Wheelchair fencing

[hpfencing]

Have youever tried to fence wheelchair style, what was it like!

[rmyounis]

My coach coaches the national and olympic wheelchair team, so I have fenced it many times...its quite tricky - no distance to rely on to get you out of trouble

[Rabid Monk]

I fenced it once.
Wheelchair fencer's are difficult to beat.
They are used to being stationary, and I wasn't.
Taht, and her point control was, at the time, far superios to mine.

[Alain]

I haven't tried it, no, but I've seen it quite a few times and it always fascinates me. Everything happens so quickly!

One thing I do do occasionally at practice, for a bit of fun, is to fence your partner with both of you sat down: feet to feet, no hitting below the waist. Good fun, and gives you an idea of how hard it must be for the wheelchair guys and gals

[Boo Boo]

I have fenced wheelchair fencing at a competition once. It was a normal "mixed pairs" (mens/womens foil) competition where one of the pairs and one half of a pair where wheelchair fencers - so we fenced the wheelchair fencers on their terms.

It was very interesting. We had all the correct kit - the wheelcairs, the frame (which is adjusted to hold the fencers at the correct distance), and were strapped in (so that we couldn't move out of the seats).

Most of us who tried the wheelchair fencing actually found it easier than able bodied fencing - you don't have to worry about what your feet are doing! Instead you gain distance by leaning back/forward.

Flicks to shoulder/back (this was two years ago when I did it) were very affective...

It was also quite painful - the wheelchair fencers were hitting pretty hard and, since you were strapped into a wheelchair, you couldn't get out the way quite so well.

Perhaps surprisingly, we found that the better able bodied fencers beat the wheelchair fencers quite easily...

If you have the opportunity to do it, definitely worth trying

Boo

[Victor]

"Easier" is probably the wrong word to use in comparison.
Try "Different."

[Beeblebrox]

Originally Posted by Boo Boo

Perhaps surprisingly, we found that the better able bodied fencers beat the wheelchair fencers quite easily...

I don't think you have seen enough quality wheelchair fencing. I've had the pleasure of seeing wheelchair fencers beat able bodied olympic fencers. I would advise that noone should ever underestimate what they can do.

[VERITAS]

I have never fenced wheelchair style or even seen such a thing occur. I have glanced at the rules, though.
If memory serves both particapant's wheelchairs are secured to the floor, so combat is entirely stationary.

Would fighting from chairs in appropriate distance be about the same?

I have experimented with some odd fencing scenarios. I have tried epee and foil on a balance beam (only an inch or two off the floor, and fairly skinny), or from a prone position--unfortunately not always intentionally. Very useful training for balance and careful distance.

Another question: when you pit able-bodied fencers against wheelchair fencers, they are both immobolized in wheelchairs, correct?
It would be interesting to have a superior fencer immobolized, while less experienced fencers could take and spend distance. Hardly for competition, but perhaps useful for training.

Perhaps there should be a stationary fencing event included in competitions, allowing both the wheelchair-bound and the able-bodied to enjoy some distance controlled fencing.

[Boo Boo]

Originally Posted by Victor

"Easier" is probably the wrong word to use in comparison.
Try "Different."

No, easier for those of us who tried it - because there was less to worry about. Sometimes, in fencing, "over-enthusiastic" feet can cause problems - if you remove the feet from the equation, life can be easier.

Yes, it is different too and fun.

Originally Posted by Beeblebrox

I don't think you have seen enough quality wheelchair fencing. I've had the pleasure of seeing wheelchair fencers beat able bodied olympic fencers. I would advise that noone should ever underestimate what they can do.

I don't think anyone who fenced the wheelchair fencers "underestimated" them - infact, it is rather daunting facing people on their terms and not yours. Admitedly the people we fenced were national team members and not Olympic Champions. Unfortunately I have seen very little high quality wheelchair fencing: wheelchair fencing gets even less TV coverage than able-bodied fencing.

Anybody who gets the opportunity to try it, should - it obviously stresses different things to able-bodied fencing and gives a different perspective.

Originally Posted by VERITAS

IWould fighting from chairs in appropriate distance be about the same?

No, it is not just the enforcement of distance, but also the stability that the rig gives: despite fencing in wheelchairs, disabled fencers can move a LOT in their chairs (some of the wheelchair fencers have qualified because they have had Polio, but they can still walk) - if I remember correctly a wheelchair fencer must have "one bottom cheek" on the chair at all times. If the wheelchairs were not secured in the frame, they could move closer together or even tip over...

Boo

[kalivor]

Originally Posted by Beeblebrox

I don't think you have seen enough quality wheelchair fencing. I've had the pleasure of seeing wheelchair fencers beat able bodied olympic fencers. I would advise that noone should ever underestimate what they can do.

Yes, but I'd expect that most wheelchair fencers suffer from a lack of competition ... which would mean that a decent lower-level able bodied fencer would usually be able to beat a decent lower-level wheelchair fencer. Particularly if the decent able bodied fencer depended more on their hands than their feet.

