psychological effects of fencing

[saeras]

Since you've first started fencing can you say its had an (meaning has it changed your personality over the years) altering affect on your personality, or opinions , has it made you make any self-realizations about yourself?

[TrainingDummy]

Originally Posted by saeras

Since you've first started fencing can you say its had an (meaning has it changed your personality over the years) altering affect on your personality, or opinions , has it made you make any self-realizations about yourself?

Actually, yes. It gives me something to concentrate on whenever the parts of my life that really suck start to get to me. Fencing has made me more independent and is a great stress reliever.

[restlesscheese]

Fencing has forced me to be more outgoing and agressive, instead of being shy and quiet. It's sort of like the Captain Kirk transporter incident where he got split into his 2 halves... I rely on my "fencing half" to provide the outgoing stuff, and my "everyday half" to provide the reasoning and patience.

[eac]

I started fencing as a nerd, and I was nerdily interested in the tactical aspects, like my interest in military history. Eventually (and it took a looong time for club reasons) I became competitive, and I slowly acquired the meritocratic attitude common at competitions. Now, the meritocratic attitude extends to most other parts of my life. In fencing, it's a refreshing break from the "everyone is special" BS: if you win, you're special; if you don't, you're not.
Other walks of life: If your code works, you're special; otherwise, you're not. If your paper gets accepted, if you get into grad school, if you make money, etc. I used to be much less open to these widely accepted metrics for accomplishment, and I theorize that competitive fencing has affected that in some significant way.

edit: wow, i've written too many college essays...

[sabregrrrl]

Fencing has given me a great way to relieve stress and, at the same time, allows for a positive outlet for my competitive side. It's also helped me become more self-aware and has improved my self-confidence. As a teacher, I expect my students to put themselves into new situations and overcome new challenges; fencing turned those ideas back on me and helped me remember what it's like to have to learn something new.

[RoninX]

Fencing has confirmed what I always suspected: I am a god taken human form and all the trembling masses of humanity should quake and bow before me.

But for some reason my coach says success has gone to my head

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Yeah. Its turned me into a goal-oriented machine.

[D'Artag-NOT]

Originally Posted by RoninX

Fencing has confirmed what I always suspected: I am a god taken human form and all the trembling masses of humanity should quake and bow before me.

Wait a minute. That was my answer.

[Peach]

It has been very amusing to take on the persona of the serious competitive athlete at this late stage in my life. I still occasionally look behind me when someone treats me as a formidable opponent, because I'm sure they must be thinking of someone else. And it has been humbling, instructive, and productive to wrestle with my most difficult opponent--myself--on the strip.

[fencingfrog]

lol. fencing has opened up my agressive side. but also the side that allows me to be friends with people like me. (unforturnately for some, that means violent psycho fencers ) i also have more rationality in life cuz i connect to tactics in fencing. very contradictory but true.

[lindajdunn]

I am by default a low self-esteem hermit. Fencing forces me to interact with people. [Pause to consider the abnormality of interacting with people by having them hit me with sharp, pointy metal objects.] It's also given me more confidence and self-esteem and this is at a point where I'm an unrated fencer who isn't much of a challenge for other fencers. Despite the losses, fencing still boosts confidence because I see what I can do now that I couldn't do recently. Each new fencing technique acquired is a great victory.

[FeatherBlade]

Fencing opened a whole new world to me. It forced me to communicate more and not to be afraid of meeting new people. And as has been said, it is also a stress reliever, specialy during examination weeks. (They are all oral tests over here )

[airathanas]

Fencing has brought out the best in me by putting me through the hardest types of situations. It has forced me to come to terms with issues of confidence, assertiveness, decision-making, etc....

I would not be the same person today if I didn't fence, that's for damn sure.

[Josedariom]

yeah fencing has definitely made me more assertive and more personable. I learned how to interact with different people and opvercame the extreme shyness that plagued my childhood. I think it has helped my focus, dedication and thought processes in other areas, but I am very grateful for the social aspect of fencing and how it has helped me.

[statisticool]

Originally Posted by saeras

Since you've first started fencing can you say its had an (meaning has it changed your personality over the years) altering affect on your personality, or opinions , has it made you make any self-realizations about yourself?

I've only had one class so far, but I can still say fencing has had a positive impact, because the idea of fencing led me to take fencing classes, and in general to 'open up to life' more- to try something new, and meet new people.

[Fechter1]

Fencing keeps me sane, simple as that.

To elaborate: It gets me out of the house, it keeps me in shape (yes, I know, round is a shape...), gives me goals to work for, etc.

Unfortunately, it's also destroying my body... (knees, shins, back...)

[fencerbill]

I worked with the Concord-Carlisle High School team for 13 years and I know a handful of kids whose connection with fencing is the only thing that kept them from going over the edge.

[ShadyLane]

Hmm, from the looks of things, I'd say I'm more upfront and confident than before started fencing. I'm still undecisive *but* it's not as bad as before...

And I learned one important thing: being left-handed isn't as big of a curse as I thought it would be...(ink pen smearing issues, not knowing which way to turn the door knob, spiral notebooks, scissors, etc...the list is endless).

[jspierre]

Yes, yes, yes! So many things:

1. fencing has helped me organize my time/goals outside of career and family. It is an organizing principle, which is much needed.

2. fencing has exposed my mild attention deficit disorder issues or is it Turret's Syndrome?. discovered my mind is vy hard to focus, like a needle skipping over grooves on an old vinyl record (learning to focus much better). Fencing has led me to meditation, breathing, and living in the moment.

3. fencing has releaved that much of my stress/anxiety is in built, not external (learning to recognize it and can now turn-off that switch!).

4. fencing is an outlet for some living physical side of my being, some more ancient part of the brain-body connection that has its own pathways, reactions, and emotions. Helps me live outside "my head", which is balancing for me.

5. fencing supports hormones (T) which supports positive moods and energy (not to mention other things).

6. fencing has revealed something hard-wired in me that causes me to stop short of maxiumum fulfillment of my potential. It's a vy human thing that has to do with empathy, balancing desires, and being psychologically centered. This in built 'falling short' in fencing has parallels in my career. Knowing that the object of fencing, competitively, at least, is to win, allows me to come out from under this personal limiting behavior.

7. fencing is a testing ground to overcome issues others have surfaced in this thread like self-esteem issues, positive image issues and the like. Success in fencing is reassuring to me in light of certain closely held beliefs in my capabilities.

Well, that's some things.

[Poulet]

Originally Posted by jspierre

fencing has exposed my mild attention deficit disorder issues or is it Turret's Syndrome?

The mother****ing name of the goddamn syndrome is Tourette's ****ing Syndrome, ****head!