Extremely Stupid Fencing Related Injuries

[counter riposte]

Hey all,

Over the weekend I had a unique one, so I wanted to share with all of you, my random act of incredibly lucky stupidity. Luckily, I haven't won the Darwin Award, but looking back on it, I could have.

While attempting to disassemble a sabre, the handle was inconcievably stuck and just would not move. In that random thought of stupidity, I placed the guard between my feet and yanked up on the forte to get the blade loose. Well, for those of you who can picture the result of such violent yanking when the sabre finally did come loose. The tip grazed my neck, and luckily didn't puncture the corodid located just underneath it.

Yipe!

In any case, I was wondering if any of you had any stupid fencing related injuries. Or in this case, just plain stupidity

[Catal]

[Sarah]

I was fencing a really good fencer (A in foil) and I started to fleche, but my front foot got caught on the strip and I fell face first! Everyone in the club said in unison 'are you ok?!?'I was like, Yeah, I'm fine... and everyone stated to laugh, especially my mom!

[Sabresque]

This isn't an injury, but similarly imbarressing. One time I walked around the club for about 5 minutes looking for my mask until finally my assistant coach pointed out that I was holding it. It was pretty funny for him, since he's a very big joker. He didn't let go of it for about a week, walking around the club going "Where's my glove???", then laughing at me and claiming I wasn't his student.

On stupid injuries, here are a couple. One time I was bending down and accidentally stepped on the grip of my sabre, flinging the blade end up to hit me in the face. I had a bruise beneath my eye for a while . I also once made a jump (a sort of fleche substitute), and... didn't land. I just went kerplump straight onto my knees on the wood floor. Owie. Sometimes I wonder how I ever manage to fence without killing myself.

[Jupiter]

I don't think I have a stupid injury related to fencing. But, how do you like connecting the reel to the wrong end of your body cord.

What is this song by Sarah? Has everyone read the last line?

[Zelda]

Stupid injuries...thats easy, when my brain says move but my foot forgets I try to lunge and just go kerthunk on the floor. Pulled muscle, weak ankle....I am walking disaster area most of the time.

[engarde5990]

NEVER try to stop your lunge halfway through. that leads to a torn ACL.
but that wasnt embarassing.
what is highly embarassing is when you somehow forget to hook up and you just walk on the strip and test...surprisingly, nothing goes off...

[fencerbill]

Before fleches and crossovers were prohibited in Sabre.

I caught my rear toe behind my front heel and did a nice parabola and landed on the back of my head.

Next thing I remember is Vitaliy Nazlimov looking down at me and asking if I am okay. He must have been worried, he forgot to give me a card.

I did shake it off and win the bout.

[Purple Fencer]

Originally Posted by counter riposte

Hey all,


While attempting to disassemble a sabre, the handle was inconcievably stuck and just would not move. In that random thought of stupidity, I placed the guard between my feet and yanked up on the forte to get the blade loose. Well, for those of you who can picture the result of such violent yanking when the sabre finally did come loose. The tip grazed my neck, and luckily didn't puncture the corodid located just underneath it.

as a public service.....the next time that happens...take the pommel off, take the weapon by the grip, and hit the end of the tang hard against something immovable like a wall or concrete floor...NOT your head!

[fencerbill]

Originally Posted by Purple Fencer

as a public service.....the next time that happens...take the pommel off, take the weapon by the grip, and hit the end of the tang hard against something immovable like a wall or concrete floor...NOT your head!

Unfortunately that can moosh the threads. Put the pommel back on for one turn or whatever will leave a gap. Then pound it on the concrete.

[Purple Fencer]

Originally Posted by fencerbill

Unfortunately that can moosh the threads. Put the pommel back on for one turn or whatever will leave a gap. Then pound it on the concrete.

That works, too

[Dunar]

During this last High School season, I went to help our female fencers at the Santelli tournament. I was directing a practice bout for two of our sabre fencers and due to tight quarters wound up taking a sabre across my eye. Since I didn't lose it, we all found this to be hilarious.

[brutus]

I've had the old clashing of heads, resulting in a small section of crosshatching appearing on my forehead.

And I have fallen over during a fleche, done a forward roll then ended up knelt (sp?) on one knee with my point carefully placed on the oponens right buttock. The ref wasn't gonna award it obviously but the oponent thought it was too good/funny a hit not to give so he told the ref to allow it (it was only a minor comp).

[telkanuru]

How about taking off your mask, spiking it, then spiking your weapon, only to have it bounce up and take out your eye?

True story.

[Zilverzmurfen]

Originally Posted by telkanuru

...taking off your mask, spiking it, then spiking your weapon...

What's 'spiking'?

[Sciurus-Rex]

Suspicious that his sabre had lost its conductivity entirely, the fencer licked the tip and stuck it in a wall electric socket to test. Hilarity ensued.

Sabreur hijinks. Gotta love 'm.

[telkanuru]

Originally Posted by Zilverzmurfen

What's 'spiking'?

Throwing to the ground with excessive force.

[clagen]

Back home I know of one incident of an undergrad who managed to drop an epee test weight on her face, resulting in quite a lovely black eye. It was amazing. Luckily she didn't break anything. I've been fortunate I haven't seriously injured myself whilst fencing. Now that broken teacup incident last week is another story entirely . . .

[D'Art]

Does liver damage accrued at a karaoke bar the night before a comp count?

[Zilverzmurfen]

Originally Posted by D'Art

Does liver damage accrued at a karaoke bar the night before a comp count?

Only if it includes fencing with the drink sticks. Else it would just be a "stupid" injury.