Here I go again, with the questions. I do ask my Instructor, but half the time what I ask seems to slip my mind and to have a answer here that I can refer to helps me. Okay, I am a lefty, I'm 4'10 and very skinny...this one girl I fence is very tall, righty, and always seems to beat me, and then boasts. I know she is doing things we aren't suppose to know sometimes, but yea...
1. What she keeps doing (So i've been told, I should have been studying her) is a Remise. Someone told me if I do a strong Parry, with my foil held more upwards, then I can keep her at bay and then thrust. Any ideas, or tips, on this?
2. Here is kind of a stupid question, but, how do I get better on learning on distance? Lately, I've actually advanced into someones foil. Much to my frustration. It probably is just me not being careful, but, how do I understand distance better?
3. Another issue is this one guy always parry's very, very strongly, where my entire arms is moved around. I'm a weakling, I know this, but he does this to everyone? When he does this, his foil is held upwards more, and making a diagonal parry. Would simple retreating, or tipping my foil downward help this, or am I missing something?
PS: Any tips for leftys would be appreciated, in our first Round Robin I won 4 bouts out of 11 other Fencers (3 were in a advanced class), and this girl got 9.
Here I go again, with the questions. I do ask my Instructor, but half the time what I ask seems to slip my mind and to have a answer here that I can refer to helps me. Okay, I am a lefty, I'm 4'10 and very skinny...this one girl I fence is very tall, righty, and always seems to beat me, and then boasts. I know she is doing things we aren't suppose to know sometimes, but yea...
1. What she keeps doing (So i've been told, I should have been studying her) is a Remise. Someone told me if I do a strong Parry, with my foil held more upwards, then I can keep her at bay and then thrust. Any ideas, or tips, on this?
The remise is defined as "a simple and immediate offensive action which follows the original attack, without withdrawing the arm, after the opponent has parried or retreated..."; in other words, she attacks, you parry, and she continues and hits before you can start your riposte, yes?
The key here is to immediately launch a riposte (defined as "the offensive action made by the fencer who has parried the attack") after parrying her attack, since "the parry gives the right to riposte... but to annul any subsequent action by the attacker [such as a remise], [the riposte] must be executed immediately, without indecision or delay."
By doing this, your immediate, correctly-executed riposte would hold "priority" (also known as "the right of attack" or, more (most?) commonly, "right-of-way") over her remise, and you should be awarded the touch (and a point), even if her remise hits you before your riposte hits her.
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Originally Posted by Kylee
2. Here is kind of a stupid question, but, how do I get better on learning on distance? Lately, I've actually advanced into someones foil. Much to my frustration. It probably is just me not being careful, but, how do I understand distance better?
As I was taught to understand it, the three distances that you should have memorized are your own extension distance (length of your arm plus length of your weapon), your own lunge distance (extension distance plus however far you can lunge), and your own advance-lunge distance (lunge distance plus the distance covered by one advance).
Initially determining these three distances can be done with a sturdy wall and a foil:
1.) Fully extend your arm, with the foil held straight out (this is called a "point-in-line" position), and advance, little-by-little, toward the wall until the point makes contact and there is a slight bend in the blade; this is the extension distance.
2.) From the extension distance, slide your rear foot (the one corresponding to the hand *not* holding the foil) backward until you are in a lunge position, then recover (backward) from the lunge; this is the lunge distance.
3.) From the lunge distance, take one retreat away from the wall; this is the advance-lunge distance.
A large part of fencing is determining how your own distances match up with those of your opponent, and taking appropriate action based on that knowledge.
As for "getting better at distance", the best path is to 1.) ask the coach(es) and/or the fencers from the advanced class to help you via drills, and/or 2.) consciously practice keeping opponents at a certain distance during bouts.
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Originally Posted by Kylee
3. Another issue is this one guy always parry's very, very strongly, where my entire arms is moved around. I'm a weakling, I know this, but he does this to everyone? When he does this, his foil is held upwards more, and making a diagonal parry. Would simple retreating, or tipping my foil downward help this, or am I missing something?
There are some of options for addressing this:
1.) You can execute a disengage (temporarily moving the point of the foil down when your opponent tries to parry your attack or beat your blade, so that their blade passes over yours without touching it) or a coupé/cut-over (similar to a disengage, but temporarily moves the point of the foil up, so that the opponent's blade passes under yours without touching it).
