Quote:
|
Originally Posted by drippingwet I'm still unsure about attacking. I mean I attack, but I don't really march. I'm not sure I want to if marching is merely based on benefit of the doubt given by the ref. But so many fencers seem to have one attack (usually a march) that they use time and time again, without having to change it. They just use this attack to press their opponent's down the strip and finish them off. Whereas using non-marching attacks, it seems like you have to be much more tactical and set it up, rather than impose your will on the opponent.
Did Golubitsky march much. In a lot of the bouts I've seen of him, he's very defensive. Was there a general way of attacking that Golubitksy used?
What are your thoughts? |
In the bouts I've seen Golubitsky fence he was pretty much a set up the parry-riposte, attack-on-preparation fencer. His attack, and false attack, was a lightning quick advance-feint lunge attack.
There isn't any necessity to develop the multiple-advance-with-feint-prepare-multiple-advance-feint-prepare-(repeat as necessary)-lunge attack, that you call a "march". It can be very successful as an attack, and I enjoy it because it really messes with a lot of peoples minds
, but there are many different good attacking methods.
I call it a pushing-feint-attack, because my opponent feels that I am pushing-pushing-pushing them. The preparation allows you to reset the arm so you're able to begin extending again before it's completely out and
thus predictable. It also serves as a very brief invitation to attack now (and get parried) or suffer some more.
Another excellent attacking method is the push-push-pull, where you make two advance feints, while completely prepared to lunge to open target if your opponent stops of course, and then a retreat-invitation followed by double-advance-feint. The opponent is slowly pushed two back and one forward until he stops and parries (dead), attacks into your invitation (parried-dead), or goes off the end of the strip (utter humiliation).
Golubitsky's seemingly preferred attack (I've seen maybe 10 of his bouts in person and about that many on video) is generally for the quicker and in good shape fencer since it involves many repeated quick lunges and recoveries, but it's a really excellent one. Advance-feint-false-attack, play with distance, Advance-feint-false-attack, play with distance, advance-feint-lunge.
A popular one with a lot of left handed fencers is advance-sweep/beat-four-coupe-chest mixed with advance-beat-four-flank/shoulder. Similarly the sweep/beat done in six is equally popular against same handed opponents.
The pushing-feint-attack, done correctly, hasn't any need for a referee to give it the benefit of the doubt though. I used to fence once a week with another couple fencers who were very good and who were also nationally rated referees. Often we would rotate refereeing for each other. Whenever they were fencing me and I would attack them with it they would counter-attack and insist that I was in preparation and they were attacking into it. But the one who was refereeing always called it my attack. Then we would rotate and the fencer who was just calling it my attack when he refereed would complain that I was in preparation and he was attacking into it, and the fencer who was just complaining that very same thing and was now referee would always call it my attack. No doubt involved.
Another common error people make is convincing themselves that there is no delay between their seeing the preparation and acting afterwards. I make advance-feint, advance-feint, advance-feint, prepare at parry distance. Opponent, moving backward, slows down or stops, giant light bulb goes on over his head, I attack and am in mid-lunge before he counter-attacks. Referee cannot convince him that he's counter-attacking. I win big.
If I execute correctly the pause for the preparation is both very small and done at a distance where if you happened to be lunging spontaneously at that moment I can pick up the parry and riposte. The only way for the defender to time the attack-in-preparation is to provoke the preparation so he *knows* it's coming, typically with a false retreat as the attackers extension reaches it's maximum so the attacker makes the preparation thinking that you are farther away than you actually are. This is often set up by the defender making false swipes at the blade as they retreat so the attacker can't just leave the blade out once he reaches maximum extension.
gary hayenga
actually, i sometimes mix in situations where i draw the opponent in and set up a parry riposte situation so i play it both ways. when i fence foil at tournaments, usually i try to always fence the entire bout in their half of the strip. this puts pressure on them knowing they have little room left. i think it also influences the director in my favour. if he sees that i consistently drive the opponent down the piste and finish the attacks, most likely he'll rule a double light in my favour. so for me, marching attacks serve both these purposes.
Linear Mode
