Grips

[SteveOhhh]

I am relatively new to fencing (about 1 year) and am looking to get a practice foil. In my class we only have the french grips, but I am curious to know if one of the other grips would serve me better. I am not sure it makes a difference, but I am left handed. Any insight would be greatly appreicated.

[houdini1982]

If you are more comfortable with a french grip stay with it. It never hurts to try out other grips. The next tourny you are at with a vender, just go and try everyone of there grips untill you find one you like. Don't stop at on vender either, even though all venders sell Visconti grips ( for example ) they are all a little bit different.

[D'Artag-NOT]

The grip. A very personal choice. I always fence dry with a French to keep my bladework flexible. For tournaments I use a modified Belgian grip. But you really do need to try the different grips--perhaps borrowing weapons from teammates (hard to do for a lefty, I know) or visiting the vendors' tables. Ideally, your grip should not inhibit you from doing neat, swift little disengages and coupes with your fingers. It should also fit the size of your hand--I need a larger grip because I have arthritis in my weapon hand.

If you have sufficient strength to avoid being disarmed during competitions, there's no particular reason to change from the French if that's what you like best.