This might help since "if the attacker, when attempting to deflect the opponent‘s blade, fails to find it (dérobement), the right of attack passes to the opponent."
2.) Execute a feint (a false attack, one that is intended to look just real enough to convince the opponent to try to parry it). After he parries your (false) attack and and starts his riposte, retreat with the intent of making his riposte fall short. Then, beat his blade and attack him.
3.) Execute a feint. After he parries your (false) attack and and starts his riposte, parry his riposte and execute a counter-riposte (defined as "the offensive action made by the fencer who has parried the riposte.")
All three of these options (and any others that I didn't list) can be perfected by performing them as drills with the coach(es) and/or fencers from the advanced class.
Hope this helps!
Last edited by Stormbringer; 07-05-2009 at 08:57 AM..
Reason: expansion/clarification
3. Another issue is this one guy always parry's very, very strongly, where my entire arms is moved around. I'm a weakling, I know this, but he does this to everyone? When he does this, his foil is held upwards more, and making a diagonal parry. Would simple retreating, or tipping my foil downward help this, or am I missing something?
I had this problem too. I didn't get it then when people would just tell me to disengage but it makes sense now. Just get your blade out of the way in time.
ps. your questions aren't stupid. you're just trying to get better at the craft is all.
I'm a shorty too (but rt handed). I switched from foil to epee. The advice above is sound, but I would like to add that we (under 5 foot fencers) have to have much better footwork to make up the distance.
Gotta be quick. Advance-lunge, double-lunge... gotta make these things work for you.
Footwork is not the most exciting thing in the world, but do it a few minutes at a time throught the day... in adition to regular drills. It is not the only thing, but every little bit helps.
__________________ I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
Well, footwork is one of my favorite aspects, really. One thing I am weary of is doing a lunge. I'm afraid I won't recover fast enough, or I can't parry efficiently while in the lunge. I rarely, if ever lunge, and I know that isn't good.
Next thursday is the Final Competition thing, in our small class Tournament. Everyone in my class is determined, that they all want me to get Paul(the fellow with the strong parry's) out of the way. Everyone has been saying to do a circle 6 parry, or just disengage. I try but..this guy is tricky. He does the same parry's too, those very strong above to downward at a angle ones.
Sorry, I have a random questions also:
1. When I see some fencers fence, I see their foil dip downwards once in awhile as they are moving back and forth, about to attack/retreat. I see this a lot in the Olympics. They bounce around, back and forth, their weapon up, then down, then up again. Why? Is this another trick?
2. I need to work on distance, bad, I can not beat this taller girl. All she does is waits for me to attack. I have learned this trick, so I just allow her to make the first move. Generally, I am not aggressive, I only attack when I am threatened.
One thing I am weary of is doing a lunge. I'm afraid I won't recover fast enough, or I can't parry efficiently while in the lunge. I rarely, if ever lunge, and I know that isn't good.
The way to fix that is to continually practice lunging and recovering; with each repetition, check that you have executed the lunge correctly (extending of the weapon-arm starts before the movement of the front foot, the back leg straightens explosively, the front shin and spine are vertical, and so on), and that the recovery ends in a good en-garde position (heels separated by the correct distance (usually at or slightly greater than shoulder-width), knees bent, spine vertical, and so on).
Continue repeating - both in and outside of practice, and for different lengths of lunge - until the motions are smooth, fast, and almost automatic... while still being correct.
Then, do it some more...
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1. When I see some fencers fence, I see their foil dip downwards once in awhile as they are moving back and forth, about to attack/retreat. I see this a lot in the Olympics. They bounce around, back and forth, their weapon up, then down, then up again. Why? Is this another trick?
The moving of the blade serves to, among other things,
a.) make it more difficult for the opponent to take control of one's own weapon, and
b.) make it more difficult to know precisely what form an attack will take, and from precisely what direction the attack will come.
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2. I need to work on distance, bad, I can not beat this taller girl. All she does is waits for me to attack. I have learned this trick, so I just allow her to make the first move. Generally, I am not aggressive, I only attack when I am threatened.
Without video, or a much, much more detailed description of what is happening in the bout, it's difficult-unto-near-impossible to give definitive advice.
