Combination of private lessons and classes.

[Brandj]

Hey all,

I fence 6 times a week, and have 2 classes and 6 private lessons a week plus open fencing every other day. I find that that combination works really well for me and is doing wonders for my fencing. My question to you guys is, how many lessons and classes work best for you? Are there any fencers here who are the kind of people that come to the fencing club once a week for a year and then smoke everybody at competitions?

Thanks for the input,
Brand J. m

[lefty_monster]

Wow, that's good.

I do 3-4 open fencing sessions per week, with 2-3 private lessons a week during the sessions. I'd like to do more, but right now it's not possible. During holidays, the club gets together more often, as school and work permits.

[Brandj]

That's not too bad either. It all depends on whether it gives you the results that you want to achieve.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Are there any fencers here who are the kind of people that come to the fencing club once a week for a year and then smoke everybody at competitions?

I do.

But it is still better to go to the club often.

[RebelFencer]

I do.

But it is still better to go to the club often.

I saw DFP win a bout once. True story.

[Elkhansaa]

Hey all,

I fence 6 times a week, and have 2 classes and 6 private lessons a week plus open fencing every other day. I find that that combination works really well for me and is doing wonders for my fencing. My question to you guys is, how many privates and classes work best for you? Are there any fencers here who are the kind of people that come to the fencing club once a week for a year and then smoke everybody at competitions?

Thanks for the input,
Brand J. m

I'm so jealous right now.I'll get over it.I wish i could take all those privates.I am currently only taking one private,one group,and one open fencing day(i dont know if it counts that when i go for my group and privates i stay for hours for open fencing.I have too much stuff to do that that is all i can fit into my week.Also it costs lots of money for all those lessons,competitions,and gear.

[rcmatthews]

You should be careful about mixing your privates and fencing classes.

[Mo]

Hey all,

I fence 6 times a week, and have 2 classes and 6 private lessons a week plus open fencing every other day. I find that that combination works really well for me and is doing wonders for my fencing. My question to you guys is, how many privates and classes work best for you? Are there any fencers here who are the kind of people that come to the fencing club once a week for a year and then smoke everybody at competitions?

Thanks for the input,
Brand J. m

Lessons must be pretty cheap at your club. The would run between 360 -480 bucks per week where my kid fences.
How can you afford that??
How much do you pay?
There is usually a point of dimishing returns too. That many lessons make it hard to incorporate what you learn into fencing.
The Momster

[Elkhansaa]

yep thats what i meant..it would cost me 280 bucks to do all that he said ..not including broken and replaced equipment..

[introspective]

That's not too bad either. It all depends on whether it gives you the results that you want to achieve.

That is a comment I can agree on, because it all depends upon your results, your age, and the costs you want to invest in things, your energy and your time. There's many variable that go into this, so I would just play it by ear. For me, I did club lessons and then I also took private lessons but he kept the costs down to a low roar. For me, I generally took 2 lessons a week and sometimes three. But there was a downside in that the free sparring [not free as in money] was 'down', whereas the club atmosphere had more free sparring. The coach who offered the most private instruction sort of cultivated some fencers who didn't want to fence the icky newfencers. I think the ideal situation is a combination of both. I had wished both clubs would merge - bringing free sparring - meaning lots and lots of practice sparring] with 2 or 3 instructors that scheduled their private lessons during the allotted time; with another couple of instructors walking the floor to correct, coach and fence. We had about 4 to 5 people who could definetly fence, coach and instruct.

[Brandj]

Lessons must be pretty cheap at your club. The would run between 360 -480 bucks per week where my kid fences.
How can you afford that??
How much do you pay?
There is usually a point of dimishing returns too. That many lessons make it hard to incorporate what you learn into fencing.
The Momster

Well, when I agreed to start fencing I realized that it wasn't going to be cheap. I mean, look at the uniforms (the good ones run for $1,000). And my club isn't very cheap either. The lessons run me about 250 a week, and the classes another hundred. That being said, it is producing tremendous results.

To comment on what someone else said, that one has to be careful with the number of lessons and classes, I totally agree. When choosing the number of lessons, a person should not choose so many that he perfects his technique and lets his footwork lag. I chose an option that suited me, a Russian coach 4 times a week, and a Hungarian one the other two times. The Hungarians are notorious for their fast footwork, and that coach runs me up and down the strip like my life depended on it.

Brand J

[whtouche]

Dear Brand,

Please stop referring to your lessons as your privates. Thanks.

-Everybody

[Brandj]

I am trully sorry if I offended you, whtouche, or "everyone" on whose part you were speaking. I was under the false impression that a person could talk about his private lessons using the word that you find so offensive. I have heard it being used a multitude of time both in the club and in written form. However I am new to this forum and was not aware of the rule that prohibited a person to use a word that might imply something else, even though it is clear that one is reffering to the lessons he takes.

-Regards,
Brand

[HDG]

I am trully sorry if I offended you, whtouche, or "everyone" on whose part you were speaking. I was under the false impression that a person could talk about his private lessons using the word that you find so offensive.

"Privates" often connotes "private parts", ie genitalia. At least in US slang.

[restlesscheese]

Perhaps one should not use a word when one knows it has negative connotations like that? Especially online in forums when subtleties often go unnoticed?

Just my $0.02

[GuitarKid]

I have one set class on Wed. and a footwork class right after that, usually i just go to my club 3-4 times a week and there is usualy someone there to teach/fence/sacrifice.

[Li'l Bebe]

I wish my club offered that kind of thing, as far as getting as many classes/lessons a week as you want/afford. Because my club is strictly non-profit, we get one private lesson a week (if you're lucky and really nag the coach for one) but it is generally from another fencer, not the head coach. We also do group drills (i guess you'd call them group lessons) maybe once every two weeks. So we meet 3 times a week for open fencing, and that's all. It makes it rough for the more advanced students, because we spend so much time coaching the new students we hardly get any time to practice. (ex. I spent 6 hours at the club the other day, and only got to actually fence for an hour because I gave so many lessons and lead so many group drills).

Our club dues are really, really, really low though. (think under $100 a month)

[HDG]

Perhaps one should not use a word when one knows it has negative connotations like that? Especially online in forums when subtleties often go unnoticed?

Just my $0.02

The OP is not an American; he or she can be excused for not knowing the subtleties of our slang.

[Brandj]

I wish my club offered that kind of thing, as far as getting as many classes/lessons a week as you want/afford. Because my club is strictly non-profit, we get one private lesson a week (if you're lucky and really nag the coach for one) but it is generally from another fencer, not the head coach. We also do group drills (i guess you'd call them group lessons) maybe once every two weeks. So we meet 3 times a week for open fencing, and that's all. It makes it rough for the more advanced students, because we spend so much time coaching the new students we hardly get any time to practice. (ex. I spent 6 hours at the club the other day, and only got to actually fence for an hour because I gave so many lessons and lead so many group drills).

Our club dues are really, really, really low though. (think under $100 a month)

But you are lucky in your own way, you get to help out new students and extend the sport of fencing. Plus I bet that through all those lessons that you give, your technique is becoming amazing. Do you compete?

[erooMynohtnA]

But you are lucky in your own way, you get to help out new students and extend the sport of fencing. Plus I bet that through all those lessons that you give, your technique is becoming amazing. Do you compete?

That's not the way it works. At best giving lessons doesn't really do anything for you. At worst it trains you to make sure you get hit.