New guy w/ questions...

[Syrus Maximus]

Hi
I'm brand new to fencing..actually i havent even started it yet...i have to wait untill next year sometime but in the mean time ive been readin up on fencing and id jus like to know some of the basics...like what type of weapon u guys(and girls) prefer...me and my freind r goin to go to lessons once a week so we'll probably learn alot there but i was just seein what i could learn of the internet first...and i was also wonderin bout how much all of this is gonna cost...just any help or advice would be nice...

[noodle]

you can search for threads on who does which weapon. its really up to you though, pick one you like and roll with it.

cost depends on club. it could be minimal (club fees for group lessons, say maybe $50 a month) to many thousands of dollars a year for top notch training 7 days a week, travel, entry fees for tournaments, and awesome gear.

[melihop]

Welcome to the board and to fencing!!!!!!! I prefer foil at the moment.. But i think I am slowly becoming converted to epee....

depending on the club.. and if you have to get your own gear.. it can cost anywhere from free.. to like.. $200-300.. but generally closer to like $50 for basic gear and stuff..

[Syrus Maximus]

well thanks for the help....from what ive read i think i would probably like epee or sabre the most..but ive also heard that foil is the best thing to start w/...but i guess ill just have to wait untill i start lessons to know for sure...it just really sucks that i have to wait untill next year to start...but o well i guess its worth the wait..neways..thanks for the help

[melihop]

When you say next year do you mean.. like.. in a week or so? Or like.. actually in a year?

[Lefty1]

It's probably best to start with foil because in my opinion epee and sabre are more complex. (they probably will start you with foil if you are just starting. But anyway- Epee is the best!!

[epeezack]

Cost depends on your club and how competitive you want to be in the future.

As for weapon choice, I fence epee, but you have to figure that out for your self.

[Joan of Ark]

Originally Posted by Lefty1

It's probably best to start with foil because in my opinion epee and sabre are more complex. (they probably will start you with foil if you are just starting. But anyway- Epee is the best!!

I agree that epee is best.. but I'd say foil is more complex than epee because of all that right of way garbage... epees are also easiest to fix (in my oppinion). However, most start with foil because it is light and sort of a combination between the other two, so that new fencers can "roll" anyway they want.

[Syrus Maximus]

Originally Posted by melihop

When you say next year do you mean.. like.. in a week or so? Or like.. actually in a year?

I mean in like a couple of weeks...i wouldnt even be talkin bout this stuff yet if it was a year from now...

[mrbiggs]

In regards to which weapon....there's a couple factors to consider. First, and most important, ask your coach. If your coach specializes in sabre, well, that's what you should start with. Also, coaches oftentimes start new fencers in foil because foil has the best emphasis on good footwork and point control, and because it's easiest to switch from foil to another weapon.

So yeah, don't make a decision before consulting your coach. I, for example, probably couldn't fence sabre if I wanted to, because the nearest sabre coach is two hours away.

[telkanuru]

To improve your fencing, use proper grammatical constructions.

[Inquartata]

Originally Posted by mrbiggs

foil has the best emphasis on good footwork and point control, and because it's easiest to switch from foil to another weapon.

Dude, you say this as though it's fact rather than just opinion...

Meh, foilists!

Start with the weapon that "calls" to you. If you have no real preference be guided by your coach, and foil is as good as any of the others in that respect. But not any better, really. Not objectively speaking.

[VorpalCat]

Originally Posted by Inquartata

Start with the weapon that "calls" to you.

Well, you could TRY that but if they were being picky about not-quite-8cm lettering at Richmond, imagine how they'll react when you come on strip with a cell phone in hand, antenna extended...

[shango]

Originally Posted by Lefty1

It's probably best to start with foil because in my opinion epee and sabre are more complex. (they probably will start you with foil if you are just starting. But anyway- Epee is the best!!

Foil and sabre is complex, epee is simple. (Hit the other guy). It goes to show in tournaments. Anyone here know Mikey the retarded epee fencer from Garden City, New York? Anyone here on a fencing team in Nassau County?

[Lefty1]

Oops! correction-

Foil is actually more complex than Epee or Sabre but learning foil first would give a beggining fencer a larger grasp of basic fencing skills and better footwork.

[Inquartata]

Or not.



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