The Real Me

[omegacode]

Howdy ladies and gentleman cowpokes..

I'm a foil fencer from Davis, California. I've been at it for a little under 2 years.

my pros and cons

Pros: I'm an agressive fencer who's fairly good at body dodges, pris de faire bladework, and the simpler complex actions. I favor simple disengages and coupes, and I'm relatively good at them. I have a useful lockout in 8 and 3. I can infight a little, and at my lower level it comes in handy. I have a good parry 6, 2, and 3. I have a fun backwards toe-slide + counterattack which pisses the crap out of upper level fencers who end up going passe, and getting my point on their shoulder (even though I haven't got the right of way)

Cons: My back foot doens't stay on the floor. I have a short playbook. I rarely lunge. I can't prime. I have an open line of 7. I close distance too fast. my parry-ripostes in the line of 7 and 8 are fairly poor, and my 4 is wide and my 5 rarely comes in time, unless of course you're being obvious. I forget to retreat with my parries, and my tempo is rather fast (not necessarily bad) but predictable.

I was on dry french grip earlier, but recently switched to electric belgian... it is my favorite grip (I've tried out others, but they just don't cut it).

I can see my errors, I'm trying to fix them. Tips and tricks are appreciated.

I need vocabulary in order to conceptualize movements. I'm very very concept oriented (as opposed to process oriented people who require someone to show them how in order to conceptualize).

.::Omegacode::.

[Mr Epee]

I need vocabulary in order to conceptualize movements. I'm very very concept oriented (as opposed to process oriented people who require someone to show them how in order to conceptualize).
.::Omegacode::.

Great, one of these guys - he should fit it well around here.

[slinksterash]

welcome.

i am having the same problem with my lunges,
but i am working on it quite a bit and hoping in time my bad-lunging habit will break.

[omegacode]

which problem with your lunge? I barely ever lunge, when I do, they're pretty good.

The problem with my back foot, is that its part of this weird parry-riposte/counterattack/body dodge thing I do.. ever see a picture of a ballerina or an ice skater? thats what I do.. here.. I'll link you to a pictoral form

http://www.spookmaster.com/pumpkin-c...-ballerina.jpg

[omegacode]

The problem being that although its momentarily fast, you become slow if you miss, or get parried, and you have to balance, which runs a serious hazard

[keith]

well since you fence foil have someone with a sabre watch you bout and hit you hard every time you do it while screaming "you're fencing foil you stupid pillock not epee".

seriously; if you are going to counter attack you need to work on the tempo of the action - and the ballerina pose is not the way to do it (even if you look pretty in a tutu). You want to scoot back in balance. Try extending the arm as the back leg goes back (as for a normal step), then complete the step back and bring yourself back to a normal on guard.

....but welcome and enjoy the silliness.

[ThatReallyHurt]

Welcome aboard - enjoy the forum!