Mixing it up: Foil & Epee

[IrishBlade]

I've been learning to fence foil for several months now (and I'm loving every moment of it!). Recently some folks at my club have encouraged me to take a stab at fencing epee (no pun intended). They point out that my build (tall & lanky/athletic) are a natural asset in epee. I'd like to have a go at it. I've seen a number of epee bouts and it looks like a lot of fun! My concern is whether, at my limited level of experience, it's possible to practise both styles in tandem and make real progress in both.

Thanks in advance for any insights or experiences anyone may share.

[eternal109]

I first learned epee and started foil after about a year of epee. Personally I found it quite easy, the only thing that took a while to figure out was the whole right of way thing. My suggestion is go for it, if it doesn't work out at least you tried

[latenight]

Go ahead and try it! It doesn't work for me. If I do too much Epee, I find that when I go back to foil, I don't have the point control I had before. Guess it's the difference in weapon weight or something. so I only do foil now

[Rick]

Go Go Go...
I started out in foil and thought that it was the only thing I'd be doing. But then I kept getting eliminated after the first round of DEs. I always felt that I had more fencing left in me at the tournaments I untimely bow out from. Since I had an epee in my bag (on of those impulse-buys from a few months back) and did not need any special clothing, I signed up (of course I had to borrow a body cord from a clubmate). This was about a month a half ago and have been competing in both Foil & Epee for the next three tournaments. I've taken some personal lessons since then as well.

One thing I would say... it was an easy transition for me. My point control is sound due to training in foil. And I felt freer without the constriction of right of way and allowance of the 1/25th of a second lapse between touches. The only thing inherent to epee which I had to overcome was the touches to the leg and foot. But overtime, I've learned to displace my foot and stab the forearm at the same time.

Do it, man. At the very least, you'll get to fence more at tournaments and get a good workout.

[flik]

Go for it! Be warned: fencing epee is extremely addictive and once you start down the dark path, forever will it consume you - sorry 'bout that

I fenced foil for nearly two year and found the transition to epee very easy. I also found it *increased* my point control (aiming for fingers hanging below a guard is much more difficult that an area on the torso) In the past I've put some of my foilists who had less-than-par point control on epee for a while - theirs inproved also. just an observation.

Fencing both foil and epee at the same time has it's problems - row being one of them. The other is the weight difference; I find that I'm much more likely to make big parries in foil now, even though my epee parries are nice and small. You're sense of timing can get a little, shall I say, "confused" switching between the two also.