Fencing.Net - Your Guide to Fencing & Fencing Equipment

graphixaddict · 03-10-2003, 12:27 AM

CAn someone give me their workout routines for the week, say like what muscles you work on a daily bassis, uh lemme try and put this better... can you layout what a good workout routine would be for the week like each day..ex. mon- run 10 miles do 10000 crunches...tues... im looking for a good workout routine for fencers since i am unable to fence more than twice a week but i want to be in shape for this summer when i will be able to fence most of the week... i was also wondering what are some examples of footwork drills and how long/many should i do. i dont have a strip to do footwork on which seems many people use so if you could include distances and whatever else that would be helpful. thanks,
Graphix

Zelda · 03-10-2003, 06:06 AM

Mergs sent me a really good set of workouts awhile ago. I'll see if I cant find them for you, or Mergs do you care to resend?

135711 · 03-10-2003, 11:44 AM

i'll probably catch heck for this, but each weapon has its own footwork. but what they call basic footwork is simply advances and retreats at different tempos, as much as you can, keeping in good form at all times, and periodically including extensions. also, craig has lots of stuff on his site check it out. I learned some Nice footwork for epee, but its secret. sorry! if you were all nicer, i would share with you, but pabhhhhh! fooawww! hahahahahahahahah!

darius · 03-10-2003, 01:30 PM

Quote:

I learned some Nice footwork for epee, but its secret.

That's nothing special. All epeeists do their footwork in secret.

darius

135711 · 03-10-2003, 01:34 PM

your're cute! i will send you an smilie:

Jason · 03-11-2003, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by darius
That's nothing special. All epeeists do their footwork in secret.

darius

Epee fencers practicing footwork?
That's pretty ironic.

graphixaddict · 03-11-2003, 08:50 AM

yea that would be great if you could forward that graphixaddict@aol.com. thanks
Graphix

Mergs · 03-11-2003, 11:21 AM

Zelda, thanks for the indorsement. I will send Graphix the document later, or will post it to this thread for those who want it.

All, just wanted to say that I was re-educated to just how important conditioning is. Fenced this weekend and didn't do near my potential. Reason? I ran out of steam in the DE's. Lost in the second round of Foil DE's because the final touch landed 1" (2.54 cm for the majority of the world) short during the overtime minute. Held my own in second round of epee DE's against a really good fencer up until the end of the second period, he picked up the pace and I couldn't keep up.

Realize it was all my own doing because I haven't been disciplined enough to do the things I needed to despite the horrid weather conditions in DC (well, horrid for a Gulf Coast boy, the temperature has been below 50 deg F for FAR TOO LONG; have been fighting hibernation!). I know that there were alternative things to do, but well, didn't and paid the price. Oh well, there's plenty of time to recover by Nationals!

Capt. Slo-mo · 03-11-2003, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jason
Epee fencers practicing footwork?
That's pretty ironic.

No, No, No! It's a very demanding regimen required for epee footwork. As observed at the Div 1/Jr NAC in January, here is a training regimen that will serve an aspiring epeeist well:

On the balls of your feet:

Bounce, bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce, bounce forward 2.54 cm.

Bounce, bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce backwards 2.54 cm

(repeat)

clang blades once

Bounce, bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce, bounce forward 2.54 cm.

Bounce, bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce backwards 2.54 cm

clang blades again

Bounce, bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce, bounce forward 2.54 cm.

Bounce, bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce backwards 2.54 cm

fleche wildly, and see who scores

Begin again from top. Pay particular attention to the "bounce" part.

Mergs · 03-11-2003, 11:45 AM

!

Quote:

Pay attention to the bounce part

Sounds like jumping rope is all the epeeists need for conditioning

edew · 03-11-2003, 12:21 PM

Yes and no. Jump rope will help the conditioning, but you need to bounce from the on guard stance position, which is not the best position to be to jump rope (effectively).

Actually, there is much to the footwork of epee. Sure, you're not going to be running backwards at 90 mph avoiding the attack as in sabre. Sure you're not going to do fast-slow-fast backwards and forwards as in foil. But, you need to be completely balanced and ready at all times so that you can strike immediately, effectively, and and quickly.

If you watch some of the top international fencers, you will see them make these supremely fast lunges. Just amazingly fast. Faster than foil, faster than sabre. It's bounce bounce bounce ZAP, back to bounce. The ability to be completely balanced and ready to strike is key to epee footwork integrated with tactics and techniques.

remise · 03-11-2003, 12:26 PM

I agree. I'm not that great of a fencer, and yet I scored quite a few touches on someone (I came to barely his shoulder) by doing just that. I jump rope to warm up, but on the strip, I bounced and changed tempo quite fast when I had to attack. It worked. Because of the enormity of this fellow's reach, I had to resort to underhanded tactics.

edew · 03-11-2003, 12:32 PM

Underhanded epee tactics: hitting below the bell.

remise · 03-11-2003, 01:08 PM

And, if one ducks fast enough, below the forarm/elbow.

Saber-Psycho · 03-11-2003, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Capt. Slo-mo
No, No, No! It's a very demanding regimen required for epee footwork. As observed at the Div 1/Jr NAC in January, here is a training regimen that will serve an aspiring epeeist well:

On the balls of your feet:

Bounce, bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce, bounce forward 2.54 cm.

Bounce, bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce backwards 2.54 cm

(repeat)

clang blades once

Begin again from top. Pay particular attention to the "bounce" part.

Mr. solw-mo! I am ashamed of you!
How dare you insult the wonderful foot work of Epee!
To think that a sophisticated person like your self would stoop to such petty jabs! I mean sure epee may be a tad on the slow side and to be a referee you have to take pep pills. But still!
I am truly offended!

Capt. Slo-mo · 03-11-2003, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Saber-Psycho
Mr. solw-mo! I am ashamed of you!
How dare you insult the wonderful foot work of Epee!
To think that a sophisticated person like your self would stoop to such petty jabs! I mean sure epee may be a tad on the slow side and to be a referee you have to take pep pills. But still!
I am truly offended!

You're quite right. My bad.

I don't know what I was thinking. When I wrote:

Bounce, bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce, bounce forward 2.54 cm,

I should have written:

Bounce, bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce, bounce forward 2.54 cm.

This would have been much more accurate. And you correctly point out with your pep pill reference that I left out one of the most important epee footwork exercise addendums--the neck stretch left and and right. This movement should always be inserted every 27th bounce, rotating your head towards the referee, just to make sure their eyes are unglazed and responsive.

Thanks again for your insightful reminder.

thebigriddle · 03-11-2003, 04:53 PM

Cardio kick boxing. There are lots of work out videos on the market. It uses all the muscles and will keep you ready for the bout. You can do it the privacy of your own home. Also yoga, it also work the body really well, without you losing flexibility.

135711 · 03-12-2003, 11:17 PM

it doesnt look exactly like a lunge, it's really more like a genuflect, where the fencer sort of bends at the waist, more forward than the foil lunge which is fairly long, the recovery is a little different too, another epee run, is to run with short steps, and bring your heels up behind you, while keeping the front of your legs fairly stable.