Very Very New. Help please!

[pinksnowpeach]

So I am extremely new to fencing. Like I just had my first lesson last night by accident. My friends are part of SCA and they do this whole heavy battle fighting stuff and wanted me to join. I have watched them fight twice and decided that it was way too rough for me. I'm a pansy for the most part and don't want to put on armor and get bruised because I have no idea what I'm doing. Well there were some fencers there that night and I have to say I like it a lot more. They were willing to take me aside and actually teach me the basics along with explaining that I can get hurt doing this but it will be a lot less often and serious (unless something goes wrong).

So what do I need to know about this world I'm getting myself into? I'm female and have been dancing for about 16 years so this world is pretty different from that of Irish dance. So far it is hard work, a little challenging but really fun ^_^

[milstdfarm]

Welcome to our world. You have chosen wisely. Sport fencers are smarter, better looking, and generally better lovers than SCA.

Besides that, it's a sport that is fun and great exercise at whichever level you wish to take it. I recently joined a second club with several fencers in their 60's and 70's. They don't chase anybody off the strip anymore but they have fun, get a great work-out and enjoy teaching younger fencers what they know.

It's a sport that you can be part of for the rest of your life.

Have fun and welcome!

[dharmaqueen]

Enjoy! With your background in dance you should do great. Find a place to learn the basics and get into it as fast or as slow as your heart desires.

[daveappr]

Glad to hear you're having fun. Welcome to the board and the world of fencing

[Rabid Monk]

Welcome! Both to here and to fencing.

There are a few things you will want to know. The fencers may or may not have covered it.

1) Get a chest protector. Breast tissue can be permanently damaged by an accidentally hard hit. Not trying to be pervy, just laying out the facts. It's essentially the female equivalent of a male's testes.

2) Join a club. There will be more people to fence, as well as coaches and the opportunity to compete. A club should also have gear you can use, so that you don't have to buy your own right away.

3) I would recommend trying all three weapons. A lot of clubs will insist that beginners spend their first year doing foil. That's fine. It doesn't mean you can't try free-fencing with the other weapons. Find one that you like, and go with it.

4) Expect bruises. More to the point: expect odd looks if you wear a short sleeved shirt, and questions from teachers/supervisors about whether everything is all right at home. There are a few women at my club who have had to field such questions.

6) Can you clasp you hands behind your back (one arm over the top, one from below)? If so, great! If not, getting into the jackets might take a little practice.

7) Do you wear glasses? If not, ignore this comment. If you do, I have found it easier to put on my helmet chin-first, instead of from the top. i.e. I put my chin in, and then bring the top of the helmet up over my head. Pulling a helmet down from the top alwys dislodged my glasses. but, since I had laser eye surgery back in Augusts, I don't need to worry anymore!

9) Most of all: Have fun! Enjoy the challenge, enjoy the strategy, enjoy the grace.

[pinksnowpeach]

Welcome! Both to here and to fencing.

There are a few things you will want to know. The fencers may or may not have covered it.

1) Get a chest protector. Breast tissue can be permanently damaged by an accidentally hard hit. Not trying to be pervy, just laying out the facts. It's essentially the female equivalent of a male's testes.

2) Join a club. There will be more people to fence, as well as coaches and the opportunity to compete. A club should also have gear you can use, so that you don't have to buy your own right away.

3) I would recommend trying all three weapons. A lot of clubs will insist that beginners spend their first year doing foil. That's fine. It doesn't mean you can't try free-fencing with the other weapons. Find one that you like, and go with it.

4) Expect bruises. More to the point: expect odd looks if you wear a short sleeved shirt, and questions from teachers/supervisors about whether everything is all right at home. There are a few women at my club who have had to field such questions.

6) Can you clasp you hands behind your back (one arm over the top, one from below)? If so, great! If not, getting into the jackets might take a little practice.

7) Do you wear glasses? If not, ignore this comment. If you do, I have found it easier to put on my helmet chin-first, instead of from the top. i.e. I put my chin in, and then bring the top of the helmet up over my head. Pulling a helmet down from the top alwys dislodged my glasses. but, since I had laser eye surgery back in Augusts, I don't need to worry anymore!

9) Most of all: Have fun! Enjoy the challenge, enjoy the strategy, enjoy the grace.

Yea I'm working on getting a chest protector PDQ. I like to keep the girls safe and happy. Right now I'm not a fan of a foil and the people i fence with recommend not using one for anything other than learning. Plus I'm not a fan of it myself. lol. I'm planning on wearing contacts because my glasses are plastic and then i tried on a helmet they didn't stay too well on my head.

Thanks for the advice ^_^

[Rabid Monk]

Yea I'm working on getting a chest protector PDQ. I like to keep the girls safe and happy. Right now I'm not a fan of a foil and the people i fence with recommend not using one for anything other than learning. Plus I'm not a fan of it myself. lol. I'm planning on wearing contacts because my glasses are plastic and then i tried on a helmet they didn't stay too well on my head.

Thanks for the advice ^_^

Final piece of advice: Learn foil. It's just better. Because I said so.

The alternative is the drooling unwashed sabre-hordes.

(yes, there's a lot of friendly tribalism within fencing)

[Inquartata]

But bear in mind that Monk has rabies, which is not an affliction known for affecting rational thought or behavior in a very positive way...

Foil is indeed silly. It suffers from all of the drawbacks of sabre and epee with the advantages of neither. You are wise to pass if you can.

