are two maestros in the USA at the Oregon Fencing Alliance where saber is in the only weapon. They are secure enough in their abilities that they do not even have to refer to themselves as maestros.
There is a camp coming up in August. Go to Oregonfencing.org to find more information about the camp.

Why would you ever go to the OFA, they don't even put up good national results...especially for sabre. (making sure the sarcasm gets through this time, OFA is one of the best sabre clubs in the US)

[Almightynoitall]

No Sabre? tsk tsk tsk... come to Nevada, wherein the ENTIRE division we have TWO regular competing sabre fencers, and neither of us are very good...

[Black Jeebus]

Why is it that sabre seems to have the smallest numbers?

[Inquartata]

Several reasons.

1) It was the last to be introduced as a formal Olympic fencing weapon.

2) It was the last to "go electric".

3) It is the least taught ( though that's changing ).

4) It's the most difficult, so lazy people choose foil or epee. ( I kid the foilists and epeeists, I kid them! )

There may be other reasons, but I think those are the biggies.

[Peach]

Based on my experience at my club, people choosing a weapon are nervous about sabre because they:

1. think it must hurt
2. can't follow the action because it's too fast
3. are wary of the lack of inhibition sabre seems to require
4. aren't confident they could keep up
5. don't understand the role of footwork, distance, and timing in sabre.
6. listen to people who make fun of sabre fencers, including sabre fencers (who make the most fun of themselves because they are out-there types)
7. aren't temperamentally suited to the weapon

Only #7 is a good reason. All it takes to disabuse people of the other misconceptions is a little aggressive recruiting

[Inquartata]

All it takes to disabuse people of the other misconceptions is a little aggressive recruiting

AKA in the law as kidnapping and duress.

[Peach]

AKA in the law as kidnapping and duress.

Yeah, but once they've survived the brainwashing they're so HAPPY.

[Inquartata]

"That's what I'm on about! If people would only realize---"

"Oh, look, Dennis, there's some lovely foil down 'ere!"

[Schiavona]

Based on my experience at my club, people choosing a weapon are nervous about sabre because they:

1. think it must hurt
2. can't follow the action because it's too fast
3. are wary of the lack of inhibition sabre seems to require
4. aren't confident they could keep up
5. don't understand the role of footwork, distance, and timing in sabre.
6. listen to people who make fun of sabre fencers, including sabre fencers (who make the most fun of themselves because they are out-there types)
7. aren't temperamentally suited to the weapon

Only #7 is a good reason. All it takes to disabuse people of the other misconceptions is a little aggressive recruiting

8. most expensive to gear up in

Yikes! $150-$200 for a lame!? and it's not even in a pretty color...

I remember when sabre was the cheapest to buy gear for, then the fencing gods laughed......

[Inquartata]

Wutchu talkin' bout, Willis? Silver is the prettiest color of them all!

But they're more like $225 these days, at least the top ones. You can find cheap ones for under $100...


OTOH, no wires, no points, no screws, and no FIE maraging blades at half the price of that lame...each...unwired...

[sabreur]

Wutchu talkin' bout, Willis? Silver is the prettiest color of them all!

The first couple years I fenced electric sabre, I found myself singing, "I want to be a space man..." whenever I put all the gear on. The mask doesn't help.

MR

[reposte]

I think sabre might be more energy burning, but the footwork in foil is by far the most difficult because at least classic foil demands the most explosive power, we begin slow but have to get in very deep very fast (always a good discipline to aquire) as opposed to sabre, where peolpe seem to stay in the same position with the exception that they end their attacks with a slight tendence of the body forwards - what sabreurs nowadays call a lunge...
Few sabreurs actually use a good old fashiond lunge, mostly women or Pillet...