Convince me

[Carlos37]

If you would like to convince me into choosing sabre over foil(since I´m an epeeist),what arguments would you use?

[fencerbill]

If you would like to convince me into choosing sabre over foil(since I´m an epeeist),what arguments would you use?

If you need arguments, forget it. You can't push a chain.

[Shi no Tenshi]

an epeeist with a good wrist shot can go far in sabre....

[Babs the Cat]

Why can't you stick with epee?

If you have to switch, but just temporarily, I think that foil will do less damage to your epee game, especially point control. And you won't need to buy a new mask.

[Ling]

Sabre's more aggressive and i believe it's wayyyyyyy more interesting and faster than foil, unless you're a slow and steady fencer, choose sabre.

[HDG]

Do whatever you want.

[Rabid Monk]

Choose foil. It's better.

(Yes, that is the sum total of my argument)

[OROD]

God talked to me and said that Foil is the best weapon. You dont want to go against God and go to Hell, do you? Then, fence foil.

.

[edew]

I fence foil and saber (as well as epee) and I'm getting a kick out of these replies....

[Peach]

Don't listen to anybody, including me. Choose the one that calls to you. Or else the weapon group at your club that seems to be having the most of what you would like to have: Fun, practice, tournament results, arguments, bouting, whatever.

[dridge]

Choose the one that calls to you.

Peach, as almost always, is correct.

I would choose the weapon that speaks to you.

I believe that the interaction between your personality and the rules of the game is key to your enjoyment--and probably to your long-term results.

Advice from this board, your physical attributes, and even your club (if it's a three-weapon setting) mean less than whether sabre, foil, or epee is "the one!"

[veeco]

If I were you, and I had to choose another weapon over epee, I'd choose sabre.

Why?

Because it has the advantage of being a 3 dimensional weapon: you can hit the hand and arms.

It also forces you to commit to your actions, which can be a benefit if you're not the attacking type in epee.

Finally, sabre emphasizes good footwork, timing and tempo changes, things that are really important in epee. Foil fencers will probably decry that foil does that too, but to a certain extent, I feel that modern foil puts more emphasis on the hand work than it used to, especially with the new timings.

[D'Art]

I would choose the weapon that speaks to you.

If any of them speak to you, increase your medication....

Oh, and foil, because there's some actual skill involved.

[OROD]

If I were you, and I had to choose another weapon over epee, I'd choose sabre... Because it has the advantage of being a 3 dimensional weapon: you can hit the hand and arms.

How is that "3 dimensional"? Maybe on epeers the arm grows out of the top of their heads.

It also forces you to commit to your actions

Yes, once the director says "fence" and you start blindly throwing yourself forward and yelling, there's no turning back.

if you're not the attacking type in epee.

There's an "attacking type" in epee???

Finally, sabre emphasizes good footwork, timing and tempo changes... I feel that modern foil puts more emphasis on the hand work than it used to, especially with the new timings.

In the season finale of Smallville, they just introduced Bizarro! And, wow, I think veeco comes from the same dimension as Bizarro... since everything he just said here is completely the opposite of reality. Then again, he is an epeer, so we know his judgement is questionable.

Just chose Foil, you'll be happier.

.

[Inquartata]

I have yet to meet a happy foilist. They are all sour, frustrated individuals. They are not even satisfied when they win.

That merrily said, I am in the "pick whichever calls to you" camp. Besides, we don't want any unwilling sabre fencers harshing our mellow.

[Carlos37]

but I have heard that sabre blows hurt a lot more than the epee and foil blows?

[Peach]

Oddly enough, that depends on your definition of "hurt." I find epee hits almost unbearable, and those deep-lunge point thrusts in foil rather annoying, while the light-handed sabre slashes are practically imperceptible to me. Even heavy-handed sabre cuts, for the most part, don't hurt that much. Others have different experiences. Also, it depends on your club; backwater, uninformed sabre instruction can result in the crushing-blow variety.

Sabre cuts done properly, by the way, are much lighter and easier than they appear. It's not whacking at all (one of the things that annoys me when fencing some cross-overs from foil and epee is that they think in order to do it right they have to wield the Mighty Hammer of God).

[fencerbill]

but I have heard that sabre blows hurt a lot more than the epee and foil blows?

I was hit with an Epee just below the collar bone and it was tender to touch for several months. I know a Foil fencer who was hit with a coupe that broke a rib.

I admit you get more bruises from Sabre hits but I haven't received anything like the above two examples.

[darius]

Oddly enough, that depends on your definition of "hurt."

I find that overly hard/well-placed hits run on a continuum from immediate to long-term.

Sabre hurts the most at the point of impact, in a sort of "ow-ow-ow-i'm-gonna-die" type of way, and then five seconds later, you've forgotten about it.

Foil is in between. Flat flicks feel like sabre thwacks, and sometimes you'll take a point attack right to the point of the hip or shoulder that stings forever.

Epee, you rub it a bit, then shrug it off. The next morning you realize that you have a bone bruise on your rib that will make it painful to breathe for the next month. You welcome the pain, because it keeps you from being lulled to sleep by the bouncing.

darius

[Peach]

Sabre hurts the most at the point of impact, in a sort of "ow-ow-ow-i'm-gonna-die" type of way, and then five seconds later, you've forgotten about it.

Funny, I almost never feel sabre hits that way.