USFCA clinic afterthoughts

[Kramer]

In a recent USFCA clinic the instructors taught about keeping the individual lesson as realistic as possible . From what I understood this includes keeping realistic distance in your lessons. So what about giving lessons at riposte distance? Should they not be used at all because noone fences at this distance? (even though sometimes you will find yourself at this distance)

Example would be the warmup part of this lesson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2A0B5Nx-AQ

Is this still considered realistic? I like this lesson very much, it reminds me of how my old coach taught me. But im wondering if the coaches that would be testing me for this certification would consider this a good lesson.

Another concept I was having thoughts about was building the lessons from simple to advance with the same theme. My old coach use to do this with the main part of the lesson but the warmup and cooldown part of the lesson was always the same (or nearly the same). From what I got from the clinic, the warmup, main lesson and cooldown should all be simularly themed. Do you change your warmup and cooldown to match up with your theme when you give lessons?

The clinic I attended was great and very informative. I would highly recommend them. Just wish I could come up with these questions the day of the clinic. When I can attend another clinic I will ask them but in the meantime any advice is appreciated.

[JEC]

A DVD of this clinic is available. Contact MdA, if interested.

[Allen Evans]

From what I understood this includes keeping realistic distance in your lessons. So what about giving lessons at riposte distance? Should they not be used at all because noone fences at this distance? (even though sometimes you will find yourself at this distance)

This is not such a simple question, actually. When giving lessons at a close distance, the coach should ask him or herself a few questions:

1. What am I trying to teach in this lesson: a technical skill or a tactical one? Artificial distances are almost always a sign of a technical skill rather than a tactical one.

2. If I am teaching a tactical skill (counter-riposte, for instance) how should this distance be created and under what conditions? For instance, I might have my student making a counter-riposte with a recovery after a lunge, or by moving forward in a redoublement. These are two different situations, and the stage for each situation should be set.

3. Is this action an "open eyes" action, or a "known ending" action? In other words, who is creating this riposte distance, the student or the coach? Why?

4. There are additonal factors, which Jason will probably correct me on at some point.

From what I got from the clinic, the warmup, main lesson and cooldown should all be simularly themed. Do you change your warmup and cooldown to match up with your theme when you give lessons?

Yes. Why would you warm up your student with a skill that they aren't going to use in that particular lesson? Let's say you're going to teach feint disengage attacks with lunge and fleche in the lesson. Would warming the student up with beat direct attacks make sense? Parry riposte?

[RITFencing]

1. What am I trying to teach in this lesson: a technical skill or a tactical one? Artificial distances are almost always a sign of a technical skill rather than a tactical one.

I am not sure that I agree with this fully, or perhaps I should say that I think it's not the complete truth. I think artificial situations in lessons, be it artificial speed, distance, whatever, are not necessarily for use in developing technique but for singling out one or two qualities that the lesson, drill or whatever is really trying to focus on. Feel free to disagree and discuss, of course.

[Kramer]

Thanks for the replys. Im have lots to learn.

Looking at the same video would you say that this warmup's theme matches the lesson? Why or why not? Im thinking the first warmup example does have some similar movement to the main lesson but is that enough to be the same theme?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2A0B5Nx-AQ