Submit an article to Fencing.Net

[Craig]

OK - We've got a lot of people here that can talk fencing and write fencing.

I'm looking to recruit a few articles out of you, so if you have an interest take a look at the submission guidelines here: http://www.fencing101.com/content/view/356/82/

Thanks,
Craig

[Inquartata]

What about turgid, querulous screeds against colored uniforms, painted masks, screaming, "mind games" and the USFA? I think I just might be able to manage something like that. If the price was right.

[wflaschka]

We already get those for free!!

/taps watch. I'm about due to write another post about how to fix sabre.

[Inquartata]

We already get those for free!!

And they're worth every penny, aren't they? :

[sabreur]

We already get those for free!!

/taps watch. I'm about due to write another post about how to fix sabre.

Walter,

Why don't you write about how to fix foil? It has a lot more problems.

MR

[Schiavona]

Ever notice how most of the arguements and rants concern foil? Sensible people fence epee and of course, sabre.

Yes, Inq. Sensible people DO fence epee, for the lack of arguements mostly.

[Inquartata]

I dunno, like foilists they usually have at least one screw loose!

[dunastor]

for the lack of arguements mostly.

Lack of arguments? epee?!?

Sometimes epeists have more arguments than foilists...

[wflaschka]

Walter, Why don't you write about how to fix foil? It has a lot more problems.

Well, I did, early on. Turns out the FIE was listening, because they're changing everything now. I should've been more conservative.

But seriously, Sabreur -- have you thought about an article for fencing.net, e.g. about USA sabre? Or an analysis of the USA-Russia match? You've already done the stats, possibly you have some insights into what went on, what strengths were used against which weaknesses, &etc.

[sabreur]

Well, I did, early on. Turns out the FIE was listening, because they're changing everything now. I should've been more conservative.

But seriously, Sabreur -- have you thought about an article for fencing.net, e.g. about USA sabre? Or an analysis of the USA-Russia match? You've already done the stats, possibly you have some insights into what went on, what strengths were used against which weaknesses, &etc.

Thanks for the suggestion, Walter, but I don't feel qualified to speak about US fencing--my experience with the top US sabreurs consists of having watched the Olympics and spent one afternoon at Nellya several years ago. Most of what I know about sabre comes from my experience fencing over here, and watching the World Championships and Olympics on TV, plus fairly frequent trips to Bonn to watch the Grand Prix in person. Unfortunately, until now, US fencers haven't shown up in the finals of those events.

I've already posted quite a bit about the US-Russia match. The biggest overall trend that I see is more use of blade parries, although they are still the second choice to beating the other guy to the attack or getting out of distance.

IMNSHO, the key to the game is still (and will continue to be) footwork. The massive flunge attack works for awhile (anybody remember Willi Kothny?), then the fencers either lose that little bit of leg strength that allows them to score with it, or the rest of the world figures out an answer. I have a real bias toward neat, controlled footwork, but I do think it wins in the long run.

The biggest change I'd like to see is an increase in the blocking time when the blades are in contact, to further reduce whipovers and improve the chances of the parry. It also, by the way, would discourage the tendency, especially at lower levels, to hit too hard in an attempt to bash through the parry. I am not looking forward to the shorter blocking time for valid hits in both directions--I just see it really favoring the attack and the remise over anything else.

Other than that, I'm actually very pleased by the state of sabre. Again, IMNSHO, electric scoring has been an enormous step forward, as has been the elimination of cross-overs. Sabreurs still have the fleche (now the flunge) in their bag of tricks, and it can be a very useful tool (as Ivan Lee demonstrated), but sabre now has really interesting footwork, and has become a very complex and interesting game. If the FIE gets smart about a little more tinkering to increase the chances of a parry being successful, the game would be nigh well perfect.

Cheers, MR

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

In my club, we have one electric box.... this is good and bad. Usually the format is that winner stays up until he goes down, after all, he got the victory, fencing is his prize for winning. This makes him a competive fencer at the club, and turns him into a strip animal, one who puts winning before anything else, cause after all, if he doesnt win, then he might not fence for 20-30 minutes, which is no fun, so this breeds a competive fencer. However, one of the best ways to improve is to not fence at practice to win, but to fence to learn, by working on something you are not doing well at while your bouting. But if you are trying to win, then this is not an option, cause after all, if your trying to win, then why work on something that could lose you the match? The solution to this is to have enouugh boxes and reels that everyone can bout, lose the bout, wait for one bout, and then fence again. This promotes the competive atmosphere, but you are not so afraid of losing the box for half an hour, so you can afford to practice on your weak spots. Maybe this is just my club, but I suspect that this happens at every club with a fair number of members and only one box.


Sincerely,
Hadouken.

[Craig]

Thanks for the suggestion, Walter, but I don't feel qualified to speak about US fencing

And there is the #1 objection that I run into in trying to find articles. "I'm not qualified because..."

I don't care if your experience is with US fencing or not. I would love to see the articles. Then I can tell you if it's good enough for publication or not (by your recent analysis and conversations w/Walter, I think you have good ideas and could do a good article.)

Rule of thumb - If Walter or I tap you with the suggestion, then you probably have more expertise than you think you do. Then it's just a question of if you want to write something and do you want your name on it.

I started this site because I know there are fencers out there with less experience that could gain something from what I have to share. I'm not anywhere close to being "the" expert on fencing, but neither is another prolific author that members of the board like to slam...

Craig

[wflaschka]

And there is the #1 objection that I run into in trying to find articles. "I'm not qualified because..."

I agree; the fencing content is being produced on fencing.net. If it isn't written here (usually in the bboards), it's just not written and it doesn't exist in history. Ergo, whatever you write is "right," because there's no higher authority. I got into writing articles myself because I couldn't find anything about the interesting topics -- tempo, how to coach, preparations, what the "biggies" are doing in fencing. I knew people were talking about these topics, but it wasn't getting into the world where I could find it. This site has now been republished in print, and US fencers visit while they're overseas to see what's going on.

- Blackstar Clinic -- complete silence, excepting an article by David Littell on his website.
- Timing changes -- complete silence
- Coaching tips and hints -- you gotta dig for them
- Next-level tactics -- not in this language

I certainly don't want to pressure anybody, but lots of people with good ideas seem to self-select out of writing. It's a missed opportunity to begin or elevate the debate.

I'm looking forward to Grasshopper's analysis of the Italians... and it would be interesting to hear a little about Nellya... mebbe in the bboard.

/Gotta hit the road!

[Mergs]

I dunno, like foilists they usually have at least one screw loose!

Yeah, but it's normally held in by tape and we don't get a yellow card for it not being there!!

[Mergs]

And they're worth every penny, aren't they? :

Hey, how often do you truly get something that is worth what you pay for it?

[Grasshopper]

I certainly don't want to pressure anybody, but lots of people with good ideas seem to self-select out of writing. It's a missed opportunity to begin or elevate the debate.

I'm looking forward to Grasshopper's analysis of the Italians... and it would be interesting to hear a little about Nellya... mebbe in the bboard.

/Gotta hit the road!

I'm looking forward to writing it. Stay tuned!

[noodle]

i wouldn't mind writing an article, but i wouldn't know what to write.

i was also thinking of compiling a FAQ type thing to sticky on the bb, things that people always ask like "is x blade any good" or "does height matter in x weapon" or whatever, you know?