Training (Sabre) while traveling

[lindajdunn]

I seldom travel but just spent a week in Boston, may spend a week in NM and there's a 50-50 chance that I'll be overseas for a month in an area with no fencing opportunities. Yes, this is work-related. No, I do not want to change jobs.

What do other people do when they're on the road and trying to stay in competitive form?

I'm a sabre fencer who started 2-3 years ago. I've fenced Div IA, II, and III but I've only made it to the finals once, at the last SN in WSV50.

[DJ Apostrophe]

If you find your self in Boston again... feel free to come visit us: Prise de Fer Fencing Club (random aside, hey, the forum got smart with my URL... i typed it out and it did the rename... cool... looks like it pulls what is in the title tag of he home page of the site you're pointing at...)

Even if you don't have a car, there is a commuter rail stop within rock-throwing distance of the club.

-w

[lindajdunn]

Thanks for the offer. I stayed about 2 blocks from the South Station so if training is at the same location next time, I'll certainly inquire about fencing. Any chance I could drag along some co-workers attending training and try to get them interested in the sport?

There's supposed to be a second training session but I don't know if it will be within the next six months or not.

[DJ Apostrophe]

Originally Posted by lindajdunn

Thanks for the offer. I stayed about 2 blocks from the South Station so if training is at the same location next time, I'll certainly inquire about fencing. Any chance I could drag along some co-workers attending training and try to get them interested in the sport?

There's supposed to be a second training session but I don't know if it will be within the next six months or not.

Of course, the more the merrier... and just NB: the train you'd be looking for leaves from North Station, not South Station... just so you don't end up hanging around for a train that'll never be announced.

-w

[graymalkin]

Originally Posted by lindajdunn

I seldom travel but just spent a week in Boston, may spend a week in NM and there's a 50-50 chance that I'll be overseas for a month in an area with no fencing opportunities. Yes, this is work-related. No, I do not want to change jobs.

What do other people do when they're on the road and trying to stay in competitive form?

I'm a sabre fencer who started 2-3 years ago. I've fenced Div IA, II, and III but I've only made it to the finals once, at the last SN in WSV50.

I'm currently attending school at Penn State University, and, though I am a member of the fencing club here, I don't practice as much as I should while I'm here. On my own, though, I like to do some footwork, and even play around with blades now and then. I find that I can even get a good workout from imagining that I'm fencing a bout. I try to remember how good opponents have scored touches on me and I try to think up and practice ways I could have avoided being hit.

Also, there's the option of doing some of the drills that your coach has taught you. Some of the really good fencing drills require a partner of course, but there are a multitude of good drills to do by oneself.

Similar to the first option I suggested, I also like to sit down a couple of times per week and just think about strategies. I try to read as much as I can about fencing (that is, whatever I can find in periodicals, and the multitude of books that exist about the European schools of swordsmanship) and I try to look at the approaches of the different authors and think about what will work for me and in my style. I try to have a good list of things to try out the next time I'm at my home club for practice.

Sorry if you're question was more about how people stay in good physical shape. I'm not overly good at that (which is probably why I still have yet to escape the entirety of my "freshman 15"), but I hope I've offered something that will be useful to you.

[T H U G]

When I'm all alone
or talkin on da phone
i gots to pay mah loan
so 100 times i lunge as fast as i can
das mah master plan
just lunge lunge lunge
dont listen to no grunge
use da gangsta rap
wit da tap tap tap
soz you dont slow down
like some kinda clown
and dat would make me frown
when im thru wit dat
mah next drill be phat
golf ball on a string
makes yo point control zing
den work on yo parries
dont be no lazy larries
what is you, faeries???
make you parries RIGHT
so when you get in a fight
you make sure you win
den celebrate wit gin

[ViewtifulMisho]

Originally Posted by T H U G

When I'm all alone
or talkin on da phone
i gots to pay mah loan
so 100 times i lunge as fast as i can
das mah master plan
just lunge lunge lunge
dont listen to no grunge
use da gangsta rap
wit da tap tap tap
soz you dont slow down
like some kinda clown
and dat would make me frown
when im thru wit dat
mah next drill be phat
golf ball on a string
makes yo point control zing
den work on yo parries
dont be no lazy larries
what is you, faeries???
make you parries RIGHT
so when you get in a fight
you make sure you win
den celebrate wit gin

So you're either British or a DnD nerd. Phew.

[clonardo]

Footwork in front of a mirror? Find a plain old gym and just do conditioning for a month?

[Inquartata]

Where are you going, that has no fencing opportunities whatsoever? An oil platform in the North Sea? The Atacama desert? The Matto Grosso?

Canada?

[lindajdunn]

Originally Posted by Inquartata

Where are you going, that has no fencing opportunities whatsoever? An oil platform in the North Sea? The Atacama desert? The Matto Grosso?

Canada?

Kuwait.

[Sabresque]

Actually kuwait has fencing, I believe!

[lindajdunn]

Originally Posted by Sabresque

Actually kuwait has fencing, I believe!

Where? I expect to be in Kuwait City if all goes according to plan.

[Sabresque]

Kuwait Amateur Fencing Association
Kuwait Fencing Amateur Association
P.O.Box 23665
13097 SAFAT
Tél. :
Fax :
Email :
+965 2554785 / +965 252 89 19
+965 255 0546 / +965 256 27 56
q8fencing@hotmail.com

[Sabresque]

I also found this on the NCAA website:
Kuwait Amateur Fencing Association
P.O.Box 23665
SAFARI 13097
Tel.: +965 255 4785
fax +965 255 0546

[lindajdunn]

Wow! Thanks. I've been Googling and finding nothing available and the people I've talked with thus far have first asked if I'm joking and then said they don't know of any fencing opportunities in the country.

I've got a month before leaving to make contact.

[Inquartata]

There are also at least a few American military members who are fencers stationed there, I should think. ( By report, one fairly good sabre fencer and NAC referee has just returned from serving there... )

[lindajdunn]

Originally Posted by Inquartata

There are also at least a few American military members who are fencers stationed there, I should think. ( By report, one fairly good sabre fencer and NAC referee has just returned from serving there... )

I do know some people over there but none of them can put me in contact with anyone who fences. In fact, they seem a little taken aback when I ask so I've been hesitant to probe too deeply.

[oiuyt]

Next month Kuweit City hosts a Grand Prix World Cup in Men's Epee.

Doesn't directly indicate sabre activity, but does indicate at least SOME level of fencing is available.

-B