You say she waits for you to make the first move, for you to attack.
What does she actually do? Does she counterattack, hoping her greater reach will allow her to time you out, or that you'll stop your attack (which would still have priority in such a situation) once she's hit you? Is she waiting for your attack so that she can parry it, and score with a riposte?
If the former... make a committed, explosive attack and follow through with it until you hit something. An attack that hits something - even one that hits off-target - carries priority over a counterattack. If nothing else, off-target, unparried attacks on your part will at least keep her from accumulating more points.
If the latter... consider trying the same things suggested previously:
1.) Execute disengages and/or cut-overs (as appropriate) to deceive the attempted parry and dérobe the opponent.
This may help since, again, "if the attacker, when attempting to deflect the opponent‘s blade, fails to find it (dérobement), the right of attack passes to the opponent." (direct quote from the fencing rulebook)
2.) Execute a feint. After she parries your (false) attack and and starts her riposte, retreat with the intent of making her riposte fall short. Then, beat her blade with your own and attack her.
3.) Execute a feint. After she parries your (false) attack and and starts her riposte, parry her riposte and execute a counter-riposte (which will hold priority over the remise of her riposte, in the same way that a riposte holds priority over a remise of an attack).
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Next thursday is the Final Competition thing, in our small class Tournament. Everyone in my class is determined, that they all want me to get Paul(the fellow with the strong parry's) out of the way. Everyone has been saying to do a circle 6 parry, or just disengage. I try but..this guy is tricky. He does the same parry's too, those very strong above to downward at a angle ones
Given your description ("...above to downward at a angle..."), it sounds like he's using seconde (second; parry-2), septime (seventh; parry-7), or octave (eighth; parry-8). Here is a visual diagram of the parries, and here is a text description; can you confirm which he's using?
In any case, the three suggestions listed previously (with the parries of choice for the third suggestion likely being circle-8 or circle-7, depending on which parry the opponent is using) still stand.
I would also again suggest asking the coach(es) and/or the fencers from the advanced class to help you (via drills), even if it means arriving early, staying late, and/or skipping open bouting in favor of seeking and securing said assistance.
The way to fix that is to continually practice lunging and recovering; with each repetition, check that you have executed the lunge correctly (extending of the weapon-arm starts before the movement of the front foot, the back leg straightens explosively, the front shin and spine are vertical, and so on), and that the recovery ends in a good en-garde position (heels separated by the correct distance (usually at or slightly greater than shoulder-width), knees bent, spine vertical, and so on).
Continue repeating - both in and outside of practice, and for different lengths of lunge - until the motions are smooth, fast, and almost automatic... while still being correct.
Then, do it some more...
Okay thank you so much, I will defiantly work on the lunges. I guess why I am also nervous about it, is that I'm SO short!
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The moving of the blade serves to, among other things,
a.) make it more difficult for the opponent to take control of one's own weapon, and
b.) make it more difficult to know precisely what form an attack will take, and from precisely what direction the attack will come.
Oh, I see, that makes a lot of sense why that would help a lot. I am unsure if I should use this yet though, but it is defiantly something I can consider!
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Without video, or a much, much more detailed description of what is happening in the bout, it's difficult-unto-near-impossible to give definitive advice.
You say she waits for you to make the first move, for you to attack.
What does she actually do? Does she counterattack, hoping her greater reach will allow her to time you out, or that you'll stop your attack (which would still have priority in such a situation) once she's hit you? Is she waiting for your attack so that she can parry it, and score with a riposte?
If the former... make a committed, explosive attack and follow through with it until you hit something. An attack that hits something - even one that hits off-target - carries priority over a counterattack. If nothing else, off-target, unparried attacks on your part will at least keep her from accumulating more points.
If the latter... consider trying the same things suggested previously:
1.) Execute disengages and/or cut-overs (as appropriate) to deceive the attempted parry and dérobe the opponent.
This may help since, again, "if the attacker, when attempting to deflect the opponent‘s blade, fails to find it (dérobement), the right of attack passes to the opponent." (direct quote from the fencing rulebook)
2.) Execute a feint. After she parries your (false) attack and and starts her riposte, retreat with the intent of making her riposte fall short. Then, beat her blade with your own and attack her.
