Bellpunching- done it/taken it?

[Welted 24/7]

I haven't done it to anyone, but I've been on the receiving end a few times.I was still fencing foil last year, so I went to the Big Apple Open at the NYAC. I was having a pretty lousy day as it was, but in my first and only DE on the day, I was fencing a rather violent foilist(Gary Dubrovich, I think his name was). I got clobbered twice- first in the face on a blown fleche(made my head start ringing), and second, I'm not really sure how it happened. He came in really, REALLY close for an attack. I don't know if it was my fault for not getting back soon enough or his fault for coming in too close, but regardless, he made a straight down vertical thrust. Tip hit my stomach, and the guard smashed right into my collarbone. I was on the floor for a good 5 minutes trying desperately not to cry like a 5 year old with a skinned knee. When I finally dragged myself up off the floor, I could barely move my arm enough to get on guard, and got slaughtered horribly.

I've also had the blade of a sabre break over my head right on the forte of it. THAT was fun. I had a headache the rest of the day. How about you guys? Have any horror stories you want to share, or sadistic tales of dealing pain?

[Illini5596]

When I first learned to counter parry I rather sucked at it, making tons of mistakes, so my coach ended up making me practice it over and over for three hours straight. I learned it! But afterwards it felt like my hand needed to be defibulated.

[Schiavona]

Uh, done it-but they were all really bad people. Taken it as well, but neither for a long, long time.

[LordTofuDog-jnr]

Got it 3 times in 3 weeks from same guy, bell-punch that is. Very painful.

[veeco]

I once took a prime parry, except that my bell guard went straight into the other guy's chin. Ouch. The guy bit his tongue because I slammed his mouth shut.

It was not intentional, but I felt bad for the guy...

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

I've been on the giving and recieving end of a BP. I have very specific requirements as to who deserves one. I'll only punch men, and men that are bigger than me, and men that are obnoxious on the strip. Never bell punch a girl, or a man smaller than you, ever!

[HillBilly]

I've been on the giving and recieving end of a BP. I have very specific requirements as to who deserves one. I'll only punch men, and men that are bigger than me, and men that are obnoxious on the strip. Never bell punch a girl, or a man smaller than you, ever!

chivalry is still alive, i guess...

I got bellpunched in the nuts once. Damn, that hurt. I was limping the rest of the night..

[Bokken]

I've never bellpunched someone deliberately, but I've taken a couple. I've only exacted a dire vengeance on one occasion - the lefty bellpunched me in the right wrist (saber) back when sabrists could still fleche. Next action, I did point in line but oh golly, my wrist hurt so badly the point dropped into Off-Target-Land and he ran himself right onto the point. The director was kind enough to allow my incidental touch of saber to his lame before he hit the ground to count as a point.
Git didn't wear a cup, apparently.

On the other side, I was in a wrist brace for 2 weeks afterwards. I consider it a fair trade, and I did win the bout.

[esskreemr]

Of course, it was after I knee'd him in the 'nads. Just kidding...

If you move in to infight on someone who like to keep distance and has just parried in for, they can panic and try to move their foil across to get their point back on target. Unfortunately, your mask is sometimes in the way. I've only had it happen to me a coupld of times...

[Illini5596]

I'd just like to say I think bell punching at all is very unsportsman like and has no place on the strip. Ever.

[Larrison]

I'll echo Illini, that bell punching someone is unsportsmanlike, and should never be done intentionally -- *never*.

But, mistakes happen, distances get screwed up and it does happen. Years ago, I was fencing dry saber with a beginner and did a Parry 5 and attempted a riposte by putting my point in line. My opponent saw my step back and attempted to turn a half lunge into a semi-fleche (we were both pretty sloppy in our motions I cringe to remember). His sloppy fleche coupled with my inability to control his distance ran him straight into my extended arm with his mask.

He got a bit of a shock, but didn't go down. Unintentional, but... shouldn't have happened either.

[tsalyards]

Several years ago I bell-punched some poor fellow and then made a quick replacement and hit to his chest. The director didn't see the punch and I got the touch!

[AndrewH]

I did once, in my younger and less experienced days. Was fencing an obnoxious opponent in a HS meet. Appel, lunge, guard to the mask. Left a lovely dent in my guard

[mrbiggs]

When attempting to prime, I oftentimes catch my opponent in the mask. I apologize, and hope the director doesn't notice.

As it happens, I don't think I've ever been on the receiving end of a bad one. Maybe once or something, but nothing memorable.

[Tiwaz]

I had my wrist parried once at sabre, swelled up so much i could only parry quarte and tierce needless to say i didn't do to well that day.
I was also on the recieving end of a through cut to bollocks when i was giving a lesson it hurt like hell and took some of my professional mystique away when started cursing and walking like John Wayne.

[Pancakes]

I've smashed sabre guards dozens of times, and been guarded in the head once (pretty hard, but I stayed verticle).

[scrapinpeg]

Never given, never received, never seen it. Sounds remarkably childish and bad sportsmanship.

I wonder what I'd do if anyone tried that on me. Probably beat the crap out of him on the spot, if I thought it was intentional.

[Craig]

Received one before similar to what veeco dished out. It was due to infighting and trying to get the weapon in the right place. I've never bellpunched anyone. There's no place on the strip for an intentional bell punch.

Craig

[DangerMouse]

I don't bell punch my opponents. They headbutt my bell.

[Welted 24/7]

Dangermouse, you sound like Justin Meehan. "But sir, he ran into ME. When you run into a tree, you don't blame the tree for being there, do you?"

This was after I missed my fleche and he moved his torso directly into my path. Smashed into him full-speed and fell on my butt. My left shoulder hurt for the next week.