Fencing.Net - Your Guide to Fencing & Fencing Equipment

Inquartata · 07-26-2002, 07:01 PM

I dunno...ask just about any woman sabre fencer and she'll tell you there's a perceptible difference between fencing against men and fencing other women---one that only partly has to do with the level of aggression and power. If there's a difference, then obviously they aren't fencing exactly like men are ( except when fencing against them ). I have never gotten a concrete explanation of what that difference is, only that there is a different "feel"...

135711 · 07-30-2002, 04:05 PM

i think there's a difference in fencing other women and fencing men. when i fence men, i find it more enjoyable, i think they react faster, making it more challenging for me to keep up. the women will take more time thinking,which is fine, so do I, and which is why i don't necessarily agree with the new rules about 'not fighting' etc. estrogen produces a different effect than does testosterone. it's not a vague silly notion, the results are obvious, and a zillion studies have been completed to show this, but people keep refuting the obvious. i don't believe it's a muscle thing either, women are also very strong, we just use our strength differently. also, women who have had children have produced another hormone that relaxes the collegen in the body, and once that's done, there'a a completely different effect produced.

darius · 07-30-2002, 07:11 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />I think there's a difference in fencing other women and fencing men. when i fence men, i find it more enjoyable, i think they react faster, making it more challenging for me to keep up.<hr /></blockquote>You just haven't fenced the right women.

darius

achilleus · 07-31-2002, 03:27 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by darius:
[quote]You just haven't fenced the right women.

darius<hr /></blockquote>You haven't fenced the right men. While I haven't noticed any 'hesitation' in women's saber, and the athletes have improved drastically, there is a huge difference in they way men and women fence, and not just in saber.

This is not to say that one is better than the other, just way different. It's like that in almost all sports.

135711 · 07-31-2002, 07:19 PM

maybe, i don't know, i fenced three very tough women in the past two years, i thought they were good, but they don't keep the partnership going, they fence one or twice and dissapear into corners, generally, my most steady sparring partners were the men.

[ 08-05-2002, 11:07 PM: Message edited by: 135711 ]

counter riposte · 08-07-2002, 02:26 PM

Hey Purple Fencer:

How are things progressing with your student? Have you successfully converted her over to the darkside, or are you going to turn her over to Derek?

Purple Fencer · 08-08-2002, 09:08 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by counter riposte:
Hey Purple Fencer:

How are things progressing with your student? Have you successfully converted her over to the darkside, or are you going to turn her over to Derek?<hr /></blockquote>Actually, we're BOTH coming along nicely. I've been working primarily on her parry-riposts, specifically immediatly riposting after the parry, instead of wasting time returning to her on guard. She's starting to get it.

For myself, I'm getting more confident in my teaching...the fact that I can see improvement gives me more confidence!