beginer needs help

[snowdog]

Well Im brand new to fencing but I love it already. Wow you sweat alot. Im lookin for some adivce on footwork. My mantra is Smallsteps at least thats what the teacher keeps yelling at me.

Any websites with traing pics out there or just someplain good ole advice.

Thanks

[Talen]

Obviously, nothing beats hands on experience with a coach. However, as a supplement to your beginning footwork training you might check out http://www.fencingschool.co.za/index3.htm as they have some on line lessons. Also, they sell a VHS or DVD on footwork from this school right here at the Fencing.Net store.

As footwork seems to be my only strong point (I'm a novice), I agree that keeping the steps small is important as in a bout you will tend to make larger movements than you intend, especially as you learn. That advice also applies to bladework as well.

The main thing I feel about footwork is to keep your body balanced. If you are doing drills and not anticipating your teacher's instructions, you should be balanced and able to move forward or backwards as needed. Each foot moves about a foot's distance from its starting point, and the body remains centered over the middle point between the feet.

Hope that helps - and remember the pix you'll see are often of advanced fencers. They know when to "break" the rules because they have what we don't - experience!

[dnichols]

Originally posted by Talen
Also, they sell a VHS or DVD on footwork from this school right here at the Fencing.Net store.
*snip*
Hope that helps - and remember the pix you'll see are often of advanced fencers. They know when to "break" the rules because they have what we don't - experience!

I agree that knowing when to break rules based on experience is important, but I think it's much more important to have a clear goal for where you want to wind up. Imagine trying to learn basketball without watching the NBA. Get a video! They're all over the place, none better than fencingfootage.com. Heck, pick your favorite weapon, buy a copy of a World Championship or Olympic event and sit down with the remote, finger on the 'pause' button!

Don't let it make you sloppy in class, though. You've got to walk before you can run.... as I keep telling my two year old to no avail... but you need to know what running looks like.

Have fun!

[remise]

This may sound dumb, but think of dancing. Tiny steps like that. I once watched a former ballerina try fencing. Her steps were dainty and balanced, and she could literally stop and go on a dime due to her background.

She couldn't hit well with the foil because she was a beginner, but she frustrated the living heck out of 'veteran' foilists who had a very hard time getting touches on her. She could melt away down the strip while her opponent took one-two-three attempts to hit her.

[snowdog]

yeah Ive read that the quicker you can recover from a move i.e, advance/ lunge the better chance you have of not getting hit.

I had no idea that my hamstrings not to mention my but would hurt this bad. Our teacher had us doing some pretty intense footwork drills in the gym, for like an hour. It was tiring but fun. The only problem is he gives you these wooden starter foils. Kinda really makes you laugh when eveyone else is in full get up.

thanks for the help . Hey where in Baltimore are you
I'm up at the Md./Pa line.

[snowdog]

oh one more thing . The guys that have been doing this awhile.
They are so quick going across the floor on the advance drills.
If I'm supposed to be taking small steps how do I get that fast?

[Inquartata]

The same way you get to Carnegie Hall.

There's a way to force yourself to take small steps, so you can concentrate on making them quicker: take a lower stance ( or in coachspeak "Sit DOWN!" ). If you lower your center of gravity far enough you simply will not be able to take big, sloppy steps when your concentration lapses. Just don't go so low that you can't move at all, or make your knees hurt.

[Morion]

"If I'm supposed to be taking small steps how do I get that fast?"

Practice, practice, practice! I'm still a novice myself, but I notice that the more lessons I take, the more drills I do, and the more bouts I lose, the better I get at the game. I'm actually winning some of the bouts from timt to time now btw!

Welcome to Fencing! I'm originally from York County PA so I probably grew up not too far from you>

[lfortier]

Simply put, time, patience and practice will be your friend- Eventually the footwork skills will develope in its own time. But you could ask for private lessons, and afterwards, PRACTICE. Do it anywhere there's room or when you have 5 minutes- Thats how I did it, and I've really improved. Have fun!

[Emilein]

I'm a beginner as well. I find speed very important. I'm not that good yet, but speed really helps me to get away. I like the ballerina idea, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't stay flat on my feet, I stay on the balls of my feet, not like tip toe, but my feet are elevated just a bit above the ground, and it really helps me to go fast, it also helps me with balance and to have control as well.

good luck

[morael]

One problem I see with almost every beginner is a tendency to turn the front toes in on advancing. Keep your toes/foot pointed to your opponent (in line). Practice at home, and keep looking down at your feet to make sure you stay the line. There's also a tendency to point the rear foot back. Keep the rear foot perpendicular to the line, or maybe pointed a bit forward, but never pointed back. When you practice advancing/retreating slowly at home, checking progress, your body will eventually memorize the proper stance. Also use a mirror to check that your front knee isn't sagging in or out; it should be above the instep of your front foot.

(Maybe it's too late at night; the terms "front foot" "front knee" "rear foot" are giving rise to an image of a creature with very bizarre anatomy.)