How much do you think?

[CheekyCanuck]

Is it possible to think/plan too much ?

Yes. My old coach used to say, "Stop thinking, just fence!"
Most beginning fencers pause in the middle of a bout to think about what to do, but end up getting hit instead of coming up with a plan.

How much do you think/plan consciously? And how much do you do intuitively?

Both in varying amounts. It shouldn't be strategy or intuition, but stratigic intuition.

Did the mixture of thinking/strategy and intuition change from your beginnings as a fencer until now?

Oh yeah! I used to be one of the beginners that would pause to think.

[Phaeton]

Who Thinks?

I thought once, splitting pain, like a 22 1/2 cm nail being driven into my skull....

Last time I try compute the tip in my head!

[Mo]

This is kind of an older thread and the answer to this question could be really interesting.
As a person who likes to study how people learn, asking how much you think on the strip is a lot like asking how you think when driving.
It is more an issue of responding with an educated guess than thinking about the actual mechanics of the activity.
Like driving, at first you are all about hitting the gas pedal and break. There is a step by step process. After a while the focus is more on checking the mirrors and knowing where you are on the road.
A good driver is looking ahead and behind them. They can see what is coming and predict situations. The emphasis is being where you want to be on the road and knowing where you are going. Seeing obstacles ahead and predicting other driver's actions can save your life.
Instead of asking how much one thinks while fencing. the question should be, where are you in the process of fencing?

The Momster

[wheeringa]

This is interesting seeing peoples different reactions to this topic. For me personally, I dont "plan" as such during a bout but cram my head full of as much tactics, blade technique, footwork etc into my head as possible. After a while it becomes seconf nature and when I'm fencing I don't have to think about what to do because its already in my head. Its just a matter of deciding which way to use to get the point. Most of the bouts I've won I cant even remember thinking about what i was doing, i just did it. I also seem to be very good at determining what people are thinking and what they are going to do next. I cant remember the last time i lost a game of rock-paper-scissors

Whatever you do though, wether you rely on intuition or planning during a bout, remember that no one is an olympic fencer overnight. Tactics and planning come with practice and with practice comes...well I'll leave that to you.

[RebelFencer]

A lot.

[CvilleFencer]

I know that this seems fairly obvious, but here goes. I fence "in the moment" when I am ahead or fencing someone I don't see as a serious threat. No real plan, just fence my game and rely on my "money" actions. If I am fencing someone I am worried about, I try to analyze what is going on and what is happening and adjust my strategy one touch at a time.

Against strong fencers I have seen a lot of fencers manage to make a change in their game by tweaking their timing/tempo or techniques. They get up a few touches and then they are sinking again. All to often I think this happens because they get married to an idea or a plan and refuse to abandon it once it starts going south on them. Once they have "figured out" the other guy they try to force the same action again and again without realizing that the other fencer has adjusted. This of course usually happens with a mid level fencer fencing a very strong fencer, but not always. An analytical fencer who can identify his opponent’s game and adapt is always going to have the advantage to an "in the moment" fencer if they are close on skill level. At least that is how it seems to me.

Allen Evan's game me probably the best advice ever on being a good self-strip coach with his Where, When, What, Why (okay, the why part I added and probably only works for "angry fencers" like me...) checklist but it is not mine to give out/share so if he sees it and choses to eleborate that is up to him.

A 4 W checklist for fencing sounds a little silly, to much like cliché or a "Doctor Phil on Fencing” sort of thing but it has helped me pull out a few close bouts lately so I have become a believer. Even on the ones I lose, if I apply the formula I am usually able to figure out why I am losing, even if I am fencing someone so strong that my changes don't help, at least I have a better understanding of why I am getting shredded. Also the more you do all of this, the easier it becomes. Sort of a mental checklist. Arguably the most valuable piece of advice I have ever been given about self-strip coaching and being a more adaptive fencer.