Hello all,
Here is my take on classical foil as an martial art.
I see it as a means and not an end. Studying classical foil is a primer for learning the dueling weapons. Foil was a teaching tool to prepare a fencer for the dueling sword, sabre, & smallsword. Classical foil fencing should be artful, graceful, and it requires its own set of skills, but it is not a martial art in itself. Learning the foil is part of learning a martial arts system. It is a piece of the pie.
Therefore, while a novice like myself is studying the foil, he can say truthfuly that he is studying a martial art. Because it is a tool used to teach a martial art. But if he leaves the salle with a strong knowledge of the foil without learning how to apply the knowledge of timing, distance, judgement, form, techniques, and strategy gained from foil to actual dueling weapons, one can not say that person has learned a martial art.
As always, I welcome the fencing masters who frequent this list to correct me if my opinion is incorrect or incomplete.
Yours truly,
Todd Porter
Fencing Student
_______________________________________________
Join Excite! -
http://www.excite.com
The most personalized portal on the Web!
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Rent DVDs from home.
Over 14,500 titles. Free Shipping
& No Late Fees. Try Netflix for FREE!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/I3w.vC/hP....kFAA/VRUolB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The CFML is sponsored in part by Purpleheart Armoury, now carrying rapier blunts and leather gorgets.
http://www.woodenswords.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ 
Linear Mode