[OmegaMan111]

bahh, foil is pretty much the basis of the other 2 weapons, and it is the hardest according to me (im a foil :P) so in my opinion its easier to start hard and then drop down than to start easy and try to get back up to a harder weapon. but yeah at first foil isnt too much fun but once u get better u learn more actions and its great. just take ur time with it, fencing takes a large amount of time to make progress but in the end its worth it

[Inquartata]

Eh, no, it isn't. It was invented as a training tool for the smallsword.

And please see my signature.

[fatfencer]

Eh, no, it isn't. It was invented as a training tool for the smallsword.

And please see my signature.

The small sword isnt a dueling epee. Its much lighter and smaller.

The small sword is essentially an Italian Foil.

Backswords(saber) are for the uber-simple.

FF

PS:And yes, for most of the world foil was the basis of the 3 weapons.. until the Eastern Bloc countries really began to specialize... but I digress.

[Got_Fenced_In]

Okay, ignore the chattering of the gibbons and just listen to Rabid Monk's advice.

Chest protector is so important. Then again, I don't recommend fencing without a mask, either...

Oh, and listen to me, since I'm here to welcome you to fnet. Hi!

[Rabid Monk]

Eh, no, it isn't. It was invented as a training tool for the smallsword.

Correct. For the record, I do own a smallsword. Well, a ceremonial Swiss Staff officers sword. But it is essentially a smallsword.
I also have an A&A Scarf Sword, which is a transitional rapier. And don't bother asking what a transitional rapier is. I don't think anybody knows for sure. Most of 'em are still quibbling over the definition of "rapier".

And please see my signature.

"Use the Shift key, people! Keyboard manufacturers everywhere are ineffably saddened when you ignore what they made just for you! "

Ineffable, huh?

Isn't that a descriptive word? More to the point: a descriptive word used to describe something that cannot be described in words? And if it is ineffable, how do you know it is "sad"?

A one-word contradiction.

And you say my rabies doesn't affect my rational thought processes in a positive way.

The small sword isn't a dueling epee. Its much lighter and smaller.

I wouldn't know. I've never had the chance to see or handle an épée du combat. Pity.

The small sword is essentially an Italian Foil.

Backwards. Foils were developed to be training tools for smallswords. If you ever get the chance to handle a really old foil, note the figure-of-eight guard and that the blade (if original) will be very flexible. The point behind this was to force the fencer to make smooth, controlled motions. If s/he didn't the tip would not land properly.

Backswords(saber) are for the uber-simple.

FF

This is truth.

PS:And yes, for most of the world foil was the basis of the 3 weapons.. until the Eastern Bloc countries really began to specialize... but I digress.

You should probably start a new thread on this, if we want to continue.




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To pinksnowpeach:

Don't mind us. We're always like this. And the friendly inter-weapon rivalry is par for the course.

[D'Art]

Friendly rivalry?

[Rabid Monk]

Friendly rivalry?

Sssshhhh!

We want the new person to stick around.
By the time she figures it out, it'll be too late.

[Inquartata]

The small sword isnt a dueling epee. Its much lighter and smaller.

Where did I say otherwise? Or have you stopped reading posts in favor of just assuming all of them disagree with you?

The small sword is essentially an Italian Foil.

Now you drop to 50% accuracy.

Backswords(saber) are for the uber-simple.

33.3%

And sabres do not resemble backswords very much at all...

for most of the world foil was the basis of the 3 weapons

How even you can imagine that a point-only weapon "was the basis" for a cutting weapon beggars understanding...

[kmwong]

Final piece of advice: Learn foil. It's just better. Because I said so.

The alternative is the drooling unwashed sabre-hordes.

(yes, there's a lot of friendly tribalism within fencing)

Hehe

I started on sabre...I learned some, but I found that my sabre attacks didn't improve until I spent a couple months with foil. It's all about getting (and keeping) right-of-way ...

==

advice to pinksnowpeach:
* Don't feel discouraged. You will generally feel like you're learning a lot in the first week or two, and then you'll reach this sort of plateau where you feel like you're learning *NOTHING* at all. I have left practice very frustrated and very upset sometimes because everything just went horribly with my fencing, like everything I had learned was pointless. Try to get past the feeling by realizing that if you just keep going back, you'll pick up something new that you didn't recognize before.

And I think Rabid Monk covered the rest of what I was going to say.

[Inquartata]

I started on sabre...I learned some, but I found that my sabre attacks didn't improve until I spent a couple months with foil. It's all about getting (and keeping) right-of-way ...
:

Aaand I'm sure that your personal experience is completely generalizeable.

Sorry that you couldn't understand sabre and had to settle for the short-bus that is foil instead, but not everyone is equally handicapped...

[kmwong]

Sorry that you couldn't understand sabre and had to settle for the short-bus that is foil instead, but not everyone is equally handicapped...

HEY! I think foil is a completely respectable weapon. No need to start calling them short-bus.

[Slacker]

X-cuse Me????!! There are pros and cons to each weapon. Foil is my weapon of choice
1. because it has rules
2. it is not as fast as sabre
3. it is commonly the beginners weapon- that's what I started with, and I can't afford to be a multi weapon player.

Epee's fine if you like the idea of playing without rules
and you like going slow
and the idea of an all-white uniform appeals to you

And if you're young and hot and think you know what ROW is , go for sabre. It's sexy.