What is your biggest obstacle in fencing?

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Originally Posted by mo

]
Dude!! Get a life.....

Originally Posted by Grasshopper

OK...so your biggest obstacles are your sarcastic attitude and repressed anger. You can work on that!

What, you view a finely developed sense of sarcasm as an obstacle?
For some of us, it's closer to enlightenment. "When you can snatch the irony from my hand, young grasshopper...."

I think Mo was not expressing repressed anger, but rather a sense of: signifying a post of obsessive detail bordering on pedantry.

More to the point:

To become a highly successful international fencer, one needs:

A. World class coaching
B. World class fencers to practice with
C. Funding to travel to designated competitions
D. Chess intellect (ability to think moves ahead, strip savvy)
E. Moderate to high athleticism (bonus points for hand speed)

Fencing also needs to be a gestalt sport...all the phases of fencing needs to be practiced and integrated seamlessly. Otherwise, you run the risk of becoming the Robert Schumann of fencing--ruining your overall performance by over-training a perceived weakness of a single element.

[Alain]

Originally Posted by Capt. Slo-mo

What, you view a finely developed sense of sarcasm as an obstacle?
For some of us, it's closer to enlightenment. "When you can snatch the irony from my hand, young grasshopper...."

I think Mo was not expressing repressed anger, but rather a sense of: signifying a post of obsessive detail bordering on pedantry.

More to the point:

To become a highly successful international fencer, one needs:

A. World class coaching
B. World class fencers to practice with
C. Funding to travel to designated competitions
D. Chess intellect (ability to think moves ahead, strip savvy)
E. Moderate to high athleticism (bonus points for hand speed)

Fencing also needs to be a gestalt sport...all the phases of fencing needs to be practiced and integrated seamlessly. Otherwise, you run the risk of becoming the Robert Schumann of fencing--ruining your overall performance by over-training a perceived weakness of a single element.

Okay, after reading this thread, it's clear that a lot has been said... it's rather difficult to agree with everything above but, then again, everyone has made a good point. I believe the above comment to be pretty accurate, the gestaltist theory (where the whole is considered to be considered to be greater than the sum of all the parts) is spot on, in that there is no single recipe for getting to the top: talent, skill and dedication are all essential, but will not alone propel you to the highest of levels; good coaching, competition, funding, and general support are also necessary. It's difficult, it really is difficult...

[riptide]

I don't have enough faith in my lunges so I tend to attack from close-quarters, when there is no need. I'm 6'1, so I shouldn't be attacking from three feet. Gotta work on that...

[glowstix]

Originally Posted by Alain

It's difficult, it really is difficult...

thats why only a few ever get there.

[Grey]

Adding to grasshopper's questions, and also in view of recent events at the Olympics. Ever thought of probable "bias" behaviour on the part of the president affecting your fencing more than your physical and technical aspects are? Fencing does not consist merely of your opponent (except in epee without ROW rules), it includes a proper "presentation" for the president to see. Incorrect intepretation of the rules could make an otherwise, legal hit become 'illegal'. I.e Attack into Preparation.

[Katman]

Money! I can't afford lessons! Blargh.

[Zilverzmurfen]

Originally Posted by drippingwet

If you were given the choice to spend a year fencing in Paris, Tauber, or USA, which would you choose?

Read my lips:

Tauberbischofsheim!!!

Without the shadow of a doubt!

[telkanuru]

Depends on which weapon. I really, really like the Italian style of foil, for example, but would probly go to France for epee. It's a difficult decision.

[Alain]

Originally Posted by Zilverzmurfen

Read my lips:

Tauberbischofsheim!!!

Without the shadow of a doubt!

Katman's right, it depends... for épée, I'd go for Paris. Zee French are zee best!

P.S. Okay, and I also happen to be half French

[Katman]

Originally Posted by Alain

Katman's right, it depends... for épée, I'd go for Paris. Zee French are zee best!

P.S. Okay, and I also happen to be half French

Hooray! I'm right. Wait, right about what? I never said anything about Tauber or fencing in Europe.

Yurope.

[Alain]

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooops. I meant telkanuru, not Katman... in that, it depends what weapon you prefer. Ummmm, although Katman raised a very good point about the price of fencing lessons nowadays...

[Mo]

Originally Posted by Capt. Slo-mo

)

Fencing also needs to be a gestalt sport...all the phases of fencing needs to be practiced and integrated seamlessly. Otherwise, you run the risk of becoming the Robert Schumann of fencing--ruining your overall performance by over-training a perceived weakness of a single element.

Capt.
Not having your superior knowledge of unusual information. Could you please elaborate on who and what Robert Schumann did or did not do that makes him a shining example of your statement?

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Robert Schumann was a composer and classical pianist in the 1800s. The story goes that he felt a perceived weakness in one finger that was limiting his effectiveness as a concert pianist, and developed a machine to exercise the offending digit.

That finger became virtually paralyzed, and ruined his career as a performer.

The comparison here is that if you arbitrarily pick one aspect of your fencing game and focus too much on it, as in:

Originally Posted by grasshopper

If you can identify your biggest obstacle, you can throw your whole heart and intellectual capacity into conquering it. It might take weeks, it might take months, but if you can overcome your one greatest obstacle you will make drastic improvements in your overall level.

then the rest of your overall fencing development runs the risk of atrophy.

[Grasshopper]

The purpose of my original post was to help fencers look within their own game and make a positive change to improve their fencing. It was not to get into a debate on "What it takes to be world champion".

Some people actually decided to find something positive in my comments and found a way that they could improve their fencing. My hat is off to you.

Others decided that they couldn't improve their situation because of external factors (no master, no money, no strong fencers to train with).

Whichever your perspective, I wish you the best of luck in your fencing.

[Capt. Slo-mo]

By all means, keep throwing out ideas to explore. That's the point of a discussion board.

Not every idea will meet with universal plaudits, nor will every idea be greeted by unanimous brickbats.

It's still worth exploring all facets of fencing.

[davtsung]

The biggest obstacle for me would be old habits that are hard to shake beacuse they some-times work. I'll be darned if I will let the parry 6 + flick to the back go away quietly!

[drippingwet]

I'm a foilist.

What is Tauber - what's the structure, the system? Can someone just turn up and get world class coaching? What happens? Is it good for foil? Is it expensive? Do Wessels, Joppich, Bissdorf train there?

Is Paris good for foil? What's the story with Paris?

Thanks.

[LordTofuDog-jnr]

I can safely say that my biggest obstacle in the fencing is world is that there are people who are better than me, and I'm pretty sure that's an obstacle to success.

[telkanuru]

Really? My biggest obstical is losing to those who are worse...

[Phoenix]

My obstacle is just letting myself go. To just do that large lunge and get the touch and not think of how much space is between me and my opponent when it is my attack in case I "bump into them". And not get frusterated after I don't get a touch. Just try my best for the next one