How do I hold this damn thing? and my parrys suck, Help!

[GreyGhost]

I'm having alot of trouble learning my basic parrys in french grip. I'm learning at a very new place, and the instructor isn't that great, so until I find a better place.....

I need help with how I hold my french grip during these parrys. (Mainly finger issues. Hand up, hand down, Am I suppose to have the thumb and forefinger clamped above and below or side to side?

[ScorpionDevil]

Ask D'Artagnan, he had been holding the french grip wrong for a LONG time... Ask him how he finally hold it right, at least i think he should be holding it right by now...... <img src="graemlins/evild.gif" border="0" alt="[Evil]" />

And about the parry, doesnt matter if it sucks, i just matter that u get their blade out of the way, and hit on the riposte <img src="graemlins/evild.gif" border="0" alt="[Evil]" />

[Inquartata]

Thumb on top, forefinger on bottom, the other fingers loosely holding it at a comfortable pressure. Don't take a death grip, the French is supposed to be all about subtle fingering ( honored more often in the breach than the observance ).

[D'Artagnan1673]

Ha ha, I've been holding the French grip right all these years. Just got temporarily confused by a paragraph and coresponding photo in Nick E's book, The Art and Science of Fencing.

Put your index and thumb on the widest part of the grip. This will cause the bend of the grip to fit perfectly into the palm of your hand. The last three fingers should gently come over to keep the grip in place. Only the thumb and index should be used to manipulate the grip.

Here's a good idea of how to hold the grip. " Hold it like a bird, not loose enough to let it get away, but not tight enough to crush it." Hold it too hard, and the following will happen: 1. You may break the blade in the tangue.
2. Will will never have good point control because of the death grip.

[edew]

"Hold it like a bird..." Like how many people hold birds in their hands? I've had bushes in my hands, though.

[latenight]

[GreyGhost]

OK, Then my thumb goes on tops, and m forfinger on the bottom. Got it. Now, what does it mean to "Finger" the weapon? I seem to keep this hand position in all moves.

[Purple Fencer]

[quote]Originally posted by edew:
<strong>"Hold it like a bird..." Like how many people hold birds in their hands? I've had bushes in my hands, though.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Eric!! You're being a bad boy again!

I heard that bird analogy when I first picked up a foil at San Diego State in '81...but I suspect the phrase is as old as Donald Benge (!)

[Pommel]

If holding the grip tightly causes the tang of your blade to break you have some mighty strong hands.

[135711]

[ 05-22-2002: Message edited by: 135711 ]</p>

[edew]

A tang breaking is not dependent on the tightness one holds the grip. If the grip breaks, well, that could be an indication of holding it hard.

I've seen many people breaking the grip (pistolgrips) when parrying hard. I've never held a grip that tight.

[135711]

[ 05-22-2002: Message edited by: 135711 ]</p>

[D'Artagnan1673]

[quote]Originally posted by Purple Fencer:
<strong>

Eric!! You're being a bad boy again!

I heard that bird analogy when I first picked up a foil at San Diego State in '81...but I suspect the phrase is as old as Donald Benge (!)</strong><hr></blockquote>


You tell him, Sam!!! LOL!!

[GreyGhost]

[quote]Originally posted by 135711:
<strong>to further answer greyghost, i think that you might be holding the grip too tightly, which is why your parries aren't working, why not try to hold the grip correctly, using the correct method, and move the arm crosswise, rather than the foil crosswise.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Well, That kind of is my question. How do I hold it?

[D'Artagnan1673]

[quote]Originally posted by D'Artagnan1673:
[QB]
Put your index and thumb on the widest part of the grip. This will cause the bend of the grip to fit perfectly into the palm of your hand. The last three fingers should gently come over to keep the grip in place. Only the thumb and index should be used to manipulate the grip.

"Hold it like a bird, not loose enough to let it get away, but not tight enough to crush it." QB]<hr></blockquote>

[The Crazy Wacker]

Well... Whatever it takes to get the oponents blade out of the way.

[135711]

[ 05-22-2002: Message edited by: 135711 ]</p>

[The Crazy Wacker]

[quote]Originally posted by 135711:
<strong>I propose we begin a new school, the post-modern school of abstract fencing.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I Second that motion

[GreyGhost]

[quote]Originally posted by D'Artagnan1673:
[QB][/QB]<hr></blockquote>

Ahem. DURING the parrys

[Bebop and Rocksteady]

There could be a lot of problems which hamper your parries, holding the grip too tight may be one of them. If you find that it takes too long to move your blade to block the attack in time, especially in quarte, the problem is probably that you're holding the weapon in sixte. Make sure it's in the center, not in sixte, or pointing at the ground, or ceiling, or wherever.

Also, problems arise with parrying with fencers who tend to parry with the foilible of the blade. Make sure this doesn't happen. Always parry with the middle of the blade, and sometimes the forte.

Hope that helps.