what is your "OH S***!!!" response?

[WhipLash]

i have a bad habit...when surprised i hop back and at the same time swing my foil up in an arc in front of me. usually i'll connect with their blade but can't really riposte...

[veeco]

That would be in sequential order:

extend - and only then retreat!
"petit bonhomme" (ducking counter-attack)

[sabreur]

In sabre, if I get caught out like this, I'm almost always hit.

If I was really completely surprised, I often laugh, oddly enough.

MR

[jeff]

Parry and run like hell. If they really did catch me flat-footed then say "Nice hit" and walk back to on guard line smacking self on the side of the mask

[VELISARIOS]

I try to parry with 6 or 4. Some times I did counter attack.

[Christopher J Umbs]

Do you mean what's my panic response if I'm not thinking? I'd say an overly heavy beat in 1 or 2 and then windshield whiping (1/2 repeatedly). If I'm thinking, maybe a reverse lunge with a displacement.

[Duellist USA]

Lets see...

In epee I tend to lauch a counter attack to the forehead,usually right between the eyes....Its a legal attack and tends to make folks flinch and either lose point control and miss...or if they do manage to hit...well....they tend not to try that attack again...or they lean back when they do which really messes up thier distance...

In sabre...I sorta grin and run away really fast... a crossover retreat..crane...and then lunge...amazing how many people forget that the point of a sabre counts as much as the blade...


But then again...no one ever claimed I was a nice guy....*g*

Rick Shellhouse

[pigeonmeister]

If I'm I find my self doing the windscream wiper parries it is usually too late, and I get annoyed because I havn't moved my feet. If I predict this scenerio I either try and get my feet going in the opposite direction as fast as possible and establish some sort of point in line to fend them off. If I judge that it is too late for this I just force corps a corps.

If I have been hit by an amazing wonder touch I just stand rooted to the spot in astonishment of what has hit me, I then catch the eye of my opponent, nod approvement and respect, and then declare 'fluke'!

[kalivor]

If I'm really surprised and caught with timing, then I'm hit.

If I have time for a reaction, then I haven't been caught with timing, though they might be doing something unexpected. In this case, my reaction varies depending on the situation.

[Katman]

Usually I dive onto my opponent's tip or parry myself or stand tall and proud and get hit.

[ThatReallyHurt]

Kick out my back leg to open up distance whilst extending my arm. I don't know why I do that, but I've made a few hits with it, even though my coach isn't entirely supportive of that particular strategy...

[aztecookami]

If I am in the zone I DON'T get hit!
HA HA Just kidding! When I get hit (usually about 90% of the time) I yell "COOOOOEEEE!", shake my head in disbelief and saulte my opponent.
However if I do see it coming, I jump back and drop straight down, go for crosswise over my head parry/bind and from that low position push off with my left leg into what can only be described as a jumping fleche or as I like to call it-the deathfrog special.