3.) Execute a feint. After she parries your (false) attack and and starts her riposte, parry her riposte and execute a counter-riposte (which will hold priority over the remise of her riposte, in the same way that a riposte holds priority over a remise of an attack).
I believe, she does counter-attack, rather then a riposte. She usually hits in the same area. Lately I have been just waiting for her, or just feinting trying to get a response. She is not a good attack really, but she beats everyone, and also trys to steal points. I am not good with right away, so, I am sure she does not count my misses to her remise or counter-attack.
That is very good advice, I feel stupid sometimes I can't think about all that. I am really trying to learn and ask all I can, try to be smart about. But so many in my class don't do the same patterns, since they are new. I will keep practicing what you said, and keep it in mind!
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Given your description ("...above to downward at a angle..."), it sounds like he's using seconde (second; parry-2), septime (seventh; parry-7), or octave (eighth; parry-8).
Here is a visual diagram of the parries, and here is a text description; can you confirm which he's using?
In any case, the three suggestions listed previously (with the parries of choice for the third suggestion likely being circle-8 or circle-7, depending on which parry the opponent is using) still stand.
I would also again suggest asking the coach(es) and/or the fencers from the advanced class to help you (via drills), even if it means arriving early, staying late, and/or skipping open bouting in favor of seeking and securing said assistance.
Well, looking at that diagram It looks like Prime (First) then down to a Trice (third), hmm those parrys got my confused, we were only taught 4 & 6, so far. I am worried about doing a circle parry 6, since, we are not suppose to know that but the whole class talked to me and they decided I should do that to him, or my plan, is just to disengage, feint, just to make his parrys fail. Also, when he fences me specifically he get into a very low en garde (probably since I'm so short) but I know that must make it awkward for him, as well as me being left-handed would it make sence to just stay out of his way, tire him out maybe even though everyone said with him I need to be aggresive?
Oh, yea, I stay after every day into the other class, and I ask questions a lot. No one else does. I watch videos, I watch my coaches fence, I'm really trying to fence more with my mind now!
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Good luck with that tournament.
Thanks, I doubt I will get past the girl and boy I mentioned, but now I think I have a very good chance. There is still two other former advanced fencers, that...I am unsure about. Thanks though, I will read all these posts and try and remember the advice!
I believe, she does counter-attack, rather then a riposte. She usually hits in the same area. Lately I have been just waiting for her, or just feinting trying to get a response. She is not a good attack really, but she beats everyone, and also trys to steal points. I am not good with right away, so, I am sure she does not count my misses to her remise or counter-attack.
The thing with foil (and sabre) is that right-of-way is designed to, among other things, reward initiative - thus, why the person who takes the initiative in attacking first is rewarded (by being given priority), while the one who merely reacts to their opponent is not.
The question with your feints is, are they working - that is, do they look enough like real attacks that they are producing the desired reaction (an attempted parry), or are they being ignored?
Also, what do you mean when you say she "tries to steal points"?
How are you keeping track of hits? I assume you are using electric equipment (you'd be wearing a metallic vest, and have a wire connected to the foil and to a spring-loaded reel, which is connected to a scoring machine with lights and a buzzer)?
I ask because, by "misses", I assume that you are referring to hitting nothing, or hitting with the side of the blade instead of the point?
Because, again, an attack/riposte/counter-riposte that "misses" the opponent's valid target, but still hits (with the tip, in a thrust) the opponent's off-target areas, still holds right-of-way over a counter-attack or remise that hits your valid target...
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Originally Posted by Kylee
Well, looking at that diagram It looks like Prime (First) then down to a Trice (third), hmm those parrys got my confused, we were only taught 4 & 6, so far. I am worried about doing a circle parry 6, since, we are not suppose to know that but the whole class talked to me and they decided I should do that to him, or my plan, is just to disengage, feint, just to make his parrys fail. Also, when he fences me specifically he get into a very low en garde (probably since I'm so short) but I know that must make it awkward for him, as well as me being left-handed would it make sence to just stay out of his way, tire him out maybe even though everyone said with him I need to be aggresive?
So, he goes from being en garde in sixte/sixth, to taking your blade in prime/first (blade pointed down, arm in front of him like he's looking at a wristwatch), then transfers your blade into tierce/third (looks like sixth, but with the hand palm-down instead of palm-up)?
