Attributes of Zivkovic Foil Grip

[reposte]

Can anyone enlighten me as for the attributes of a Z' foil grip?
What are the advantages it is supposed to represent in comparison to the others?
Do you know of anyone using them in the world class?

[aikijohn]

Greetings, Reposte...

I fence epee, not foil, but I can tell you why I use both the Zivkovic "K" and "Z" grips: I find that most pistol grips, because of the way one must "wrap" ones fingers around the grip, cause my fingers to cramp. With the Zivkovic grips, my main control is with my index finger and thumb (like a French grip) while with my other 3 fingers, I can just press the pad-like portion of the handle into the palm of my hand... no cramping of the fingers. I know that many people find these grips odd, but I've found these grips to be a real bell-weather for both my control and my arthritis.

Cheers...

[AllisonT]

I fence foil and have a Z grip. As pointed out by the previous poster, it really cuts down on hand cramping. I like the fact that I don't have anything impeding my wrist movement as well. It's a little heavier than other grips, but you get the feel of it quickly.

[suregrip]

Before switching over to the French Grip, I used to fence exclusively with Zivkovic grips. Like Aikijohn, my reasons for using them was for arthritis.

[acaba]

One of my student's was using a Zivkovik K or Z grip on his epee. He started using it because it was very comfortable in his hand, and seemed to conform well to the complex shapes of a real hand. Never the less, he was having trouble performing beats on the blade. After trying a Visconti, he found that his beats improved dramatically. The problem with the Zivkovik's was that the "paddle" was not long enough for him, and the end of the grip rested on his palm, while the longer "tail" on the visconti rested more on his wrist. The 'tail' game him more leverage when performing the beats, thus requiring less finger strength to start, stop, and reverse the blade.

I think that the choice of grips is a very personal one, and you really need to find one that fits your hand. I'm guessing that the Zivkovik grip was simply too small for his hand, and larger one (does Z make larger ones?) might have also solved the problem.

So, do not only look at comofort of the grip, but also look at how it affects your fencing actions.

Aaron

P.S.: He didn't have arthritis, so he could switch to a less 'ergonomic' grip like the visconti.

[Radiophonicus]

Does anyone have a photo of this grip? I'd like to see it.

[AllisonT]

Here's the page

http://www.zivkovic.com/sub_category...category_id=31

[geezer]

My take on the "Z" is how (and where) it balances the blade in one's hand. To me, other orthopedic grips feel "fat" and off-balance in my hand and I reshape them to suit me as best I can. However, my subjective sense is that the shape has been "thinned" in cross section and the center of mass moved a little to the right (RH) of the centerline of the tang. This allows the thumb to be in constant contact with the "horn" for a very quick response. Also, the front surface of the "pistol butt" has been recessed a bit to accommodate space for laying the "other 3 fingers" into a more comfortable position. Does this make any sense to you? It's just the way I feel it in my hand. Grinding away a lot of the mass on the left side of my other grips clued me to how this shifts the balance and helps tuck in the other fingers. Maybe not, but that's how I see it.

[MyraTrue]

Unlike most other posters, I can't say I really like any of the Ziv grips. I've used the Z and the K. My trouble is that I felt like they were made for a larger hand than mine (which could be), and I felt like I was going to get the blade beaten from my hand. I had a hard time using them and went back to my viscontis.

On the other hand, I know that our mens epee team really likes the Z that we have floating around the armory. They are all tall, large handed men, and for them, they say its a very comfortable grip and gives them better point control.

I still believe that grips are a matter of personal choice, preference, bias, whatever you'd like to call it. But a grip by one manufacturer doesn't even compare with the same grip from another, so my advice about grips is to start trying grips until you find whats good for you.

Good luck with the Ziv's!

[reposte]

O, I don't think I'll make the change. I personally am floating between the Visconti and the English pistol (aka as French pistol, English pistol, prieur orthopedic, schermasport or', Uhlmann X model etc...) I have them both and I'm waiting to fence with the new timings to decide where to go.

[vincikai]

O, I don't think I'll make the change. I personally am floating between the Visconti and the English pistol (aka as French pistol, English pistol, prieur orthopedic, schermasport or', Uhlmann X model etc...) I have them both and I'm waiting to fence with the new timings to decide where to go.

me too
personally fancies the Visconti and the English pistol.

now i think English pistol is the way to go ;]

[glowstix]

now i think English pistol is the way to go ;]

now what the heck is an english pistol???