What grip and school of thought should I begin with?

[Blank]

Hi. I'm 17, and very active. I play a videogame semi-professionally (SSBM), practice yoga daily, play tennis (first doubles on school team), write, film stop-motion, workout every day, and bboy (breakdance). Plus I'm sexy. Other than archery, I am interested in fencing. However, there are some stipulations...

I don't think that there are any schools or instructors in my area. Would it be possible for me to self-teach and study technical rudiments for a year or so until I finish school and can find proper instruction? I am very physically fit and quick to learn.
I'm not sure whether or not I'm into sport-oriented or recreational fencing.
If the latter, I was thinking of learning Italian style with an Italian grip foil. Otherwise, a french-grip.

What would be some good beginner materials (books, videos, advice, ect.) and if I did learn more of an Italian school of thought initially, could I change over to French at some point comfortably (they seem quite different)? I was thinking of picking up Aldo Nadi's book for a general idea of classic style.

Also, money is a slight issue. Italian grip foils are expensive. French seems more afforable...where are good places to buy a cheap, yet effective practice foil? I don't want to invest too much into this, as perhaps fencing won't work out for me.

[JackOfHearts]

Oh, where to start?

First off, a place to learn. I always find this to be a useful link: http://www.usfencing.org/sectionsDivisions.jsp It shouldn't be too hard to find a good instructor, or at least a class at the local Y to get you started. Personally, I fence at my local community college, so check out the local campuses, there should at least be a basic foil class somewhere. I would reccomend against trying to learn by books or videos, it's always best to find a good coach. My first coach always said "Practice doesn't make perfect. Practice makes PERMENANT!", so it's best to wait until you find a good instructor. That way you have less bad habits to iron out (and a less chance of injury). If you're in it for the chance to compete against others and be taken seriously, you may want to start with a french grip and switch to a pistol grip if you prefer. I can't give you any advice on classical styles, though if you use the search function, you're bound to find some good answers. Don't worry about money right now, most clubs and classes have their own gear you can use until you decide wether or not you want to stick with the sport, so take an introductory course somewhere and find out. As for affordable gear, you may want to check out the fencing.net store, though you can also find some good vendors here: http://www.usfencing.org/do/vendors . The best place I've found to get an italian foil is Thefencingpost.com, though American Fencers Supply recently started carrying some classical fencing weaponry, including some false ricasso italian weapons. Much better then the one I got from Triplette awhile back. Don't think that being a sport fencer excludes the italian grip, they are USFA legal, and I tend to prefer them over pistol grips. But I'm in the minority on this one.

Anyways, first things first: Find a place to fence. Don't worry about purchasing gear until you really decide wether fencing is a sport you enjoy. Whatever style you initially learn, I don't see any reason why you couldn't learn a different one, though there should be some threads on this forum discussing this already. Feel free to check out the search function, though if you're still unsure don't hesitate to make a new thread in the appropriate sections. In closing, welcome to the forum, and hopefully to the sport. Good luck.


Btw: Stray Cats fan?

[RITFencing]

Hello,

There is a lot of anti-itlaian grip grip sentiment in this forum, mainly because most of the regular posters are competitive sport fencers and the italian really offers no advantages over the french or pistol. For foil, the french really offers no advantage competitively, although it might be better to start on to train your fingers.

A lot of the choices you make should be determined by what you want out of this sport; if you want to learn classical fencing, then by all means find a classical salle near you that teaches either the italian or french school and go on your merry way. If you're interested in modern fencing, then take a look at any clubs near you and see which one is the best fit. I know you don't think there are that many clubs around you, but take a look on www.usfencing.org. They have a listing of clubs. You can also try the search function on this forum, or try just asking people. Whereabouts are you from, anyway?

As far as learning from a book... wouldn't recommend it. As a raw beginner, you're going to make a lot of mistakes without realizing it, and a book won't be able to point them out. Also, much of fencing, especially the bladework actions, are much better to practice with an opponent or at least a practice dummy because the distance you do the technique at is so vitally important.

