The good old days.

[ReverseLunge]

http://www.lorica.risp.pl/4/1/precyzja3.jpg

[sabreur]

Nadi's duel. The picture is commonly cited as an example of how much pressure one is under when confronted with sharps, since Nadi's form supposedly was always perfect, and it is considerably less than perfect in the photo. Although to me it looks like he's executing a jump back with a stop thrust to the wrist. Front knee is a little crooked, but that is not unusual.

So maybe his form wasn't so perfect, but it took a camera to show what the eye didn't want to believe....

MR

[ReverseLunge]

How good do you think Nadi was compared to the fencers today? I would give him a C rating at best.

[sabreur]

How good do you think Nadi was compared to the fencers today? I would give him a C rating at best.

It's an unanswerable hypothetical, much like the katana vs. rapier discussions. He was ostensibly very quick and very well-trained. There are really two questions:

1. Would very quick and well-trained in Nadi's hey-day translate to very quick and well-trained today? The level of athleticism and ability in almost all sports has increased dramatically since the first part of the 20th Century-- as a 17-year-old in 1975, I swam faster than Johnny Weissmueller. I have a feeling Nadi might not have been as much of a superman as he makes himself out to be.

2. Would Nadi's training give him a basis that would allow him to adapt successfully to the modern game? I've argued this the other way--that modern fencers have core skills that they could apply very successfully under classical rules. I think it is harder going the other way--you're moving to a less structured, much faster environment.

But basically, who knows?

MR

[Westley]

That photo is ubercool. I love that their pants are up to their chests urkel style. Who won?

[PalmFrond]

Nadi won - the other guy conceded defeat.

As to the form: they were fencing on a surface with lots of loose pebbles, which Nadi complains about in his autobio. They also had to wear street shoes. Hence, possibly, the lack of classical form in the photo.

[neevel]

That photo is ubercool. I love that their pants are up to their chests urkel style. Who won?

Nadi. Contronei drew first blood with an flick-like (!) shot to the wrist. Nadi then inflicted several wounds on Contronei, who ended the duel and acknowledged Nadi's victory.

[Westley]

Ha. Wuss.