Starting Fencing

[hilite]

I'm really interested in starting to fence, but I don't know where to begin. I want to take a fencing class this summer to try it out, but is there anything I should know before I start fencing? Thanks in advance to everyone who replies!

[Shadow Fencer]

Hilite,
From this Fencing.net site, click onto Fencing Sites, then club directory and locate NJ. Also, click on the USFA logo located on the Club Director site, then Information for members, Clubs + Divisions, then click on NJ on the map.
Also, URL for USFA website is usfencing.org.

The information on this site through the various links should give you a good idea of what fencing is about.

Good luck


------------------
I live to fence and fence to live!!

[hilite]

Thank you!

------------------
~Ellen :-)

[Mr_Jones]

Welcome to fencing. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I have.

A couple of tips to help you get started:

1. Read everything on fencing you can get your hands on.

2. Try every type of blade, weapon, equipment you can at your club before you buy equipment.

3. Ask your club if their coaches have attended the USFA's Coaches College. If not, imho, find another club.

4. Invest in some Aspercreme.

5. Never give up, and always try to fence better fencers than yourself, and ask what you did wrong afterward.

6. Enjoy yourself, always.

The last one is the only thing that is really important.

[bikeman]

Welcome to fencing! It is a great sport and one you can do for a long time.
However, do not worry if your coach has not attended "coaches' college". There are lots of good coaches who can get you started who have not attended.
Second, save your money on the Aspercreme.
Third, get a solid background in foil before moving on to other weapons.
Lastly, when you do buy your own equipment, don't buy cheap stuff. The money you save will be spent later fixing the stuff you bought.

[darius]

My coach has never attended USFA Coaches' College -- would run away fast, but I figger that if she had a student on the Jr. World Team, she might not be too bad.

Other than that, the rest of the advice here is fine.

darius

[Event Horizon]

I really like bikeman's comment about coaches who haven't attended the coaches college. I agree with him, there are many who are still good, but don't have that piece of paper. I think after a few months you'll know weather or not your instuctor is a good coach. Mr. Jones has the best advice...enjoy yourself always.

[This message has been edited by Event Horizon (edited 05-06-2001).]

[Mr_Jones]

I agree, there are good, and even great coaches who have not attended the program. But, there are also coaches who still tell people to overextend their leading knee in a lunge.

Until a new fencer is sophisticated enough to understand the reason why such things aren't done, it's best to use professional accreditation as a short-hand. It's a kin to getting your car fixed by the dealership rather than the guy down the street who keeps his neighbors awake nights wrenching. He might do a good job, and then again, he might blow up your engine, or blow out your knee (making surgery necessary).

IMHO, the risk isn't worth it, considering that the cost is generally (in fencing at least) the same.

[Stryder]

The USFA coaches college is a paper thin accomplishment at best. Many of the coaches that tell their students to over extend their knee during a lunge have that very paper.

Also, forget the aspercreme. I've tried several brands and they all taste terrible. Stick with regular asprin.


------------------
www.geocities.com/strydermike

[Event Horizon]

Sometimes, people are in locations where fencing is limited and there may be only one or two schools to attend. What if both coaches don't have that certificate? That certificate shouldn't be your sole basis for picking a coach and school.

One more point of advice for hilite...talk to the students in the fencing class. See what there comments are about the school, fencing, coaches. I think you can pick up a lot of information that way about a school.

[neevel]

Keep in mind that so far as competitive fencing is concerned, the real proof of a coach is ultimately in the pudding: results in tournaments. Check up on the competitive results for area clubs (esp. at the strongest local competitions or at NACs). A coach without a certificate whose fencers consistently turn in good results at the stronger tournaments is almost certainly a better instructor than a coach with a certificate whose fencers (with a comparable amount of time fencing) rarely make it past the first round of DEs. To get a rough sense of this, you could ask what sort of ratings (A-E + unrated, A the highest) people at the club have.

You may still find a competitively weaker club better suited for you for any number of reasons, so there's no need to make results your top (or only) criterion, but I think they're a significant indicator if you really want to become good.

-Dave

[arcon]

[ 10-23-2001: Message edited by: arcon ]

[Peach]

The attendees at Coaches College have ranged from the completely ignorant (phys. ed instructors who want to offer fencing) to the exceedingly competent, and the instructors vary in quality as well. The Coaches College curriculum is excellent and they do have stringent graduation requirements but speaking as someone who has been there twice it ain't no guarantee that the coaching will be good. It does guarantee, however, that the coaching of the graduates will be a good bit better than it was.