If that's the case... one thing to try is to execute a cut-over right when he starts to try to go into prime, beat his blade with something like a quarte (parry-4), quinte (parry-5; looks kinda like a lower version of parry-4) or septime (parry-7), and make a committed attack/riposte to his side (to right about where the kidneys or lower ribs are located).
Another thing to try would be, if he does manage to take your blade in prime, to wait until he comes most of the way (but not quite all the way) back up into tierce, then execute a circle-6 (or disengage and execute your own sixte or tierce), beat his blade, and make a committed attack/riposte (to the chest, belly or groin ).
As for tiring him out... that's part of what footwork and feints help to do.
Make him run and dance, and bewilder him... then attack while he's tired, confused, out of position, and off-balance...
Here is a picture someone took, of me and this tall student in my class. I am the short one of course, on the right. He happend to hit me on the mask, as usual.
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The thing with foil (and sabre) is that right-of-way is designed to, among other things, reward initiative - thus, why the person who takes the initiative in attacking first is rewarded (by being given priority), while the one who merely reacts to their opponent is not.
The question with your feints is, are they working - that is, do they look enough like real attacks that they are producing the desired reaction (an attempted parry), or are they being ignored?
Also, what do you mean when you say she "tries to steal points"?
How are you keeping track of hits? I assume you are using electric equipment (you'd be wearing a metallic vest, and have a wire connected to the foil and to a spring-loaded reel, which is connected to a scoring machine with lights and a buzzer)?
I ask because, by "misses", I assume that you are referring to hitting nothing, or hitting with the side of the blade instead of the point?
Because, again, an attack/riposte/counter-riposte that "misses" the opponent's valid target, but still hits (with the tip, in a thrust) the opponent's off-target areas, still holds right-of-way over a counter-attack or remise that hits your valid target...
I do not think they are, at one point she laughed at me (I dislike this woman, I do, very arrogant) and said she never fell for them. However, she has not said that since, and parry's when I do a feint. I have never, ever, fenced Electric. Actually, my first time will be at this Tournament this Thursday. I hope this won't hinder me. Yes, that is what I meant by miss. Then, I suppose, she is wrong and I should have got the points. I am unsure if she understand right of way as well as she does...
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So, he goes from being en garde in sixte/sixth, to taking your blade in prime/first (blade pointed down, arm in front of him like he's looking at a wristwatch), then transfers your blade into tierce/third (looks like sixth, but with the hand palm-down instead of palm-up)?
If that's the case... one thing to try is to execute a cut-over right when he starts to try to go into prime, beat his blade with something like a quarte (parry-4), quinte (parry-5; looks kinda like a lower version of parry-4) or septime (parry-7), and make a committed attack/riposte to his side (to right about where the kidneys or lower ribs are located).
Another thing to try would be, if he does manage to take your blade in prime, to wait until he comes most of the way (but not quite all the way) back up into tierce, then execute a circle-6 (or disengage and execute your own sixte or tierce), beat his blade, and make a committed attack/riposte (to the chest, belly or groin ).
Well, I am a little bit confused. Looking at this diagram he goes from Sixte to a Septime and results in pushing my blade out of the way. Either that, he starts in a Octave goes around my blade and hits it from on top. Something, that, we were never taught and I am sure he just see's from videos. All we were ever taught is the simple 4th and 6th parries. So, your saying, just try and do what I planned? Not get touched by his parries, disengage or cause his parries to fail? I try and hit lower, since my short stature, but I think he knows this since he is often guarding that area (from what I recall) and has a lower en guarde then with others.
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As for tiring him out... that's part of what footwork and feints help to do.
Make him run and dance, and bewilder him... then attack while he's tired, confused, out of position, and off-balance...
That is what I plan to do, he is taller, longer legs, but I am the quickest one there and I often make sure I am turning my torso side-ways so I have a smaller target area. He often does alot of beat attacks too. I don't want to do all disengages (a cut-over is from the top, right?). Lunging, wow, I do not want to even risk it. Also, is it bad that, I realised I only/usually become aggressive if someone attacks me first? I find my self just quickly moving out of the way, tricking my opponent, or doing a riposte rather then just charging at someone then others do.
