First Lesson

[cameroncrazy323]

I'm going for my first lesson this Friday (epee), and I was wondering if there is anything I should know first hand and make my teacher really impressed... Also will I even touch an epee for a while? I've read that some really intense teachers dont even let you use a weapon for like the first month to get footwork down. I really enjoy watching fencing and think it is simply an art and cannot wait to do it myself.

[mrbiggs]

I'm going for my first lesson this Friday (epee), and I was wondering if there is anything I should know first hand and make my teacher really impressed... Also will I even touch an epee for a while? I've read that some really intense teachers dont even let you use a weapon for like the first month to get footwork down. I really enjoy watching fencing and think it is simply an art and cannot wait to do it myself.

Be patient. The longer you wait until you fence, the better your footwork will be. I guarantee you will thank yourself for it later.

[mlr2fence]

I wouldn't worry about trying to impress the coach; rather focus on what he has to say. Don't be in a rush. Do things correctly so you don't end up having to correct mistakes later. Solidify the foundation (footwork and balance) before rushing onwards. You'll appreciate it later.

[cameroncrazy323]

OK. I really want to do well. I mean I try to do my best in everything, but I believe this is something I really think I'll enjoy and do well in.

[JEC]

Cameroncrazy33.

I also cheer with you (see my profile). However, Craig, our esteem webmaster/administrator is a Tar Heel graduate. Not his fault but finally I have to agree that they will be competitive this year!!

You also have very good taste in choosing weapon. Now, the hard part. It takes years to become very good at this. A few can improve very rapidly, but most will take many months. Enjoy the ride.

[drippingwet]

Ah, many of the few who improve rapidly may be getting LOTS of coaching. If you want to do well, start thinking about the following things as soon as possible (don't let months/years pass before realising):

1. Personal coaching. High level fencers maybe get a total of at least 2-4 hours/week. 2 hours 1:1 may cost roughly $50. I'm not saying go straight for a heavy coaching regime, see if you like fencing first. But if if you feel you're getting very enthusiastic, then think about the coaching you're getting. 10 mins one/week isn't enough.

2. Fitness. Maybe at least go jogging for 40mins 2 days/week or half an hour 4 days/week.

3. Sparring. Maybe you should get at least 3-4hrs sparring/week.

4. Ask about independant training exercises, things like lunging pads and footwork.

If you tell coach you want to be world champion on first day, he/she may take it with a pinch of salt because how would you know until after a few weeks. If you tell him/her that you're serious after maybe a couple of months, telling him/her that you're doing the exercises/drills etc, he/she may take you more seriously and help you get as far as you can.

P.S. what is the current philosophical thinking on using he/she or him/her when referring to someone of unkown gender? Is it necessary? I am only 20, so not an old man who is trying his best to be politicaly correct despite growing up in a different age, but still wondering.

[VELISARIOS]

First month...!I have heard from my coach that his coach didnot let him to touch the sword for seven months. The only he did was footwork.
Anyway, I agree with mrbiggs he is right, you must follow his advise.

[Alain]

I'm going for my first lesson this Friday (epee), and I was wondering if there is anything I should know first hand and make my teacher really impressed... Also will I even touch an epee for a while? I've read that some really intense teachers dont even let you use a weapon for like the first month to get footwork down. I really enjoy watching fencing and think it is simply an art and cannot wait to do it myself.

First off, congratulations on picking a proper weapon, and welcome to the club The advice given above is really good: keep practising regularly, take regular lessons, try to practise your footwork when possible and improve your fitness, and finally tyr to buy your own kit ! Do as your coach says and I'm sure you'll do just fine

Best of luck!

P.S. I know a Russian who did footwork for two YEARS before touching a weapon. Needless to say his footwork's rather good... Good footwork lessons and practice will do you no harm!

[Rolls]

Be patient. The longer you wait until you fence, the better your footwork will be. I guarantee you will thank yourself for it later.

I think this is a fallacy. Time spent practicing footwork is the only thing that improves footwork. That is not the same as time waiting before being allowed to bout.

