How long does it take to reach the higher levels of fencing?

[sabrebelle]

Originally posted by wflaschka
I once had an English teacher define eudaimonia as that particular joy you feel when you're doing something at which you excel. For example, a concert pianist experiences a sort of "wholeness" and "well-being" when he's playing, which your average schmo will never know.

(BTW -- I haven't been able to corroborate this particular definition of eudaimonia via dictionary, but I still like it. Someday I'll get to an OED.)

The OED won't help much. Eudaimonia isn't listed. The closest I could find was eudemonic, which is listed as

"1. Conducive to happiness; viewed as conducive to happiness.

1865 J. GROTE Treat. Mor. Ideas vi. (1876) 72 The former of these is the eudæmonic worth of actions."

Interesting concept, though. It might explain why you can win a tournament, but still not be happy if you didn't fence well.

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Originally posted by CarlKnoch
I have been told by one of the coaches at my school, not my coach mind you but one of the coaches there, that I started too late in life to really be anything. I'll never reach a competancy where I could fence successfully internationally. I'm 35 years old.

So what I was wondering is does anyone have an opinion about how old is too old to be in the top 8 at NACs and the SNs?

Carl: despair not (and tomorrow night, on your way out of the gym, icepick the tires of the coach who told you that)

First of all, remember that this is a sport. Sport should be fun. Now, look ahead a few years. At 40, you can begin competing against other veteran fencers (veteran as in age, not always years in the sport), not superball-legged little whippersnappers who've never had a creaky knee in their lives. There are designated veteran events at both the NAC and SN level.

At 50, there is a US national team for veterans fencing which is chosen for international competition. So take your time, learn the skills well, and compete every chance you get. Before you know it, you'll be entering the Vet level as the new kid with the superball-bouncy legs.

[Jupiter]

sarah, be happy you're in texas, where apparently, coaches don't act that way, it's a much brighter atmosphere where you are now. I sence a slow, steady build of of posion seeping out of his pores and onto the board.

[cowpaste]

Originally posted by Sarah
I fence every weekday and go to at least 2 competitions a month. Plus I do other physical activities by myself, like biking. I have time for it because I'm homeschooled. My fencing hours are 5-9 pm from Tues.-Fri. and 6-9pm on Mondays. I'll be on in 4.5 hours, hopefully we can talk then... c-ya!

Wow, if I fenced this much, I would most likely fail college and keel myself out of depression....but don't listen to me, I am crazy.

Anyway, have you ever tried taking a break? When I first started, I was fencing about four days a week for 1 or 2 hours a day. I wasn't sleeping well either. (about 5 or 6 hours a night) I was really confused after I didn't get any better for about 2 weeks or so. I would get tired after about 5 advances. Then I got lazy and skipped 3 practices or so. When I started again, I was probably three times better than when I first started. Resting is pretty cool.

[Sarah]

I know that I'm crazy, and I don't mind it.I took what I called a break for 9 months. I only fenced 2-3 times a week, and went from 7-9pm. That was a big break, but now I'm back. I've ne ver been able to sleep well, even when I was a baby I wouldn't sleep. So I don't have a big problem.

[Zelda]

Sarah,
I have a similar problem with sleeping. I generally find (especially after a competition) fencing has me so hyped I have trouble sleep. Yet when I take a break I miss it and fret....you cant win. I have found that meditation CD's help me sleep, also I swear by Blackmores Tranquil Nights for when I havent slept properly in weeks!!

[Mischa]

Or you could just live off coffee?

[pammie003]

No need to start living off coffee until you get to university... I'd kill (okay, well, not literally) for another 2 hours in every day...

[cowpaste]

2 hours today would be kinda nice. That would help me finish the two labs and homework I have due today. Oh and I need to work on my stupid research paper which is due tomorrow. I haven't started yet either.

Wait, I need 10 extra hours. Yeah. Then maybe I could get some fencing practice in. I need to do some of that footwork junk or whatever they call it.

[jeff]

Originally posted by wflaschka
Anyway, starting at 20 is not fencing-death. If you start "old", you're fencing young people with smarts -- but you have intelligence derived from life experience and (possibly) smarts. There is also a 90% chance you're using your time better. And in the USA at least we've had "old" fencers doing well, and even national champions +40's (like Uriah Jones, I think). If it helps, fencing is one olympic sport with athletes well into their 30's.

Besides Uriah (geez, he was so strong: you would beat his blade and YOUR blade would move to the side, not his), there was Axelrod, who won his last nationals at age 49 or 50. Al Kwartler started fencing at 28, and made it to 3 Olympic games and was Pan American champion. So, you can start at a later age. You'll need to train hard yet avoid injury, and it may be very physically demanding, but it can be done. The other challenge is how to balance fencing with yout other grown-up responsibilities like family and career.

[Sarah]

When it comes to sleeping for me, nothing works! I stay up thinking about what happened that day, what is coming up in the future, and lots of other stuff. I just lie down and pretend to dream, some times it works and sometimes it doesn't. I justhope sleep comes soon.

[Windsor]

Originally posted by Sarah
I know that I'm crazy, and I don't mind it.I took what I called a break for 9 months. I only fenced 2-3 times a week, and went from 7-9pm. That was a big break, but now I'm back. I've ne ver been able to sleep well, even when I was a baby I wouldn't sleep. So I don't have a big problem.

Whoa...thats about how much I fence normally, some break that was!

[Sarah]

I'm highly energetic, if no one guessed. lol

[Zelda]

Sarah,
Ever thought about cutting down on the red cordial?? I'm exhausted READING your posts.

[epeefencer74]

Originally posted by Sarah
I do! When you're dead. That's officially too old to fence. At my club in Hawaii, we had someone who was 87 and he was excellent for his age. He'd run at you and you had to think fast. I mean he's great! And he's lots of fun to fence. Basically as long as you have drive, you can do anything. (at least that's what my mom says)

Yah, I agree. The only time when you can't fence anymore is when you're dead or you lose both your arms. I've fenced a 73 year old, who, before stepping on the piste, looked like a shrivled old prune with severe artheritis and a limp walking with cane in hand. Once he put on his whites and had a weapon in hand his whole demeanor changed. I couldn't touch him, and the disgusting thing was that he didn't even have to move much from the en gard line. He simply picked me off on my attacks. By this time I had already been fencing for 8 years.

[Sarah]

Zelda:

What's a 'red cordial'? Is it a button? Is it a slang word in Austrailian, or just something that I don't know about because I'm young? Just wondering...

[Mischa]

I think it's a drink.


Bill Wilson is still fencing at 88 (he's a pretty famous guy, so if you've never heard of him, 'go shame'! or something...)

[KBayDog]

Originally posted by epeefencer74
Yah, I agree. The only time when you can't fence anymore is when you're dead or you lose both your arms.

I beg to differ. You can still fence with your arms lopped off:

"It's just a flesh wound."

Actually, truth be told, you can continue to fence will ALL of your limbs lopped off:

"Oh. Oh, I see. Running away, eh? You yellow bastards! Come back here and take what's coming to you. I'll bite your legs off!"

[Zelda]

oops sorry, Australianisms creeping in.

"Been drinking red cordial" is an expression used when looking after young children or when talking to adults who are perpetually hyperactive (I guess nowdays its ADD).
Red cordial itself (depending on what type of cordial it is) is generally a juice/drink concentrate, something like Ribena.

And Sarah, I'm only about 11 years older then you if you are 14!!!!

[Sarah]

Wow, sorry that I guessed your age wrong, it's hard to guess ages on the computer. And thanks for telling me about the red cordial. NOw I understand your post!

(sorry about the age thing, I didn't mean to insult you.)