Which do YOU find more mentally taxing to set up?

[Inquartata]

Isn't the word Ballistic mostly used for guns, missiles and projectiles?

Perhaps that's why so many people are wearing Underarmour instead of t-shirts these days.

[achilleus]

Something must be wrong with my footwork.

Isn't the word Ballistic mostly used for guns, missiles and projectiles?

The better term is probably be dynamic footwork.

We have enough absurd terminology in this sport.

Too true about the terminology. I think, however, the sport fencers know what Cfaustus is referring to when he uses the word 'ballistic.' Just like we know how ridiculous a notion it is to set up 5th intention bladework actions on a regular basis.

[jeff]

I have to take a mea culpa for 'ballistic', as I'm the one that introduced the word to the thread, not cfaustus. It's a jargon I've heard used for a long time (I think I first heard it from Eric Rosenberg, now president of NYFC when we were both actively competing.) Sorry.

On the explanation of how footwork changed, I'll happily take an "almost exactly right" from achiileus any day.

cfaustus, does this make everything clear as to why N-th intention actions are not used (and that this doesn't represent less realistic fencing)?

[veeco]

For me, fencing is very rarely a mental game. Its all about feel. The second intentions and counter times and all that stuff just flows out in the mish mash of bladework and footwork. The only mental part, for me, is trying to keep the right mindset, and keep focused.

You will learn and discover the joys of the intelligence required by the game, once you get older ;-).

[cfaustus]

cfaustus, does this make everything clear as to why N-th intention actions are not used (and that this doesn't represent less realistic fencing)?

No offense Jeff, but while this does explain the reason for not using n'th degree actions in sport fencing generally, I have to respectfully decline to judge on its application in 'realistic' fencing.

Personally, I like my bag of tricks to be full and I like to be able to pull an assortment out at will. I find this makes it hard for opponent's to figure me out while it gives me more tools to deal with what they have. And among these, the simpler actions are always prefered, but I like to have alternatives when these are'nt cutting it. Does it sometimes make fencing more mentally and physically (because of the lack of time to react) challenging for me. Sure. Does that mean that sometimes I get mentally fatigued during the course of a tournament? Sometimes. If people want to call me a poor fencer for that, fine. By their standards I probably am. I enjoy fencing the way I do. Finding ways to overcome the mental fatigue and to overcome fencers of sheer athleticism while maintaining depth in my fencing is precisely one of the reasons why I continue to engage in sport fencing as an exercise.

I too must make a mea culpa of presuming that my approach was one that was perhaps shared by others in SF. Thank you to all of you for setting me straight on this.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

You will learn and discover the joys of the intelligence required by the game, once you get older ;-).

God I hope so..... I just dont have the technical skills to use any real kind of strategy at the moment.

[jeff]

cfaustus, no offense taken. Fencing is a rich enough world that we can all train and fence in ways that are pleasing to us, and hopefully effective as well. My difference with you is over the assertion that N-th intention style of fencing is more realistic with sharps. I think that unproven, and that the burden of proof would be on those making that claim. No reference I've seen gives evidence that this is what people do (and survive) with sharps, and I posted a few examples to the contrary.

That said, it's a skilled activity with high aesthetic value for those that can pull it off (which is why I feel it developed in cultured salles of the upper classes, rather than on the field of combat). If you enjoy it (and I have done so myself) then more power to you, but let's leave it out of they "my kung fu is more authentic than yours" arena.