Using Footwork

[Allen Evans]

Also, why is it that setting up with a slow advance and then a fast advance-lunge is effective? Or Vise-Versa, how does a fast adv. them slow adv.-lunge help? What is it about tempo changes that are effective.

Google search terms:

"Tao of Jeet Kun Do"

"Bruce Lee"

Allen

[Durando]

The reason that changes in tempo work is, I think, due to the wiring of the brain. It sees the slow acceleration of the fencer, processes that the acceleration will stay slow, and react accordingly. By the time it processes that it was wrong and reacts to that new stimulous, the hit has already arrived. Someone who actually knows something about the brain will probably tell me I'm talking complete tosh, though.

Yeah, maybe so. Something about upsetting expectation. But more concretely, tempo changes are also distance changes when we're talking about footwork. A tempo change is an effort to change distance before all.

[RITFencing]

I think that a fencer with great bladework would win because as soon as the guy with ok blade work goes to attack, bind or parry and repost, touch right.

Fencing, including bladework, is about distance. You own the distance, you own the action. Trust me on this.

In fact, in my experience, nine out of ten bladework problems are actually caused by improper distance, whether it's a poor initial distance, a poor final distance, or a poor adjustment in between. If you can control the distance, then not only do you keep it correct for the actions you want to do, but you can use it to mess up the opponent's actions. Bear in mind that during bladework, the feet should rarely stop; they should generally keep moving at all times.

Also, why is it that setting up with a slow advance and then a fast advance-lunge is effective? Or Vise-Versa, how does a fast adv. them slow adv.-lunge help? What is it about tempo changes that are effective.

Very simple example: I start a fast advance and follow with a fast lunge. My opponent starts backing up at a fast speed and keeps going, makign me fall short. I start a slow advance, and my opponent starts backing up slowly. While he is in mid step (very hard to change tempo) I start a fast lunge. Now, because I have a higher speed RELATIVE TO THE OPPONENT, I can close that distance. The key here is relativity; my overall speed doesn't matter at all; my speed compared to the opponent does.

Another, slightly more complex example: I start with a fast advance and finish with a fast lunge. My opponent times me coming in and parries me. Generally not good (though there are always exceptions.) I start a fast advance, and my opponent, timing me for a fast lunge, starts his parry. I finish with a slow lunge, or perhaps just slow down for a moment, make his parry miss my blade, and I finish.

These are just two examples off the top of my head, and there are many concepts and ideas I left completely untouched. There are many more. Really, whoever owns the tempo owns the distance, and as I said before, whoever owns the distance, unless they really screw up, is going to get the touch.

[RITFencing]

Yeah, maybe so. Something about upsetting expectation. But more concretely, tempo changes are also distance changes when we're talking about footwork. A tempo change is an effort to change distance before all.

I've been thinking a lot about this lately, I think tempo, or at least foot tempo, is first and foremost a tool to control distance. Other uses, at least to my own rather limited understanding, seem to be very much secondary.

[LeftHanded]

I am trying to learn more about tempo now that I have seen what it can do. I was fencing this weekend. I was good about staying outside of his distance but he would slow advance and then folow up aith a fast lunge. It would catch me totally off guard. Also Allen, I have no idea what you just said.

[erooMynohtnA]

Google search terms:

"Tao of Jeet Kun Do"

"Bruce Lee"

Allen

I am trying to learn more about tempo now that I have seen what it can do. I was fencing this weekend. I was good about staying outside of his distance but he would slow advance and then folow up aith a fast lunge. It would catch me totally off guard. Also Allen, I have no idea what you just said.

"Google" is an internet search engine. It compiles websites related to the terms you enter. It can be found at www.google.com.

"Tao of Jeet Kun Do" refers to a book on martial arts written by Bruce Lee.

"Bruce Lee" was an American born Chinese martial artist originally named Jun Fan.

"Allen" is Allen Evans' first name.

[D'Art]

Did someone get out of the wrong side of the bed this morning? Or was it just the wrong bed?

[Allen Evans]

Also Allen, I have no idea what you just said.

I was trying to avoid posting this:

Bruce Lee, while recovering from a back injury, spent a great deal of time surveying the then current liturature on the fighting arts. One of the books he looked at closely was Croisner's (I believe) book on foil. Bruce Lee was very interested in timing issues, and how someone could "steal" time in a fight. He copied down whole passages from foil books in a notebook.

In his notes, Bruce Lee talked of opponents being "motor set" to go one speed, and that by breaking this tempo, someone could leave the opponent at one speed while they were moving another. This works not only from slow to fast, but also from fast to slow. I found that this description illustrated "breaking tempo" to me better than anything up to that point.

After his death, this notebook was published as the "Tao of Jeet Kun Do", or the "Way of the Intercepting Fist". It's worth reading.

Allen

[samh]

I was good about staying outside of his distance but he would slow advance and then folow up aith a fast lunge. It would catch me totally off guard.

I don't think its a good idea to maintain one distance for an extended period when you're fencing epee. If you move in and out of distance then you can provoke your opponent's attack when you want, which takes away the element of surprise. It also makes it easier to launch attacks of your own. I disagree with the idea of "keeping distance", distance is meant to be broken (or collapsed or whatever).

[seven6ty]

...But you have to keep distance before you can break it.

[LeftHanded]

I was watching the Womens Epee Finals last night from the World Championships in Leipzig 2005. I think it was Vosu vs. Damoska. It was interesting how Damoska (I am sorry about the spelling) would move with small jumps forward and use small feints. My question is "How do you keep distance with someone that won't back up?" I have always been told keep just outside thier distance if they are taller than you and don't move into their distance until you are ready to attack. If they push you to the end and you are not quite ready to attack what do you do? I was fencing this weekend and the guy that knocked me out was someone that would not retreat so the distance got closer and closer and closer.

[Allen Evans]

If someone isn't retreating (at all) they have given up half of their arsenal of footwork.

Usually fencers like this have a strong defensive game, and they keep pushing their opponents backward until opponent is forced to attack --giving them an easy parry and riposte -- or the distance collapses to the point where an easy attack can score.

Some things that work:

Opening the space suddenly. Some fencers will try to fill this space right away, giving you an attack into the preparation, or room for a compound attack that can accelerate to the target.

Second intention parry riposte (or remise) can also work with this fencer, and I usually recommend that the counter-riposte/remise be done with some very rapid footwork, such as a fleche.

Broken time attacks (assuming this isn't epee). The opponent won't give ground, but will "fish" for the blade. This is especially useful if you hit them with one or two second intention actions previously.

Just a few ideas.

Allen

[LeftHanded]

Wha are some other footwork combonations that can be used to change up the tempo. I have heard about slow advance, fast advance lunge. or fast slow adv. lunge. I was using these at practice and they were working great but it was against unexperienced fencers. How do you "sell" the tempo change. Oh! it is epee if that makes a difference.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Buy The Tao of Jeet Kune Do by Bruce Lee.

Trying to explain this stuff online is difficult, and for the most part, futile.

Fence more, work out more, get to better tournaments.