New member in Maine

[Dedigan]

Hi!

As was suggested when I signed up, I thought I'd introduce myself! I just returned to fencing after 20 years. I first fenced back in 1987 at the Bucks County Academy of Fencing in New Hope, PA. I got to the point where fellow club members were starting to encourage me to consider entering some local competitions when life intervened.

It's now 20 years later. My doctor told me in no uncertain terms I needed to find an activity that would allow me to get some exercise, an idea which my wife endorses. My kids just started Taekwondo. I thought about joining them but that sport never really appealed to me. I remembered how much fun I had fencing and decided to see what opportunities there might be up here in Maine. I found the Portland Fencing Center in Westbrook and had my first lesson Monday night and I'm heading for my second one tonight.

While it was pretty clear to me even before my first lesson that my skills were rustier than my Foils, the biggest disappointment is that I remember well the old bad habits! Go figure. I forgot everything else but the bad habits are there just like I've been practicing them all along! Anyway, I still love it and can't wait to get enough back to start bouting and eventually begin to learn Sabre. Who knows, maybe this time I actually will enter some competitions!

I'm very glad to see that there is an active "Veterans" group!

[fences_like_a_lemur]

Welcome to f.net Dedigan! It's always great to get new people in the forum and new people into fencing!

and eventually begin to learn Sabre.

Why wait? There's nothing holding you back from ditching your old and rusty foils to get get a nice shiny new sabre...eh?

Well it's great that you're getting back into the sport, and I wish you the best of luck!

~Lemur

[Dedigan]

Thanks for the welcome Lemur!

Why wait? There's nothing holding you back from ditching your old and rusty foils to get get a nice shiny new sabre...eh?

20 years ago it seemed the theory was to build the foundation for footwork and blade control by learning the Foil (small target area and all) then build upon that in the weapon of your choosing. Granted, things could be different now but it never occurred to me.

When I start to buy new equipment it will likely be Sabre related although I like the Foil too. Unfortunately, my old Santelli 3 Weapon mask didn't fare well these past two decades and I haven't yet seem similar mask designs available today.

In any case I think I'll rely on the coaching to let me know when I'm ready. She already knows I'd like to learn Sabre and I don't have the ego I did when I was 28.

[fences_like_a_lemur]

20 years ago it seemed the theory was to build the foundation for footwork and blade control by learning the Foil (small target area and all) then build upon that in the weapon of your choosing. Granted, things could be different now but it never occurred to me.

Many coaches and clubs start by doing this. I started with sabre when I was 8 and then decided to pick up foil when I was about 12 so that I could fence even more people. Foil never really helped me with my point control or anything, it just seemed to mess me up and ruin my blade control. I guess it just really depends one how you learn it and who the coach is.

Of course some clubs only teach one weapon and some of them end up having some of the best fencers out there.