PS: I love your replies, thank you so much, and I always look forward to reading them and I often read your other responses. I will make sure my mother takes a video of the Tournament, especially of me fencing these two individuals.
...this one girl I fence is very tall, righty, and always seems to beat me, and then boasts. I know she is doing things we aren't suppose to know sometimes, but yea...
PS: Any tips for leftys would be appreciated, in our first Round Robin I won 4 bouts out of 11 other Fencers (3 were in a advanced class), and this girl got 9.
First off, not to sound mean, but who cares if she boasts? I know it may make you feel like you are not good enough, but look at it this way; when you win a bout, do you go around bragging to everybody? Probably not, which makes you the better person in general.
Secondly, I wouldn't worry so much on trying to beat her. Just focus on what you know you need to work on and eventually your time will come. My example of this is I was constantly getting beat by a fencer from another club at tournaments (and not closely, I was getting stomped). I watched the videos I took, practiced in front of mirrors, spent hours working on the little things I had neglected for a while and came back the next season and left this guy in the dust. Just relax, have fun while fencing, and don't think about it, just do what you have been learning to do.
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Originally Posted by Kaylee
3. Another issue is this one guy always parry's very, very strongly, where my entire arms is moved around. I'm a weakling, I know this, but he does this to everyone? When he does this, his foil is held upwards more, and making a diagonal parry. Would simple retreating, or tipping my foil downward help this, or am I missing something?
I'll agree with Stormbringer on using the disengage or coupe/cut-over on this guy. I am thinking that if he is doing a parry as hard as you describe it, he is telegraphing his move very openly, like winding up. An example is if he does a parry-4, you can see his arm move out like he's don't a parry-6 before actually doing the parry-4. If you see him do this, disengage and lunge! If I happen to be fencing one of my students and they telegraph like this, I will bind their blade and force them to drop it...then kindly tell them not to telegraph moves :-p eventually they will learn.
However, if he is not telegraphing, but rather just using his whole arm to parry, still disengage or coupe. You may not be able to see it coming as easily, but it is still slower than just using one's wrist/fingers. Do what everybody is suggesting; feint, disengage, lunge! Will most likely work every time.
As a funny little side story, I had a student who I had just taught the fleche to. During times which we were bouting after lessons (or at the end of lessons) he would attempt to fleche and hit me. One time he actually did get a valid touch. He spent all week boasting how he was able to get a touch with a fleche on his coach. The next time we fenced I fleched from the en garde line perfectly hitting him in the middle of the chest. By the time he realized what I was doing, I was already past him and turning around. As I went back to en garde and said "Now you have nothing to boast about." :-) I may have been a jerk but sometimes the ones who don't show any sportsmanship are the jerks. Take my first words to heart; take the higher road and be a true fencer. Congratulate her when she wins, and when you finally win (which I believe you will soon) don't go bragging it around.
Oh of course I congratulate her when she wins, and I have never boasted since I know how it feels. I just shake her hand and tell her it was fun, and go on my way to the next person I have to fence.
It's been a while since I fenced him, so I assume he would telegraph his moves. I wish I could do a beat attack (I'm improving on these) but I just try and make sure I don't even go near his foil lol.
My Apologies, 3. Another issue is this one guy always parry's very, very strongly, where my entire arms is moved around. I'm a weakling, I know this, but he does this to everyone? When he does this, his foil is held upwards more, and making a diagonal parry. Would simple retreating, or tipping my foil downward help this, or am I missing something?
If your entire arm is being moved "around" as you say, he is probably doing more of a Prise de Fer. This occurs when the defender keeps contact with the opponent's blade after the "parry". To stop this, loosen your grip on the foil after the blades make contact. This should allow your blade to rotate under his bell guard, allowing for an easy remise of your own. Just make sure not to get hit as you do it :P
If he's just parrying really hard, disengage before the blades make contact... that's pretty well the only way I can think of avoiding the issue.
P.s. Why is your hand behind your back? Isn't it supposed to be raised? *sigh* <---- Don't mind me, I've just gotta get my rant in :P
__________________ In Flanders fields the poppies grow - Between the crosses, row on row, - That mark our place, and in the sky, - The larks, still bravely singing, fly, - Scarce heard amid the guns below. ~John McCrae
My hand is behind my back since I hurt it the other day, and I just wanted it out of the way. Normally. My hand is just by my side, the other guy, he just copied me which is funny since...his hand wasn't hurt.
