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Prince Twilight · 08-10-2005, 04:44 PM

I am considering making a switch from Sabre to Epee. I'm a 16 year old male. I've fenced sabre for 8 months, and it was the only competitive weapon I've ever fenced. The reason for making the switch is that Epee seems like it favors a tactical mind more than Sabre which emphasizes speed. Tactical thinking has always been a point of pride for me, however (un)deservedly. Also, I am tall and no overweight, something that provides an advantage in Epee more than Sabre to my understanding. Finally, I am thinking of being a fencer and a pentathlete, a farfetched goal seeing as how I do not know how to swim, shoot, or ride. But I can learn.

So, two questions.

Would you recommend that I switch to Epee?

Is 16 years old too old to learn how to swim?

keith · 08-10-2005, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prince Twilight

I am considering making a switch from Sabre to Epee. I'm a 16 year old male. I've fenced sabre for 8 months, and it was the only competitive weapon I've ever fenced. The reason for making the switch is that Epee seems like it favors a tactical mind more than Sabre which emphasizes speed. Tactical thinking has always been a point of pride for me, however (un)deservedly. Also, I am tall and no overweight, something that provides an advantage in Epee more than Sabre to my understanding. Finally, I am thinking of being a fencer and a pentathlete, a farfetched goal seeing as how I do not know how to swim, shoot, or ride. But I can learn.

So, two questions.

Would you recommend that I switch to Epee?

Is 16 years old too old to learn how to swim?

Yes and Yes.

Prince Twilight · 08-10-2005, 04:49 PM

Blast. Seeing that swimming is necessary for pentathlon, there go my chances of that.

Djej · 08-10-2005, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keith

Yes and Yes.

Yes, and No

Go for it.

Inquartata · 08-10-2005, 04:52 PM

If you intend on doing modern pentathlon you have no choice but to switch. With your other reasons I cannot agree. ( For instance, sabre is simply about "tactical thinking" at higher speeds than is the case in epee, not about its lack vs. its presence. ) Nor is height less of an advantage in sabre ( cough* Ben Igoe*cough ).

IMO the only really good reason to change weapons is that you have tried them and enjoy one more than the other.

16 is not too old to learn to swim, any more than it's too late for learning to fence. It may indeed be rather late to become world-class at it, unless you're an exceptional specimen, highly driven and have access to top-notch coaching and competition.

keith · 08-10-2005, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prince Twilight

Blast. Seeing that swimming is necessary for pentathlon, there go my chances of that.

I'd check with a proper swimming coach though if its what you want to do - you do realise just how much training swimming involves?

Prince Twilight · 08-10-2005, 04:55 PM

This is going to require a long thinking session and some soul-searching. I don't know if I have it in me to master all 5 events, and I don't know what my parents will say when I tell them that the thousands of dollars spent on sabre gear was for nothing. Then again I could fence sabre in competitions...

I'm not sure, but I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if I don't try. We'll see, thanks for the advice/support.

mrbiggs · 08-10-2005, 04:57 PM

If you want to do epee, do epee. Modern Pentathelon is a different goal altogether.

Remember, if you hate epee, you can switch back. You're 16, you've got a long time to change.

Prince Twilight · 08-10-2005, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrbiggs

If you want to do epee, do epee. Modern Pentathelon is a different goal altogether.

Remember, if you hate epee, you can switch back. You're 16, you've got a long time to change.

Time seems to be running out for everything that I want to do. I really regret not getting involved in sports a lot earlier...

parrythis · 08-10-2005, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prince Twilight

Time seems to be running out for everything that I want to do. I really regret not getting involved in sports a lot earlier...

At age 16, time is just beginning for you.

It is not too late for you to learn to swim. I learned at age 18. That being said, I will never be a competitive swimmer. That means nothing when it comes to you. You can do whatever you set your mind to do.

Swimming: Kick hard, pull yourself through the water with your arms, breathe in when your face is above water.

Shooting: Aim, hold the gun perfectly still, squeeze the trigger.

Riding: That will take a little time. Remember that you are teaming up with another independently thinking entity (the horse) to achieve a goal. Not easy. Probably more difficult than fencing. I'm still trying to figure it out after 25 years.

Sabre to epee: Given your inclination towards tactical thinking, you should definitely give it a try.

Good luck.

Peach · 08-10-2005, 05:22 PM

I think you need to clarify your goals.

If you're planning to be a pentathlete, you only have to be able to fence epee competently, which you can probably already do if you've fenced sabre for a while, but you really have to be strong in the other areas. So the more important question is not whether you should switch to epee but how you are planning to learn to do the other things.

If you're worried about fencing in college, it probably doesn't matter which weapon you fence. It's more important whether you have national experience and whether you have the grades etc. to get in. Also whether the team has a slot for your weapon available, but that's always hard to predict.

If you want to achieve strong national results, I'd suggest going with the weapon your club and your coach are strongest in. I've had success as a sabre fencer in a club that was always largely epee and foil, but I'm an exception.

