Smoothness

[epeeslasher]

I have seen two masters, both trained in the French school, give extremely smooth lessons with blade and feet. When they do footwork it's almost like they are gliding across the floor.

Where does the technique for this come from? Of course they spent years to get that smooth but no matter how many descriptions I read about proper footwork or videos I watch of fencing (high level fencing; not conventional footwork technique) there seems to be a difference in how it is done. Any ideas?

[Sean Butler]

That's a great question, to which I would love the answer myself. In watching good fencers and instructors, about all I can offer (which admittedly isn't much help) is that their feet do not travel UP and DOWN much, only forward and back. They move their feet almost as if they glide on a cushion of air one millimeter above the piste before coming to rest. When they lunge, for example, they do not even appear to leave the piste or lift their toe until the last possible millisecond. It's like the foot remains toe-down while it slides just above the floor and finally kicks and lifts slightly to land on the heel.

I wish I was taught this kind of footwork when I was younger. It seems like it would telegraph less and be more efficient with less impact on your joints and such.

[Allen Evans]

Are these coaches doing fencing footwork while giving lessons, or "walking" the lesson out?

AE

[Sean Butler]

Since epeelasher hasn't responded yet, I will say that my own experience is that coaches/instructors demonstrate footwork when teaching it. So with the footwork I described, it's not so much that the coach was giving a personal lesson as he was demonstrating how he wanted the fencer(s) receiving the instruction to perform the footwork. Unless there is a specific reason for a coach to do footwork during a lesson, most of mine have taught using the "walking" approach you mentioned.

Are you just wondering whether the OP was confusing the smooth "walking" lessons with smooth footwork?

[MdA]

.....
Where does the technique for this come from? Of course they spent years to get that smooth but no matter how many descriptions I read about proper footwork or videos I watch of fencing (high level fencing; not conventional footwork technique) there seems to be a difference in how it is done. Any ideas?

They most probably got this footwork by taking many lessons from and watching many lessons by the Masters who trained them.

[epeeslasher]

Like Sean, I have mainly seen this when the coaches give group footwork lessons or mechanical lessons.

During bouting lessons their footwork and form tend to deteriorate with the increase in speed.

They walk out most lessons but not every lesson.

[MdA]

They most probably got this footwork by taking many lessons from and watching many lessons by the Masters who trained them.

This sums up. It takes thousands of lessons.

Anyone can be a Fencing Coach ...or Pirate