And here I thought it was just the way some people came en garde (until corrected; I did the same thing when I started... ).
Also... don't put your arm across your back like that (especially in competitions, and when you start fencing with the electric equipment), because it is a penalizable offense to cover any part of the valid target (marked by the lamé (the metallic vest)) with the unarmed hand/arm.
On a more meaningful note...
I would have to likewise agree with thekoby:
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I wouldn't worry so much on trying to beat her. Just focus on what you know you need to work on and eventually your time will come.
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Just relax, have fun while fencing, and don't think about it, just do what you have been learning to do.
with the corollary, that the better you work on those things (which means not just "working harder", but "working smarter" as well), the sooner that time will come.
The same goes for the strong-man. Speaking of whom...
The picture you provided shows that he is making a low parry-4, or a parry-5.
One more way to foil his efforts (yes, I went there... fencing puns... ), if he does manage to catch your blade with such a parry, is to use a circle-4 (circle-4 is to parry-4 what circle-6 is to parry-6; for a lefty, the tip of your foil should move in a clockwise circle while performing the action, and the action should end with you in the parry-4 position).
If you can complete the circle and reconnect with his blade after doing so, this has the advantage of parrying his riposte (thus removing his right-of-way), and allowing you the opportunity to take right-of-way by immediately executing a counter-riposte.
So, a list of things to work on includes:
- general footwork
-- specifically, lunging (quickly AND correctly) and recovering (quickly AND correctly) from lunges
- memorizing the extension, lunge, and advance-lunge distances
- learning all of the primary parries (4, 6, 7,and 8) and how to get around them
-- disengages and cut-overs
-- circular parries (both circle-6 and circle-4)
- becoming more confident in attacking/riposting, and being able to commit to (and follow through with) the attack/riposte once it is initiated
-- given the size difference... suggest having your coach(es) and/or the advanced fencers teach you how to effectively execute "low-line" attacks and ripostes (like the one the fencer on the left makes in the attached picture)
That was just one picture, I don't en guard like that except for that one class. The guy I was going against, was copying me, as I said. Also, that guy, is not the strong man I am speaking of...
Okay, I will work on that. The problems I am having is mostly just recovering from a lunge. I can do it, but not as fast as I would like. Then, there is the thing about attacking lower. I really got the parry riposte done, since, I usually don't like to attack if anyone isn't doing anything to me for some reason.
I'll be taking Open Fencing and that way I can learn the parries 7 and 8. Since, as I said I'm not suppose to know those yet really, as well as the circle one.
Here I go again, with the questions. I do ask my Instructor, but half the time what I ask seems to slip my mind and to have a answer here that I can refer to helps me. Okay, I am a lefty, I'm 4'10 and very skinny...this one girl I fence is very tall, righty, and always seems to beat me, and then boasts. I know she is doing things we aren't suppose to know sometimes, but yea...
1. What she keeps doing (So i've been told, I should have been studying her) is a Remise. Someone told me if I do a strong Parry, with my foil held more upwards, then I can keep her at bay and then thrust. Any ideas, or tips, on this?
You have one tempo to repost from a parry. If you parry and you opponent remises, you have priority. Push for the double touch and the point is yours. I suspect that you parry and then hesitate. Practice parry riposte drills with a partner. A quick beat parry followed by the riposte works well on those with remise disease. But you need a director/coach who understands right of way so that the point is correctly awarded and you don't have a stabfest
If you are much smaller, you have to control distance. Keep moving, and stay out of range until you are ready to attack. Bait you opponent in and retreat out of his attack with you parry and then riposte before he can recover.
When fencing someone with a very strong parry, the disengage is you friend. Typically someone who parries really hard will over-travel if you avoid there parry. Feint to the guard, wait for the parry and then disengage-lunge. Practice disengages with a partner so that you can do the small, fast and with just the fingers.
Going back to the distance thing, I find it fun to lunge and try to hit certain things; light swtiches, door handles, keys on the table. It's cool to guess distance, and working on my lunges.
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Sometimes adrenalin is more instructive than meditation. So, in between screaming, try and pay attention.
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