If you want to know whether the right weapon for you is epee or sabre, choose the one that feels right to you. It's may be a strong indicator that you like epee if you are under the illusion that sabre is about speed more than tactics. Either that or the people who fence or coach sabre at your club have a limited view of it. There are quite a few tall thin sabre fencers (also short wide ones and everything in between).

Ordway · 08-10-2005, 05:23 PM

Please allow me a moment of angst at the thought of a 16-year-old feeling that time is running out for him. (Aaaiiiiiiiii.) (I turn 31 in a couple weeks and haven't even quite gotten used to being 30 yet.) OK, I'm better now.

If you want to try epee, try epee.

If you want to learn to swim, learn to swim.

If you think that pentathlon sounds interesting, try adding the different sports to your repertoire one by one and see if you enjoy them.

The most important thing is to enjoy what you're doing. If you try epee and swimming and end up not doing pentathlon, or not being good enough to compete in it, what's the down side? None that I can see (assuming you don't start to obsess about perfection). You'll come out of it knowing how to swim (enough to have fun with anyway) and fence epee. Trust me, in 10 years you won't be saying "Darn! I wish hadn't learned to swim!"

Djej · 08-10-2005, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prince Twilight

This is going to require a long thinking session and some soul-searching. I don't know if I have it in me to master all 5 events, and I don't know what my parents will say when I tell them that the thousands of dollars spent on sabre gear was for nothing. Then again I could fence sabre in competitions...

I'm not sure, but I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if I don't try. We'll see, thanks for the advice/support.

Sell it.

warning: riding costs a fortune

good side: Pentathlon is a minority sport, so it probably IS possible to get seriously good at it starting at 16 without being an exceptional physical specimen.

Sciurus-Rex · 08-10-2005, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prince Twilight

I am considering making a switch from Sabre to Epee. I'm a 16 year old male. I've fenced sabre for 8 months, and it was the only competitive weapon I've ever fenced. The reason for making the switch is that Epee seems like it favors a tactical mind more than Sabre ...

No need to go further; you're obviously a bright child and should definitely switch weapons.

Yes, epee does favor a tactical mind more than the other two weapons. It also favors a charismatic personality and youthful exuberance for life that you won't find in sabre or foil.

Peach · 08-10-2005, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sciurus-Rex

No need to go further; you're obviously a bright child and should definitely switch weapons.

Yes, epee does favor a tactical mind more than the other two weapons. It also favors a charismatic personality and youthful exuberance for life that you won't find in sabre or foil.

It also appears to favor a certain snake-oil-salesman personality, I'm beginning to think

EpeeConvert · 08-10-2005, 05:50 PM

The switch from Sabre to Epee can be rather difficult. I started in sabre when i was 15 and fenced competitively for about 2 years but never made any real progress. then i started fencing epee and after a year started taking lessons in epee. i highly suggest that if you want to take epee seriously you need to start taking lessons. i know that they work for some people and not other but from experience this is the best way to squish those sabre tendencies. Find a good coach and you have to really slow down and think about each action. best of luck

Inquartata · 08-10-2005, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peach

It also appears to favor a certain snake-oil-salesman personality, I'm beginning to think

And apparently it requires a vast capacity for self-delusion as well...

Schiavona · 08-10-2005, 07:27 PM

Modern Pentathlon is a very different sport. The fencing is one touche epee, the riding is on a horse that is chosen for you, the shooting is air pistol and the running and swiming are rather basic examples of those sports. You gain points for how well you do in each event and win or loose on your total number of points. If I were you, I'd research Pentathlon more before deciding.

Other than that, switching to epee is the only rational choice one can make in fencing!

Alain · 08-10-2005, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prince Twilight

Would you recommend that I switch to Epee?

Woohoo, he has seen the LIGHT!!! It depends on a few things I guess but, seeming as it's never too late to start fencing at all, then changing between weapons shouldn't be a problem... just give it a go and see how you get on

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prince Twilight

Is 16 years old too old to learn how to swim?

Haven't a clue!

Best of luck

fencergal33 · 08-10-2005, 09:42 PM

Go for it!

Yes, pentathalon is a completely different thing, but hey.....follow your dreams.

I actually made the switch you are talking about this past season. I fenced saber for 5 years, got frustrated, but didn't want to quit fencing altogether. So, I decided to try the weapon that was the most different from saber. Enter: epee. Now, I fence both. I know lots of people who fence foil/epee, and several who fence foil/saber, but no one who fences epee/saber (although I'm sure they are out there). Anyway, the switch was one of the best things I ever did. It was just plain fun. I've also found (especially with the new timing) that epee has really helped my saber. My distance and timing have both improved, and everything became fun again.

Bottom line:

Do what you want to do. Have fun with it! I didn't start fencing until I was 21, so you're never too old to start something....be it epee, swimming, or both.