foot landing too early on attacks

[argonis]

I'm having a problem where my foot lands too early (sabre fencer). At practices I work on it (advance, extend, lunge, blade lands, foot lands), but at competitions and on the strip it goes out the window and i tend to advance, lunge and land, and then hit.

Suggestions for how to work on this? drills? visualization techniques?

[crquack]

I am going to watch this thread with interest.
I seem to have the same problem. To summarize, the longer the weapon the worse the problem. I have no trouble landing an eye jab well before my front foot. I can manage the same with a knife. But with an epee or sabre I consider a success if the point and the front foot land simultaneously.
With the sabre I can sort of understand it: The path of the weapon tip is different from the path of the hand controlling it. I try to concentrate in practice really hard on moving the weapon first. I am more puzzled about this in epee: The point moves at the same speed as the hand. All I can surmise is that the process of aiming the point actually slows down the action of the arm and the hand.
Let's hear the experts...

[KD5MDK]

Have someone watch to see if you're holding your hand back.

[Hauptman]

Have someone watch to see if you're holding your hand back.

I agree... if you're really extending first then there is no reason not to hit first. Unless your distance is off and you're leaning in for the hit after finishing the lunge.

Of course this is just speculation. Got a video camera available? Tape yourself bouting and see what's up. Video is a great training tool in general too.

[Inquartata]

I think we all have this problem sometimes. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, there only seem to be about a dozen referees in the country who see it consistently when it happens.

[Aussie_Fencer]

just work on it in drills. Basically start off doing a basic attack, slow it down, and make sure your attack is over before your foot lands. As you begin to feel more comfortable, increase the pace untill it is a second nature.

[noodle]

muscle memory.
do it over and over and over in drills to the point that you aren't thinking about it, you're just doing it.

if you still do it on the strip, then you're still thinking about it and therefore need to drill it more, or you're fencing differently on strip than you do in your drills. you shouldn't be drilling one way and fencing another, drill like you fence.

[Hollywood Troy]

I think everyone fences differently in competition than in drills. That's why we try to have a lower stance in practice than in competition, etc. We get a little sloppy as we get the adrenaline going and all that.

I would suggest in practice doing an extreme version of getting your hand going first. Almost like advance, extend...pause...lunge.

Also, watch some world cup or national finals. It's almost impossible to see the blade work, but you really can get a lot out of watching their footwork. It's not a bad idea to try to emulate the best of the best.

[Hollywood Troy]

I think we all have this problem sometimes. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, there only seem to be about a dozen referees in the country who see it consistently when it happens.

Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, socal has Terry Dix.

[Inquartata]

, or maybe .