Short Arms

[Comhri]

My short arms have got me down, I just cannnot seem to get the hit. Do I need a weapon change--away from epee--or a tactic chage.

[keith]

Originally Posted by Comhri

My short arms have got me down, I just cannnot seem to get the hit. Do I need a weapon change--away from epee--or a tactic chage.

sheesh, in epee they do not give longer weapons to people with longer arms. Wish they did though.

[Epee Scherma]

I can't stand to hear people talk about switching weapons because of the size of their body or arms. Just because your arms are short does not mean you have to give up epee!

Since I am a tall guy, I may not be the best person to recieve tactical advice from and especially since I've only fenced for three years. But here is what I would recomend: Since your arms are shorter than your opponent's, you need to ensure there blade is not in line on you because their arms can reach you from a further distance disadvantaging you, when you go for an attack. So you need to control your opponents blade well. This, and to be real good at changing distance fast. You could also let your opponent make the offensive actions, and you can be strong in parry riposte. When you take the parry you could close distance fast with the riposte leaving your opponents arm hanging out there and you in close range. If those tactics I suggest don't seem to fit what you want to do, or the tactics that others will suggest, then maybe you should consider switching weapons. But you don't neccesarily need long arms to win in epee!

[CvilleFencer]

Long arms are a bit of an advantage, but not the one that many beginning fencers think it is. Otherwise at 6'5" I would be an awesome epee fencer! The sword is the same distance, tip to hand no matter how long your arms are. Chances are that what you need is to change your tactics. Work on hand, bicep and thigh touchs. Learn to use your footwork and timing to set up longer armed fencers into overextension/bad positioning, use distance to stay just out of reach and they launch your attack into their recovering hand/bicep, displace the target so that you can counter for the legs/thighs when your opponent shoots high. And about a zillion other things.

Avoid getting into a reaching contest for body shots without good setup and preperation and learn to use your footwork/size to your advantage. Without knowing anything about you such as where you are in your fencing, how you train, how often you train, the skill level of the fencers in your salle, what system/program/coaching style you are under etc there is not a whole lot of direct advice that anyone can offer you, but general advice can be very helpful as well!

[Zilverzmurfen]

All good answers I think.

You could also try experimenting with the french grip (unless you are already using it, of course ). I've experienced it gives me just that wee bit extra reach.

[Irensaga]

I'm taller than most of the people I fence with.

I won't lie to you. It's a real advantage.

However, there are ways to compensate. The best thing you can do is work on your game at close combat or "infighting." If you're right up in those tall guys' faces, their longer reach is actually going to make it harder for them to hit you.

The trick is making sure their initial attack goes wide. Then you can simply close the distance and jab away at them with impunity. They don't get any points for hitting you with the flat part of the blade. Step into the attack so that the flick aimed at your arm harmlessly bounces off your shoulder or something.

This requires a finely developed sense of timing. But timing is something that short fencers can work on just as much as taller ones.

A second strategy is to focus on their sword arm. Their arms might be longer than yours, but I guarantee you that their blade is exactly the same length. A long arm doesn't help your opponent one bit if you keep nailing their wrist.

Summary:

At distance, aim for the wrist and you'll be on equal footing.

At other times step inside his lunge and make him go passe. Then jab him in the torso.

For both of these to work, focus on basics of distance, timing and point control.

In all fairness though, I will say that rules of right-of-way in sabre and foil do provide shorter fencers with one extra tool to orchestrate a hit in spite of the opponent's longer reach.

[Tydive]

I remember one Epee fencer named Mage. He was around 5 feet tall and pretty stubby but was very difficult to beat. He used a combination of explosive footwork and odd angulation to score hits. I think that is a good overall strategy for short guys. He also would dodge points like a mad man, and was willing to contort himself in any way needed to not get hit. I don't remember if he was an A or B, but he always did well dispite his reach.

So, I would say play to your strong points. Primarly hits to the wrist/arm/thigh using odd angles (French grip may help with that). This can force them out of line, which is when you close distance and infight. Just don't think you can get away with direct simple attacks to deep targets. Work hard to keep close distance and get good at binding blades.

[Inquartata]

I am really having to bite my tongue about the thread title.
( Military guys of a certain age, you know what I mean. )

[Ryne]

I've got the shortest arms of all the guys in the Junior level of my club, but I'm still good against them and others because I taught myself how to fence in close quarters. If you can't beat them with distance, make them come to you and put their long reach to a disadvantage. When you're at close quarters with a long armed opponent, they take longer to draw back their blade for a counter, ripost, or second attack, therefore giving you an advantage.

[parrythis]

I am 6' tall, and there are two things shorter fencers can do that make things challenging for me. First, those that have a good game on my hand/wrist are at no disadvantage. They and I are exactly one epee's length apart from each others' targets. Work on those wrist shots - particularly as a second intention and you will score more points. Second, those that are willing to "in-fight" will challenge me. A shorter fencer that gets inside the zone where my point will land fill force me to retreat. When they time their attacks well I find myself scored upon before I have a chance to re-establish a distance that will work for me.

[grphiw]

Not so much as tactical advice as a more pratical, optimistic piece of advice: if you're arms are shorter, you can also look at it as less target area on your arms, the first area most epee fencers will target. So even if you're arm is an inch shorter, and you're wrist is let's say six inches in circumfrence, that's a whole six square inches less space to hit.

[Rabid Monk]

I'm average in all that (height, arm length, etc).
I have a friend who is about the same proportions, but I can never beat him.
He taks a short blade (I fence foil), and gets inside my reach. I haven't yet figured out how to block it, because he's in so quick that even if I parry, he's too close to be hit, but he can still hit me.
So I'd put by backing behind the guys suggesting infighting. It is effective.

[Alain]

Hang on: you want to change weapons away from épée... are you MAD?!?!?!?!

Size isn't an advantage, and it isn't a disadvantage. Perhaps it is when starting out - especially amongst kids - but at higher levels of fencing height and build really aren't an issue. Skill and tactics... are.

Perhaps you're fencing too simply. No offence intended, all I mean by this is that perhaps you're going for too many direct hits. But once you get to a certain level you need to fence not harder, but smarter. Sometimes you need to be patient, but the idea is to draw a response from your perhaps-taller opponent, and then manipulate it to your advantage... then, use a compound attack and (if necessary, but do it anyway) follow that up with second intention.

For example, today I had a competition and fought someone who was 1m95 (6'4"), and I'm only 1m74 (5'7"). I beat him 15-5 (sorry to brag). Why? - because I didn't bellyflop onto his point; instead, you have to work for every hit and construct it rather than just go for it...