Fencing.Net - Your Guide to Fencing & Fencing Equipment

linablade · 10-29-2003, 09:52 PM

Hello everyone! I'm coming here because I'm new to the sport and wanted some advice. I am short and slight of build, and in matches I usually have the edge on quickness but not on reach. When coming against taller opponents, I find I have a very difficult time scoring since I need to get in so close. One opponent in particular loves to pin the tip of my foil to the ground, then quickly score a point before I can recover. He's realized that with his height advantage and can usually get on top of my blade, making it impossible for me to score a touch. If anyone could give me some advice in this area, especially where defense and offensive-defense moves are concerned, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

~Lina

jeff · 10-29-2003, 10:31 PM

Hi linablade, and welcome to fencing.

While it's helpful to be tall, you can do very well without it. As a short (5' 6") fencer myself this is something I had to work on - but so did W. Woyda, 1972 foil champion, so the first news is that you can do well, short or not. You didn't say which weapon, but I'll guess at foil for now. The advice below will work in other weapons as well.

First: footwork. Make sure that you have very good footwork so you can cover the distance all the way to the opponent. You can be hit by a longer arm before you reach target, so you must complete the attack and land.

Second, prepare your attacks rather than starting from out of (your) distance with a long, telegraphed attack they can see coming. It will be helpful for you to pick up the blade with beats to help protect you on the way in. Also, use second intention to draw the opponent's counter attack, pick up the blade, and then make your final attack. If he's picking up your blade on the way in, you need to practice deceiving the attempted taking.

Your coach should help you develop the technical skills for doing these things - good luck!

wflaschka · 10-29-2003, 10:37 PM

Hi linablade! I think that many of the frustrating things will go away as you gain experience with the sport. Things that opponents do to you, which aren't related to your physique or height, are things that you will eventually learn to control and mitigate. To take control of these situations, you'll have to visualize counter-actions that seem like they would work. Keep those actions in mind, and try to make them reality. As you get speed, strength and dexterity by practicing, you'll get closer and closer to success.

So the trick is to think hard; the other part of the trick is to think hard outside the bout... do all your thinking and visualizing beforehand, so that you can act with maximum decisiveness inside the bout, where you don't have time. I think that many new fencers don't know about "thinking" because fencing is a sport and most sports don't require so much thinking early on. But if you think hard, and bring a well-formed mindset to the bout, your physical actions will improve a lot faster.

As for size -- this will always be your disadvantage, and advantage! With a low center of gravity, shorter people can reverse directions faster than tall people, and can accellerate (or decellerate) more easily. Every fencer has a "kill zone" around their tip, which is the distance at which they are most dangerous. For tall people, this zone is further away than for short people. If you're lucky enough to be short, you can step "inside" the opponent's point into safety, and still be in your own zone. You'll know you're doing this effectively when you see tall opponents having to bend their arms, and pull back their weapons, or swing them around to be able to hit you.

MikeHarm · 10-29-2003, 10:41 PM

Stop fighting his blade, let go and go around it.

Catlady · 10-30-2003, 01:25 AM

An additional tip, remember if they can't reach you , they can't hit you. That's where the footwork comes in. I know I have a hard time remembering that if I start an attack and it's not turning out how I want it to, or if it fails, I can back out of distance and set up another instead of standing and fighting. So, when he pins your blade, go around it and back out of distance. And I don't think being short is necessarily a disadvantage. I know several shorter than average fencers who are very good. One of my initial instructor's, who is a little shorter than average himself, but is deadly, favorite stories is of a bout where Ken Chilton, who is apparently about 5'5 or so, fenced Sean McClain, who is over 6 feet, and won. He had to work at it, but he did it. So buck up "little camper" all is not lost.

sawsehel · 10-30-2003, 07:56 AM

Hmmm...

What about the reversed situation?

I am 6'1 and started fencing 6 months ago. My main problem is knowing if I am winning simply because I am taller and have a longer reach or if talent has any part in it. At all. It seems like my form is very unstable. Loose, win, loose, win.

Somehow it seem to me like my height might be stopping me from developing. I know that being tall is preferable in fencing, (I guess) but when you win somebody who is taller than you, at least you know it is because of skill and not because you're taller.

Maybe you should be happy you are in the situatuon you're in?

linablade · 10-30-2003, 08:58 AM

Thanks for all of the great replies, everyone.

I have my fencing class in an hour, and I'm going to put the advice I've gotten here to the test. I'll let you know how it went when I get home this afternoon. See you soon!

~Lina

DanInMI · 10-30-2003, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MikeHarm
Stop fighting his blade, let go and go around it.

Sometimes the simplest answer is the best.

Mike is exactly correct...
You said that he likes to "Pin" the tip to the floor, he can only do that if you are pushing back against him.

Two things to do here
1. Retreat...If he is close enough to take your blade that strongly then you are too close. Get the heck outa there.
2.When he attempts to engage your blade go around his....have someone practise this with you. It will look like the blades are circling around each other. If you successfully avoid his blade this is called derobement. Even if he is extending (attacking) when you "derobe" him you should immediately counter attack, by "derobing" him you will have taken away his Right of Way.

Even if he does make contact....if he tries to "pin" your blade, disengage and counter attack. He forfeits his priority because he has not immediately completed the "beat attack."

DanInMI · 10-30-2003, 01:59 PM

BTW.....there are many advantages to being small in fencing. One of the best fencers here in Michigan is a 5'2" 16 year old girl....(she absolutely cleans my clock.... and about 99% of the rest of the fencers in the state)

Besides the ability to change direction so much more quickly, as others have mentioned, smaller people have a lot less target area. I fenced a young lady last weekend that is very petite. When she turned sideways she almost disappeared (ok...not nescessarily a compliment) So much so that there was just a sliver of target area visible . (that's why your coach should be emphasizing a good "En Guarde" position) In that position with her head turned her bib covered her shoulder completely too.

As you can imagine, it left very little for me to do besides get her to lift her arm and attack her flank, or flick to her back or chest. Most straight attacks went passe.