footwork and handedness

[ltr]

Hi all,

This is perhaps a strange question, but please bear with me, i'd greatly appreciate any insight anyone might have.

Due to problems and surgery on my right leg, i have somewhat less that a normal range of motion at the ankle. Basically i can't bring the foot up to much more than a 90 degree angle (i.e. in the position it's in when you are standing straight up, i could lift the heel but not so much the toe). It's not really something that any kind of flexibilty training could improve. Any direction but up is more or less much normal. So my question: Would this be more of a limitation with the front foot or the back foot in fencing?

I'm just starting with fencing and looking to decide whether i'd be better off fencing right handed or left handed based on the limitation with my foot. As i'm pretty much ambidexterous in everyday life, i'm only really basing the decision on which would be better footwise

Of course the obvious answer is to try them both and see which works better (which i'm doing). Though i'm not sure how much to trust my limited experience; i don't want to run into something later that forces me to switch hands. Also, i'd like to procure equipment in the near future and it would help to have the whole "which hand" thing sorted out. So also if anyone has any thoughts or ideas on ways i might better gauge which is more suitable, please let me know.

(My coach's response was more geared toward assuring me that i'd still be able to fence effectively, rather than actually answering my question.)

[Jupiter]

I would go by how it feels while you're fencing, since you just started fencing, then you may not have to worry about buying a lot of stuff for now. You may want to hold off on any major purchases or decisions, or get a few old weapons for both righty and lefty in the same weapon and see how you do. I don't know anything about the foot thing unless you talk with a physical therapist?

[FoilyGeezer]

Having absolutely shattered my left ankle in a waterskiing accident, and having limited range of motion (which I've worked back to probably 90 percent over the years) I've found that it hasn't really changed my fencing style all that much. I am glad that my weak foot is in back, however since I don't know how much impact that an ankle in front could take over the long haul landing lunges.

As it stands I've always attacked off the balls of my feet because I can get more snap that way. As it stands, I'm not as quick off the line as I used to be, but I think that's more a factor of age rather than injury.

From the sounds of it, If I were you, I'd lean toward fencing lefty for the same reasons. Also, lefty's seem to have a slight advantage over righty's in fencing anyway so you'll get a bit of a double benefit.

[wflaschka]

According to Maestro Laszlo Szabo in his book Fencing an the Master, coaches can become equally facile with either hand. I don't see why this should be different for fencers.

I'm a lefty, but when coaching I've switched hands. After 4 months of severe muscle fatigue, my right hand "broke through" the barrier and I was able to use it the way I wanted.

Right-handed footwork has always been the problem for me. For me, the footwork would be the deciding factor.

FWIW, I don't notice my leading ankle doing much work. My rear ankle, sure -- I'm on the ball of that foot. The front one is typically flat, and when I step or lunge the knee straightens and brings the foot up, but the toe doesn't lift. While landing in a lunge, the front foot's heel contacts first, and then the toes go down -- but bending the foot down doesn't seem like your problem, only up. I've never noticed having to bring my front toes up past 90 degrees... then again, my ankle's not hurt.

Good luck working towards recovery!