I am looking for some games for distance that I can use in my beginners class and youth programs.
ideas? Please post them here...
I am looking for some games for distance that I can use in my beginners class and youth programs.
ideas? Please post them here...
Glove tag with advances and retreats, lunge. 2 fencers face off, they each have a glove. Fencer A uses advances and retreats to try and hit Fencer B, ending with a lunge. If they miss, Fencer B gets to chase them. If they hit, reset to half of on guard distance or so and begin again with Fencer B. Rules for running off the end of strip as normal.
The glove game is an old and great but I'm looking for something new; we already do this.Originally Posted by KD5MDK
thanks for posting KD5MDK
My son and I put a tennis ball at the end of a one yard long dowel. You place the "ball" end on your opponent's chest, and move back and forth. The idea is not to thrust into the dowel by moving forward, and not to allow the ball to come off your opponent's chest. This exercise give a good sense of distance and timing.
Cat and Mouse:
One fencer is designated as "Cat", the other "Mouse". Only Cat has a weapon. Both can do whatever footwork desired. Cat's goal is to get close enough to hit with a simple attack. Mouse's goal is to convince the Cat that s/he has accomplished that goal and initiate said attack, but still be in a position to escape.
Variant - Cat and Mouse with teeth:
As above, both with weapon. Cat's goal is unchanged. Mouse's goal is the same, with the addition of the second-level goal of being able to make a simple attack back and score on cat after escaping.
In neither variant are parries allowed (other than distance). Stophits are not allowed in C+Mw/T (and not possible in C+M). Running the mouse into the wall and then hitting him/her is frowned upon. Mice are encouraged to play with the cat (otherwise what is the fun in being a mouse?) rather than just maintain extremely long distances. The game works better the more the players try to put into it (cats that wait until complete slam-dunk opportunities won't get much out of it, mice that stay 4+ meters away won't get much out of it, cats and mice that flirt with that danger line both have more fun and get more out of the drill).
Another similar game:
Both fencers have weapons, both are allowed any footwork, neither are allowed any parries or counterattacks, both are allowed simple attacks. Otherwise fence as normal. Goal is to set up a distance error by one's opponent/partner and score.
-B
"Oh but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you!"
I've done similar games...
Advance only game -- one side (A) advances, and other other retreats, with one attack allowed from A -- no other movements allowed. Side A's object is to close the distance to B or trick B through change of tempo, where'as B's job is to tempt A into a premature attack through playing with distance, etc. Point for A if he succeeds, point for B if he gets A to attack and falls short. Point against A if he makes it to the other end of the strip without attacking.
Follow the leader -- both sides square off at lunge distance. Then A moves, B follows. At the even of some movements, director calls halt. If B is still within lunge range of A, he gets a point.
Rope drills -- get a piece of rope, about 2 meters long. Both fencers go on guard, holding the ends of the rope. The object is for the fencers to move back and forth, up and down the strip without losing hold of the rope, or to close in close enough for a touch (one side will lead). If A gets close enough to get a finger touch, he gets a point. If B retreats so he pulls the rope out of A's hand, he loses a point.
Larrison's "follow the leader" is really about the best pure distance training you can do--A does footwork, and B has to follow. Switch who gets to lead every 30 or 45 seconds. A can give hand signals for B to attack in various ways--right fist raised means lunge, left fist raised means advance-lunge, both fists raised mean double-retreat-lunge, a hop by A means B fleches....
A variant is to allow A to walk/run back and forth and B has to follow using fencing footwork, again with hand signals.
These are very good drills because you learn to focus on your opponent's chest/head/whatever keeps you at the right distance.
Why sabre? Because you don't take heads with the point.
I love the idea of the follow me drill and the cat and mouse drills. Please keep your ideas coming.
This isn't a game but probably would be categorized as a drill. But one that I have found is very good for dealing with distance (I've only tried it in epee). Two fencers in full gear. Both can move in their own time. Fencer one is constrained to attack only by a lunge and thrust to the chest. Fencer two is constrained to step back (parry with distance) only. Game is extended in stages as fencer one can use an advance lunge and fencer two can use a parry riposte. No disengages or other moves are allowed. The attacker has to attack within so many seconds or if not timed then is instructed to attack quickly. Part of the drill is to continue even if touches are made.
Point of the game/drill is instruction in basic lunges and in parry riposte. It can be excellent training for both as long as they understand they are training and not making points.
J.
J Jefferies
A funny one I saw once... One person presses their mask against the others chest. The other controls the distance. Move away too much, dent your mask. Something of an incentive system...
have fencers line up, and do advances and retreats. Have the fencer on the right end throw a tennis ball, with his weapon hand, to the fencer to the left of him, and then that fencer throws it to the fencer to the left of him, continuening on till you get to the left end, then start throwing it to the right.
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. And from this side only! The flight of a half-man, half-bird. Dinosaurs nuzzling their young in pastures where strip malls should be. Cookies on dowels. All those moment, lost in time. Gone, like eggs off a hooker's stomach. Time to die" -Phil Ken Sebben
Hello,
one game tat es did here is the following. It is played with two person. One face the other in sixth position. The have at hand a rope. So when one step forrwards the other goes backwards. If one moves three times forrward the other goes three times backwards and etc. This is a nice distance training especially if the rope lenght is near the distance between 2 fencers in a boot.
The purpose of tactic is to conquer the enemy with proper war movements and actions.
-Tactics of Emperor Leon 6th the Wise
I run into a problem with some distance games, such as the glove game. I overlunge and lean because I'm trying so hard to hit the other person. I wonder if there's a better way to correct this besides diverting my attention from distance to concentrating on good form. I can't seem to do them both well at once. I suppose I just need to do more footwork drills, huh?
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