On "styles" of fencing: don't worry about styles and schools of thought right now. No offense, but you know jack about fencing at the moment. Yes, there are different ways to fence, different sets of tactics, different ways doing variuous things... but you don't need to worry about those things if you can't do the very fundamentals. Learn about the sport, then let your own style develop naturally as you fence and find out what is effective for you. Don't force it. If I have to listen to another newbie talk about their fusion of the classical italian school with modern spanish elements or some other BS... I'm just going to cry. And you don't want to see a grown man cry, do you?

One last word of advice: be open minded right now. If you're not sure whether you want to do classical fencing or sport fencing, or what weapon or whatever, see if you can find places to learn each. Just bear in mind that they are very different things, and what you learn in one will not shatter the foundations of another. Right now, leave the classical fencing at the classical salle and the mdoern fencing at the modern one.

[Blank]

Thank you for the help, guys.

Anyway, here's the deal...I checked that website before I made this topic. It turns out that there are plenty of fencing clubs in my side of the state (PA), however, they are almost ALL in Pittsburgh. If you didn't know, Pittsburgh is the toughest city in the US to navigate. That, compounded with distance issues (it's already a good ways getting up there) and it would be difficult for me to travel there, even on a weekly basis.

In that capacity, I will wait until college to fence.

[RITFencing]

Pittsburg's not so bad; I fenced a North American Cup there last December.

You can also ask those clubs and find out if they know of any closer to you.

Finally, look in local YMCAs to see if there's a fencing class.

[kilo_foxtrot]

If I have to listen to another newbie talk about their fusion of the classical italian school with modern spanish elements or some other BS... I'm just going to cry. And you don't want to see a grown man cry, do you?

Don't let RITFencing fool you. He is physically incapable of crying, and in fact eats glass-covered cinderblocks for breakfast.

More on-topic... I've got a friend who claims to have learned quite a bit of classical stuff, self-taught, from a book. I'm pretty sure he doesn't know jack. Clubs, classes, or lessons are indeed the way to go, be it sport or SCA.

[Inquartata]

Don't let RITFencing fool you. He is physically incapable of crying, and in fact eats glass-covered cinderblocks for breakfast.

He can eat?! LUXURY! Why, when I was young we had to absorb nutrients through our skins from molten lava, and we were damned glad to get it!

[Five Rings]

He can eat?! LUXURY! Why, when I was young we had to absorb nutrients through our skins from molten lava, and we were damned glad to get it!

Would this when you were walking barefoot over the molten lava on your way to school?

[RITFencing]

He can eat?! LUXURY! Why, when I was young we had to absorb nutrients through our skins from molten lava, and we were damned glad to get it!

Inq, when you were young; you didn't need movies like Jurassic Park to see dinosaurs, you just looked out the window.

[kilo_foxtrot]

Walk on the lava? Walk on the lava? Such impudence! Inq didn't walk on the lava, much less go to school. He had to make the lava, using nothing but three wet pine sticks and a spare copy of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Walking uphill to school on the lava would have been too extravagantly luxurious to ever consider with a sane mind.

[RITFencing]

He had sticks? And THREE of them? Man, some people had all the luck. I had to get up before I went to bed and then make the path using nothing but my own rage.

[kilo_foxtrot]

Bed? Like sleeping, bed? What a lazy ass! Inq would stay awake perpetually, constructing those three sticks atom by atom through sheer force of will, while at the bottom of a mine shaft, tied inside a burlap bag and beaten incessantly by shovel-wielding carnies. Then he'd recopy the Dead Sea Scrolls for the new day's work.

(Of course, the ink in the bottle would always run out before he finished...)

[RITFencing]

He had ink? I had to use my own blood! And the dead sea scrolls? Those weren't around in my day; too new.

[jeff]

He had skin? We had to absorb nutrients and oxygen through our gills!

[RITFencing]

You had gills? All of my vital organs were underformed and held together by duct tape. And not even 3M; it was a crappy knock off!

[RoninX]

RIT may now hold another f.net record... furthest possible drift from the original thread intention... well done lad

[RITFencing]

Awesome. What do I win?

[Fencergrl]

Damn!.... How did this thread drift happen without my involvement??? Why didn't somebody send me the memo! I'm telling you.... heads will roll!

[RITFencing]

Oooh! I know what would be a good prize... can I pick which heads?

[RoninX]

Done. Prior to her next murderous rampage FG will check with RIT to see which heads should be included in said rampage. Thanks for playing!