Unfortunately, many fencers stop practicing footwork after starting bouting. I think that if fencing were to adopt training practices from other sports, fencing would benefit.

If you were going to try basketball for the first time, do you think they would tell you it would be a month to a year before you ever got a chance to shoot some hoops. Would they discourage you from playing some backyard basketball with friends on the weekend?

[mrbiggs]

I think this is a fallacy. Time spent practicing footwork is the only thing that improves footwork. That is not the same as time waiting before being allowed to bout.

Unfortunately, many fencers stop practicing footwork after starting bouting. I think that if fencing were to adopt training practices from other sports, fencing would benefit.

If you were going to try basketball for the first time, do you think they would tell you it would be a month to a year before you ever got a chance to shoot some hoops. Would they discourage you from playing some backyard basketball with friends on the weekend?

That's true, practicing footwork can make up for holding a blade earlier. But as you said, once you start fencing, you're less likely to practice footwork.

Also, bad habits can sometimes develop when you stop concentrating on your feet, and start concentrating on your sword, before you have the foot part down. This can again be resolved with coaching and practice, but it's oftentimes an advantage later on to have learned it right in the first place.

[drippingwet]

Whether you don't pick up a weapon for a while or not (which would be interesting to find out how common this is), you might get a lot from practicing speed/coordination/precision with independant exercises, like lunging pads.

[kalivor]

Unfortunately, many fencers stop practicing footwork after starting bouting. I think that if fencing were to adopt training practices from other sports, fencing would benefit.

Is this actually true? I've never been to a fencing club where there wasn't a footwork component to every practice (with a few exceptions -- that's an occasional practice without footwork, not an occasional club without footwork practice).

Having the fencers stop practicing footwork once they start using weapons seems strange to me.

[Jas2on]

My coach teaches the basics and allows bouting as soon as possible. Her idea is that when you come back to really learn to be good, then your a serious fencer. Otherwise your just having fun..

[Allen Evans]

I like what coach Dave Littell has to say on the subject of learning fencing:

http://users.erols.com/dlittell/COACHGOL.htm

Allen Evans
Dominion Fencing

[Rolls]

Is this actually true? I've never been to a fencing club where there wasn't a footwork component to every practice (with a few exceptions -- that's an occasional practice without footwork, not an occasional club without footwork practice).

Having the fencers stop practicing footwork once they start using weapons seems strange to me.

I don't necessarily think that there are clubs that stop footwork components. But there defintely are fencers who stop practicing footwork, either they don't attend the group lessons or they just free fence or there club isn't very organized or they sit out during footwork or so on.

You can spot the fencers though. They're the ones that have the shoddy footwork.

What else would you learn without a weapon in hand though? You can only learn footwork. Isn't that sacrificing bladework for the sake of footwork? Can't you train someone to have both good footwork and bladework at the same time?

Rolls.

[kalivor]

What else would you learn without a weapon in hand though?

Theory? How to referee? Tactics? General fitness? How to eat properly?

There are plenty of things that go into being a good competitive fencer, apart from bladework.

As for doing both at the same time -- that's good too, but sometimes it helps to concentrate on one thing at a time.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Whether you don't pick up a weapon for a while or not (which would be interesting to find out how common this is), you might get a lot from practicing speed/coordination/precision with independant exercises, like lunging pads.

please shutup about lunging pads. Its called a target. Everyone has one.

[drippingwet]

A target isn't necessarily a lunging pad. If you look on LP website for instance, they aren't called targets. If you have one, are you making full use of it, or are you just lunging at it?

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Can't you train someone to have both good footwork and bladework at the same time?

In my opinion, good footwork is a prerequisite for good bladework. If you cant get into and out of distance, to prepare yourself to make a nice attack or defense or counter, then your bladework will always be sub-par. I came across an interesting excercise at a tournament. Fence without moving your feet. You cant move your feet at all, but your opponent can. Now try to fight him off..... its very, very, very difficult. Try it.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

A target isn't necessarily a lunging pad. If you look on LP website for instance, they aren't called targets. If you have one, are you making full use of it, or are you just lunging at it?

A "lunging pad" is a fancy name for a target. It does the same thing.