Wanting to Improve

[Applesauce and Foils]

I am ready to get serious about my fencing. I've been at it for 2 years and while I'm "improving" I still don't feel like I'm getting anywhere fast. I have no ratings or anything.
I'm going to join a club with a coach soon, but I'd like to get started now. So, what can I do at home to improve?

And, once I get started, what does it take to advance quickly?

ANY advice, from y'all WILL be listened to.
Thanks!

[epee rocks]

Well, for one, you defently going to improve alot more with a coach and a club. Dont worry about rateings, they dont really mean anything anyway. You can try doing footwork at home and also hanging a tennisball by a hook and useing it as a target helps alot to. Good luck, and I hope to see you at a tourtament one day .

[Goldgar]

Originally Posted by Applesauce and Foils

I am ready to get serious about my fencing. I've been at it for 2 years and while I'm "improving" I still don't feel like I'm getting anywhere fast. I have no ratings or anything.
I'm going to join a club with a coach soon, but I'd like to get started now. So, what can I do at home to improve?

And, once I get started, what does it take to advance quickly?

Don't worry about advancing; just attend to improving, and the advancing will take care of itself.

Here are a few things you might do:

+ Practice footwork and make sure you're doing it correctly. Note that doing it slowly will help you make it correct, but to be useful, correct footwork isn't normally slow. In addition to basic footwork, you can practice footwork patterns with a tactical idea in mind.

+ Have a friend videotape you doing footwork, drilling, and bouting. Then review the tapes with a critical eye and pick things to improve.

+ Improve your lunge speed with physical strength training and speed drills.

+ Watch videos of high-level competitors and try to get a feel for how they move (and they won't all be the same, by any means!) and the tactics they use (ditto). How do they set up touches?

+ If you're going to practice hitting a dangling tennis or golf ball, make sure you don't just jab at it. I like to start by extending to line and then advancing or lunging that line to hit. Only after that's working well will I extend to hit directly, or extend simultaneously with the footwork. The important thing is to stay relaxed through the hit.

Without knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are now, I can't think of much more to suggest.

[Applesauce and Foils]

Oh, btw, I didn't mean actual advancing, I meant moving on. Thanks for the help.

[garyhayenga]

Originally Posted by Goldgar

Practice footwork and make sure you're doing it correctly.

+ Have a friend videotape you doing footwork, drilling, and bouting. Then review the tapes with a critical eye and pick things to improve.

+ Improve your lunge speed with physical strength training and speed drills.

+ Watch videos of high-level competitors and try to get a feel for how they move (and they won't all be the same, by any means!) and the tactics they use (ditto). How do they set up touches?

+ If you're going to practice hitting a dangling tennis or golf ball, make sure you don't just jab at it. I like to start by extending to line and then advancing or lunging that line to hit. Only after that's working well will I extend to hit directly, or extend simultaneously with the footwork. The important thing is to stay relaxed through the hit.

The key to Dirk's suggestions is to *make sure you are doing it correctly*.

There is very little worse than an inexperienced fencer practicing poor footwork or bladework technique, on their own and intensely for a long period and then having to spend two or three times that long unlearning the bad habits they've ingrained.

Basic strength, endurance and agility training may be what you should be practicing at home on your own.

gary hayenga

[lefty_monster]

DON'T GET INJURED

and

DON'T DEVELOP ANY BAD HABITS

and

DON'T GET INJURED

Did I mention that getting injured impedes progress and actually sets you back a whole lot? Don't get injured.

[Allen Evans]

Most of the above advice is useful, and also useless. All of these things will make your fencing actions better, but they may not make you a better fencer. That's going to take a lot more work than doing a few hundred lunges every week or watching video of yourself lumping across a gym floor.

Can you keep going to practice, take lessons, and attend tournaments, even if you lose three, four, five times as many bouts as you win? Can you appreciate that fencing is a process and not a result?

Can you be honest with yourself? Can you face yourself after throwing a temper tantrum during a lesson, or after losing a tough bout, learn from it, and move on? How well do you know yourself?

