Strange moves

[D'Art]

We've already heard, in this thread, from the acrobatic cougar.

This is more for younger ones than FG, hence the spotted animal...

[Craig]

The move at 3:59 here is unorthodox:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGI0avq-OoA

Craig

[shlepzig]

The move at 3:59 here is unorthodox:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGI0avq-OoA

Craig

That was very unorthodox. Where would you come up with something like that? Perhaps the circus.

[Gav]

We've already heard, in this thread, from the acrobatic cougar.

I wish people would stop talking about Linux and answer the real question: which shoes give you the best chance of establishing PiL in Epee at half past 2 every Tuesday?

[Inquartata]

It's not the shoes; it's the bandanna.

[shlepzig]

To the OP. I will try to give you one serious answer out of this lot of malcontents.

Weird moves and other "legendary super secret unbeatable moves" have been discussed on and off over the years, the search feature will give you a little more information (mostly more banter like you received earlier).

Many fencers have unorthodox styles and techniques. Some of them are successful, most are not. Unorthodox styles that are made successful usually develop from bad habits of the fencer, and are made successful due to natural athletic ability or talent. There is also sometimes the "weird stuff" factor, that can throw off experienced fencers. The experienced fencer can get caught thinking "What the hell is happening here?" and allows himself to hesitate and get hit. There are squirmy fencers, twitchy fencers, and even some left-handed fencers (mutants the whole lot of them).

Within the canon of fencing there are traditional moves that are practiced very little, but are still worthy to think about if they suit your particular ability (and weapon); passata soto, inquartata for instance. There are other fencers that would consider the flick unconventional. The "behind the back" riposte has become common enough to be considered completely pedestrian, but falls into the category of "strange" moves.

Often times new fencers see more experienced fencers executed some of these moves successfully with amazing ability and are enchanted by their "coolness". In our club we had an exceptionally talented epee fencer whom was capable of executed a passatta soto with a prime with incredible grace and speed. Newer fencers wanted to be able to do the same thing and would attempt to disastrous results. Our "talented epee fencer" had tremendous athletic ability, and years of experience where he could combine the training he had in executing the individual techniques together the right way at the right time.

One last point I have to make here, most of the cool flashy moves are closing in-fighting moves. This is when unpredictable and sometimes fantastically beautiful surreal fencing can happen. This is also the result of the failure of the initial actions and time and distance already gone horribly wrong.

The moral of this story is: Listen to your coach, learn your basic techniques and learn them well. Fencing is a sport of improvisation, but you have to understand the elements and the theory before you start exploring all the possibilities. Fencers that focus relentlessly on the weird thing that they have gotten to work sometimes usually don't get any farther than C rated fencers. Which is too bad, most have more potential than they ever realize because of unfounded devotion to some weird technique they "invented".

-Shlep

[theLuz]

watch an epee tournament and you will get plenty of weird. (did I say that out loud?)

[D'Art]

I think the OP was meaning the moves, rather than the actual fencers....

[Dev]

Being "unorthodox" is not without its consequences.

A few weekends back, I was at a tournament where a young collegiate fencer was also competing. This young man seemed relatively inexperienced, but was a decent athlete and quick on his feet. He was also making a concerted effort to be "creative" and "unorthodox." He would often respond to attacks by making impressive vertical leaps, straight up into the air, with attempted counterattacks (judging by his reaction to the referee, I think he thought he was attacking in preparation from mid-air, but that's neither here nor there). He would often attack the same way, mostly by leaping vertically and landing at a run, or running and leaping at his opponent. It wasn't exactly effective, but it met with some success from sheer surprise (of the "I can't believe anyone would be so stupid" variety).

Late in his first elimination bout, down a couple of touches, he responded to an attack with another vertical leap. This one was a great deal more spastic--he might have been surprised, or just tired and losing coordination. He was attempting to simultaneously leap, counterattack, and fling his hips back and away from his opponent's oncoming attack. He managed to botch this maneuver so spectacularly that he kicked his feet out from under himself, and strung himself out horizontally a few feet in the air. He seemed to hang there, Wile E. Coyote-like, for a perfect frozen moment in time before face-planting magnificently on the strip. I take that back--he didn't land entirely face first. His weapon arm's elbow absorbed enough of the impact to be potentially fractured.

So, at last, the point: Just learn to fence. It's Super Effective (tm) and will probably hurt a lot less.

[Superscribe]

i am a fan of strapping volleyball pads to your knees so you can get a running start and skid into your opponent.

if you can do the splits, you should counter attack while splitting forward (J.Cage style) to avoid the "whole knees are covering target"

Watch Pantel for some weird moves.

Watch S. Kelsey for some weird move inspiration.

Hold your blade behind your head and control your tip with the off hand, like you're shooting a pool cue. You get better control using two hands. This might be illegal.

Kicking people in the chest or groin is unorthodox, and generally frowned upon, but apparently you can get away with it. I'd certainly try it it out. Try different kicks to see what you can get away with. Front kick. Side kick. kick to the liver. Snap kick to the head, followed by a remise, etc.

If you can balance on one hand, do that while counter attacking.

Somersault foward while attacking.

Somersault backward while counter attacking.

Do a long marching attacking wherein you go off the side of the strip and then back onto the strip, allowing you to attack the opponent at an angle they would never expect. This may not work if your ref isn't blind.

At the very end of the strip, act like you are falling off a cliff. Lift your front foot off the ground, but make sure it doesn't break the vertical plane created by the end of the strip line. Your opponent, will look to the ref because they assumed you went off and they get a touch. Do a suprise counter attack before the ref says halt.

If you know anything about Muay Thai, use your shins to block their blade.

I'm sure i can think of tons more, but this is just to get started.

[Inquartata]

watch an epee tournament and you will get plenty of weird. (did I say that out loud?)

Well, there's Walter Dragonetti's "dragon"...

Then there's...well...see for yourselves.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php...46&aid=2103163