08-02-2005, 06:54 AM
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#1 | | Just Joined
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 3
| Age to start fencing?
Hey guys,
Well after all these years I am back at fencing. I did it when I was about 8 for about a year and it was great fun and now I am 19 (a month short of 20) and just got back into it. So I am not aspiring for olympic dreams,...lol but I dont want to suck. I was pretty good when I was younger so how could can one get in my situation. I want to have fun but I want it to be mildy serious also. Whats the oldest you have seen a person start and achieve something in this sport? | 
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08-02-2005, 07:16 AM
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#2 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Under the sea
Posts: 2,764
| James Williams didn't start fencing until he was roughly your age, andis probably the best sabreur (arguably fencer of any sort) Britain has ever produced. He's been to 3 Olympics, numerous World Championships, countless European Champs, etc.
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08-02-2005, 08:33 AM
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#3 | | Scavenger
Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 4,589
| Depends on what you mean by "achieve something.' Many people mean "Olympics" by that, and to get into that particular circus you really have to be fairly obsessed, start young, have considerable parental support, be willing to throw huge pots of money and time into traveling, and train with one of the best coaches for that. However, if you want to get good enough to, say, win local tournaments or even national medals, you're fine!
Good luck coming back into this great sport. I hope you enjoy yourself.
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08-02-2005, 09:28 AM
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#4 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Charlotte, NC area
Posts: 2,501
| It really depends on what you want to achieve...
I started fencing at 21. Althought definitely a little old for things like Olympic dreams, it's still young enough to achieve "something". On a local level, I'm pretty decent, but on the National level......I'm a nobody. It doesn't really matter though, as long as I'm having a good time.
One guy who used to fence at my club (but unfortunately doesn't have the time anymore) started fencing at about age 50. He was in fantastic shape, and did very well at the Veteran NAC's for a few years. That was a great enough goal for him.
Another fencer I know started at age 72. He was the oldest fencer my coach ever taught. He was never a very great competitor, but did manage to earn his "E", and loved the sport more than almost anyone I've ever met.
You see.......it's all relative! | |
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08-02-2005, 09:52 AM
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#5 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: MA
Posts: 7,400
| 19 isn't very young at all to start fencing, as many are first introduced to the sport in college. | |
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08-02-2005, 09:58 AM
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#6 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: London
Posts: 1,216
| Quote: |
Originally Posted by Gabina Hey guys,
Well after all these years I am back at fencing. I did it when I was about 8 for about a year and it was great fun and now I am 19 (a month short of 20) and just got back into it. So I am not aspiring for olympic dreams,...lol but I dont want to suck. I was pretty good when I was younger so how could can one get in my situation. I want to have fun but I want it to be mildy serious also. Whats the oldest you have seen a person start and achieve something in this sport? | People have started at your age and made it to the Olympics, and an even greater number of them have avoided sucking. | |
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08-02-2005, 12:16 PM
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#7 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Middle of Nowhere, Germany
Posts: 242
| I started at 26 (I'm 31 now) and was able to pull up the middle in German tournaments, which are kind of tough since scrubs don't ever go. That's "something," at least for me. We changed to the new timings and I'm back where I was when I was 27, the bottom third, but the small goals are still there: don't lose a bout to zero, don't lose to anyone with goofy socks, and don't lose to people with crazy colored hair.
I like to think that's "something" too. | |
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08-02-2005, 01:08 PM
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#8 | | Just Joined
Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Mallorca (Spain)
Posts: 11
| In part it depends on your physical conditions, if you have done other sports...
if you are in good shape, and have some natural conditios you can learn in two or three years all the things you would have learned by now if you had continued fencing. So your age is a problem and you'll have to work hard, but I know many people who have started being older than you and they are great fencers now. | |
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08-02-2005, 01:28 PM
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#9 | | Friend of Fencing
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Being helpful in Breeland
Posts: 863
| An exceptional case I've seen would be Dr. Marvin Fine who picked up the sport in his 60's. During the time that I was in the same area, he kept a very active and non-discriminating competition schedule. It didn't matter what division or category. If it was fencing, he did it. Very physical fencer, even by the standards from the days before Sabre fencing "went soft." Perfect gentleman off the strip. But once the mask came down, he was a beast.
He used to (probably still does) run 5K miles in his luch break between appointments... literraly!!! And his heartrate would return to sub-50 in a matter of minutes!
He competed actively at NACs (Open and Veteran), Vet World events, Maccabiah Games, etc. Oftentimes he would overwhelm much younger opponents with his physical and psychological conditioning.
Other local Vet fencers I've seen recently keep up with the lads are Bill Hall, and Michael Cohen, both Sabre fencers as well as Dan McCarthy who's been known to fence until he can't hold his Foil or even stand on his feet anymore. | |
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08-02-2005, 06:12 PM
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#10 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Wokingham, United Kingdom
Posts: 581
| First off, welcome back to the sport Gabina!
As a lot have people have said, I think everything about achievement is relative. In answer to your question, it is possible to get to a decent level if you stick with it for a few years. Another UK example is Simon Austin - EPEEist - who I think started in his late teens and later became national champ.
I think the main thing is to keep having fun, and if you stick with it and practise regularly enough you'll steadily improve. Best of luck!!!  | |
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08-03-2005, 05:22 AM
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#11 | | Have Blazer, Will Travel
Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 10,034
| I have no idea when Ray Sexton started, but he's over 60 and is the A spot for each weapon in the US Vet-60 teams. If people can fence successfully at that age, you've got some 40 years to get to the level you want, and that's plenty of time. | |
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08-03-2005, 05:44 AM
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#12 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: UK
Posts: 784
| I find this question quite odd (it is asked by different people on a regular basis) - most people have the ability to become good (i.e. not suck) at most activities during their adult lives.
There can't be many sports that, if you pick up in your late teens (early 20s or quite a bit later), you can't become good at with some serious training, dedication and the right attitude. I guess gymnastics would be difficult, but can't think of many others. It might be asking too much if you want to become Olympic Champion, but anything is possible with the right genes, talent and training...
I took up fencing at university (so over 18) and am now on my country's national team - so don't suck (well not ALL the time...  ).
Boo
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