At higher levels, clearly the wheelchair fencer knows how to fence in a wheelchair well, against a variety of high quality opponents. The able bodied fencer doesn't stand a chance.

Personally, I've never actually done wheelchair fencing, but I have had "wheelchair fencing style" lessons due to an injury that kept me off my feet. It was very different, and very difficult. I was used to using my feet too much to be comfortable with it. And next year, my club will start to include wheelchair fencing (I think -- it's still in the works), so I'll get the chance to try my hand at it.

[kalivor]

Originally Posted by VERITAS

Would fighting from chairs in appropriate distance be about the same?

It's possible to get a bit of the feel, but it still wouldn't be the same (or even close to it). In wheelchair fencing, the chairs are fixed very solidly, and leaning is a big part of the game. With a regular chair, leaning the way they do in wheelchair fencing is out. You've got to keep both cheeks on the seat, and have a steady upper body.

OK for (some) lessons, no good for an actual bout. Still, you can get a bit of the feel for the distance and some of the difficulty/differences involved. It'd still be a fair bit different from the real thing, though.

[Victor]

Originally Posted by Beeblebrox

I don't think you have seen enough quality wheelchair fencing. I've had the pleasure of seeing wheelchair fencers beat able bodied olympic fencers. I would advise that no one should ever underestimate what they can do.

Bingo.
An elite-level chair athlete will knock the snot out of an able-bodied opponent.

These sorts of comments really chap my hide: "I've never tried or seen it myself -- I have no experience whatsoever -- but I assuuuuuuume it must be easier." Likewise with polite dismissals and references to "real" or "actual" fencing.

Tell ya what, kiddos, you train your assets off day after day, year after year, to be the best at ANYTHING and then see how you feel when someone says it's not a "real" activity.

[Fencergrl]

I have never tried wheelchair fencing, other than practicing my parries and beats with my husband. -He's a paraplegic…. although he doesn’t fence I hate that he has great technique!

I have tried wheelchair basketball and it was the hardest sport I have ever played…. Using your arms to push and dribble at the same time…. against people who live in their sports equipment (their chair).! The able bodies have a definite disadvantage in the sport (most of them spend the first few times lying on their backs, as sports chairs are light in the front end and they flip easily).

I played at a high level with our provincial and national team. These were serious athletes. 5 of my teammates went to the Olympics; one had a gold medal in three different sports. I gave it up after a series of rotator cuff injuries.

Based on what I know about fencing and wheelchair sports, I would agree that wheelchair fencers would have great point control, and strong arms, as anyone can fence in that style I can’t image they would have trouble finding people to fence against.

I think it would be good to try as it would be a good way to work on your blade work however, a good part of fencing is about movement. Wheelchairs move much faster than legs do, I wouldn’t want to play a wheelchair sport that takes away the best part about being in a sports chair…. flying!

[Fencergrl]

I am guessing that it would be the same as most wheelchair sports.
The able body would have to fence from a sports chair (Wheelchair Sporting Associations rent them).

I would assume that if a wheelchair athlete wanted to fence in a competition, they would arrange to have an additional chair set-up with whatever additional equipment that would be required.


Another question: when you pit able-bodied fencers against wheelchair fencers, they are both immobolized in wheelchairs, correct?
It would be interesting to have a superior fencer immobolized, while less experienced fencers could take and spend distance. Hardly for competition, but perhaps useful for training.

Perhaps there should be a stationary fencing event included in competitions, allowing both the wheelchair-bound and the able-bodied to enjoy some distance controlled fencing.[/quote]

[jtnation]

I fenced one competition a long time ago (at rmyounis's club, actually) where a wheelchair fencer was in my pool. So, each of the able-bodied fencers strapped into a wheelchair to fence that bout. I remember it being pretty fun.

It was over really quickly, too - there was no waiting around until everything was right.

--JTN

[Boo Boo]

Originally Posted by Victor

These sorts of comments really chap my hide: "I've never tried or seen it myself -- I have no experience whatsoever -- but I assuuuuuuume it must be easier." Likewise with polite dismissals and references to "real" or "actual" fencing.

Assume that you are not refering to my comments, because I have done wheelchair fencing.

Have you done wheelchair fencing Victor?

[Victor]

Originally Posted by Boo Boo

Assume that you are not refering to my comments, because I have done wheelchair fencing.

Have you done wheelchair fencing Victor?

Why, yes, I have. Regularly and over a period of years, I've trained with a dear friend.
Thanks for asking.

[Boo Boo]

Originally Posted by Victor

Why, yes, I have. Regularly and over a period of years, I've trained with a dear friend.
Thanks for asking.

Oh good, glad that you weren't taking opinions out of context and rubbishing them without any experience yourself...

Maybe you could post some constructive comments to answer the original posters question as well, from your experience of what it is like...

[Victor]

Or maybe I could ignore your baiting.

[Cheng]

I fenced with the PARALYMPICS GAMES 2004 men's and women's foil gold medal winners. They are from Hong Kong and we fence at the same sport centre.
They are fast, strong, very good piont control.They can flick to shoulder/back easily with NEW TIMING!!!!!!!!