New and have some questions

[mach11]

Hey everyone!

I'm new to fencing. I started at a club at my school about 3 weeks ago. We have been doing a ton of footwork drills and such and recently started learning on weapons. I want to fence foil!

okay well here are some questions i have. I haven't been able to ask the coach because he is always over loaded by questions and the veterans in the club practice at a different time.

First, what are some good practices like drills i can do at home and also what are some good excersizes to get me in shape for fencing?

Second, i wanted to buy my own equipment soon as the equipment they have for beginners is rather old and dirty. I was going to buy a foil with a pistol grip but i am confused on the grips. I know that everyone has a different opinion on the pistol grips but i had one concern. I have arthritis in the joint on the tips of some of my fingers namely my index finger where the grip sits. (Epee being heavy hurts very much i find foil to not hurt except after long periods of time). I have found that one of their weapons has a russian grip which seemes wider and helps spread the pressure but I was curious if anyone had this problem and knew of a grip that would be as bad on my fingers. The russian grip is the only one i know i have used cause i cant really tell the difference between all of the others.

Thanks in advance i really appreciate the help and look forward to fencing in the future!

[Fiat Slug]

Welcome to fencing!

First of all, it's typical for a beginner to use the French grip for a while to build up finger/hand strength. However, your situation is a bit unusual so I would encourage you to talk to your coach.

As for pistol grips, they come in different sizes and shapes. You're right that the Russian grip is wider than most grips. I tried different grips at a local store and found the Negrini's version of Visconti to be most comfortable for my hand. I use a large even though my glove size is only #8.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the tang can be canted. The tang is the part of the blade inside the grip and canting bends it. Canting affects the angle between the blade and the grip so that might help you with your arthritis. By canting the tang, you can effectively angle the grip up/down/left/right.

Have fun!

[Fencergrl]

Welcome to fencing and the forum. I strongly recommend that you hold off buying equipment. If you are concerned about how hygienic the club equipment is, then buy a glove & mask. This website as well as many others offer a wide selection and offer good advice.

Once you get into the regular practise times or complete your beginners classes, you will have a better idea as to what you will need and so will your coach.

Fencing equipment is expensive, so it's best to avoid making costly mistakes by buying stuff too soon.

[Applesauce and Foils]

[QUOTE=mach11;824659]

First, what are some good practices like drills i can do at home and also what are some good excersizes to get me in shape for fencing?[QUOTE]

Anything that stretches your legs! For me, the groin/inner thighs especially!

Just check out your on guard position in front of a mirror. Try to remember what they've been teaching at the class.
Some things I check:
Feet pointing the right way? Knees correctly aligned? Hips tucked in? Torso straight? Shoulders relaxed? etc.

Also- advance, advance, retreat. Advance, advance, retreat. and then the reverse of that: retreat, R, A. R,R,A.

Have fun!
AF

[sabrefencer93]

i would hold off on buying equipment for at least a couple of months until you decide that foil is the weapon you want to stick with. I thougght i was going to continue wtih foil, but then after about a month i switched to sabre, then after a few months of that i bought my equipment because i know i am sticking with sabre!

[UnidentifiedFencerOnline]

http://www.fencing.net/drills/ its handy

DO NOT buy equipment until you're sure you want to stay with the sport and you're sure that you're going to stick with foil (or whatever weapon you'll switch to if you do switch).

i'm double jointed in all my fingers and i have to say that the preference of grip changes over time as you master the basic techniques. most beignners prefer the french grip.
and welcome!