Curios to know?

[Avanti]

Hi everyone, I just joined a fencing club with my son and loving it and plan to continue and participate in tournaments. I will be turning 45 years old very soon, curios to know how many of you are fencing in your forties, fifties or in your sixties? How much do you enjoy it and do you still participate in club tournaments?

[foilz]

I'm a quintessential re-beginner. Mid-fifties, back after a 20 year absence. Interestingly, my ancient brain sees more, understands more, and works better in fencing than it did 20 years ago. If you work up a long flat ramp physically, developing a good loosening-warmup-stretch routine for fencing nights, I think you will progress faster, better and more successfully today than you would have at twenty. Good luck.

[Inquartata]

Life member and I intend to fence as long as I can stand and hold a sabre. It's more enjoyable now than it was when I was 25. Hopefully that curve is still ascending.

[BenTheEMOP]

Avanti,

We have a guy at my club who started fencing at 78. He's a little slower physically than some of the guys, but is probably mentally quicker.

There is another guy in this division who is somewhere in his 70s who still competes at tournaments as well. He's got a draw-you-in-and-tag-you kind of style, but he makes it work.

So you have plenty of good fencing time ahead of you.

[Avanti]

I like to thank everybody for the good words of encouragement and I feel less lonely, it’s nice to be around good people.

[VorpalCat]

Originally Posted by Avanti

Hi everyone, I just joined a fencing club with my son and loving it and plan to continue and participate in tournaments. I will be turning 45 years old very soon, curios to know how many of you are fencing in your forties, fifties or in your sixties? How much do you enjoy it and do you still participate in club tournaments?

Don't let the numbers on your driver's license talk you out of participating in tournaments, club or otherwise. My husband's in his forties, as is a clubmate, and busy personal/work schedules have far more of a negative impact on their tournament activity than their age does. Many years ago my husband was in a tournament against an epeeist in his seventies who literally took naps between bouts. He didn't have the fastest feet on strip but with his bladework, he didn't need them! Welcome aboard! (Welcome a-piste?)

[lochinvar]

Mid-fifties, still going to tournaments.

Welcome to the insanity! Bout early, bout often!

[Rhymmney]

Fencing class was a treat for my 40th birthday... I have been fencing now for about 6 weeks and I just love it! I also started a class with my 7 year old daughter who seems to have the drive but needs to work on the basics with regard to footwork. I can be having the crappiest day and get to my club and within 15 minutes (after warm-ups) I am having the best day imaginable. I love this sport... and I must laugh when I tell you all that I think I have found that I have a higher degree of competition and drive to do well than I ever realized...lol. Here's to the 40s...

[Epictetus]

Our coach is in his late 60s, and he can still crush just about everyone on the team, so yeah, the older, the wiser, the smarter.

Besides, you probably have a jump on us college kids--virtually all of us live in a state of chronic sleep deprivation, causing our reaction time to be that of a water buffalo.

[foilz]

Strongly endorse Lochinvar's urging to bout, and bout often. The more I bout, the better I get. It's a fact, and every experienced fencer will tell you, the better the opponent, the better you get, even if you happen to get thrashed that particular night. You intuitively lift your game to the opposing fencer. The better the opponent, the more you try, and the more you learn. Fencing is a fabulous sport where once everyone was new. It's been my experience that good fencers don't hesitate to bout with newcomers, and without exception they have been enormously encouraging. Net net, bouting is what it is all about. Go for it!