Are you a critical thinker? The coach isn't always right, and even if the coach is right, it may not be the right advice for YOU. Can you learn from sources outside of your club? From your own experiences, good and bad?

All of the advice in previous posts are well and good, but I would read A Championship Effort by Dave Littell for some really excellent advice.

AE

[KidLazy]

Originally Posted by Applesauce and Foils

I am ready to get serious about my fencing. I've been at it for 2 years and while I'm "improving" I still don't feel like I'm getting anywhere fast. I have no ratings or anything.
I'm going to join a club with a coach soon, but I'd like to get started now. So, what can I do at home to improve?

And, once I get started, what does it take to advance quickly?

ANY advice, from y'all WILL be listened to.
Thanks!

Just curious... how much time a week do you spend on training, lession, and bouting?

[Applesauce and Foils]

Heh, right now I'm only going once a week for 1 and 1/2 hours, which is no where near what I would like to do. Hopefully I'll be starting two more nights for 2-1/2 hrs every week. While I'm at practice I always try to be fencing. I get annoyed when I see people just standing around.

I also look at all the training tips and drills on the site and try to practice them on my own. So I do take it seriously.

And, yes, I figured out that fencing is a process after getting whooped up on in my first tournament and coming in last. But, losses can inspire you.

Thanks to everyone for your advice. I have found useful info in each!
AF

[Applesauce and Foils]

Oh, just in case anyone was wondering, I'm nowhere near throwing a temper tantrum at anyone! I am desperate for a coach and any help I can get!

AF

[lefty_monster]

Originally Posted by Applesauce and Foils

Oh, just in case anyone was wondering, I'm nowhere near throwing a temper tantrum at anyone! I am desperate for a coach and any help I can get!

AF

Hey, most of us love our coaches. That doesn't mean that we don't throw a tantrum every now and then. Big tourneys are stressful!

[KidLazy]

Originally Posted by Applesauce and Foils

Heh, right now I'm only going once a week for 1 and 1/2 hours, which is no where near what I would like to do. Hopefully I'll be starting two more nights for 2-1/2 hrs every week.

Right now, if time willing, I go to my club twice a week, 3 1/2 hours each time, and this barely allows me to maintain my current level (and I am a nobody). At the begining, I did four times a week, three hours each time, for two years, with avg. two tournaments a month (I was an U at the begining, and a B at the end of two years).

The time you spend factors in alot.
More practice, more experience, etc.

While I'm at practice I always try to be fencing. I get annoyed when I see people just standing around.

Well, sometime it is good to just watch people bouting; learn from their mistake, etc. Only perfect practice makes perfect. Going out there fence mindlessly really doesn't help your fencing at all.

I also look at all the training tips and drills on the site and try to practice them on my own. So I do take it seriously.

If you are really serious about fencing, then get yourself a great coach and spend some serious time on it.

[Applesauce and Foils]

Yep, can't wait for a coach.

AF

[TBean]

Originally Posted by Applesauce and Foils

Heh, right now I'm only going once a week for 1 and 1/2 hours, which is no where near what I would like to do. Hopefully I'll be starting two more nights for 2-1/2 hrs every week. While I'm at practice I always try to be fencing. I get annoyed when I see people just standing around.


AF

I have to agree with KidLazy, this is not nearly enough time to make significant improvements. I maintain my fencing, with small progress with about the same training schedule as KL - at the same club as well. When I was really making progress - fencing three days per week for 4+ hours (included bouts, drills, footwork and aerobic conditioning each day), I had one other day in the salle for just footwork, drills and conditioning, I did additional weight and aerobic training, went to competitions at least three times per month, plus lessons. Fencing was a part-time job for me and I got better rapidly.

Now I don't have nearly that amount of time, so I do what I can and hope for the best. If you want to improve find the way to put as much time as possible into fencing - also do it at the salle with other people.

[Applesauce and Foils]

Okay, I see. Thanks! I'm going to be trying my hardest.

AF