Which Weapon

[Old Man]

I know what about a person makes him a good candidate for linebacker versus wide reciever in football, or guard versus center in basketball, but how do you decide if you should fence Foil, Epee, or Saber?

[Peach]

In my experience, people fence certain weapons because they are called to those weapons--I've heard it said, "You don't choose the weapon. The weapon chooses you."

I fence sabre because I love the way the grip turns in the fingers, and the shape of the guard. I love the way the blade cuts through space, and the crisp squeeze the fingers make with the completion of the cut. The aggression of it makes sense to me, and the necessity of knowing your next action even before the referee says, "Fence!" Right of way makes sense to me. All of it seems right and true and good.

I understand epeeists and foilists feel the same way about their weapons, except they think it's because of their common sense and command of logic .

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

To me, epee feels like you have to be aware of every part of your body, and you dont have to worry about ROW.

[pkt]

Originally posted by D+F+P=Hadouken!
To me, epee feels like you have to be aware of every part of your body, and you dont have to worry about ROW.

I'll give you the latter point, but the first? No. It's the same for any sport.

==)--------------

Old Man,

Ask what is your
~ temperament;
~ thinking process;
~ body type, etc.

Then decide which is your weapon.

Time consumption by each weapon is a good indicators of one of the things to consider:
~ sabre least time - less than 2 min. for DE bouts;
~ foil takes usu. a period and a bit for a DE bout; and
~ epee usu. takes all 3 periods and some.

Can you stand the Convention for Sabre and Epee? You attack, you get the point.

Can you stand not having the Convention? In epee, you do all the work and you get picked off and the other guy gets the point!!! There is an element of CHANCE in epee. Argue all you wnat, when World Champions fall to No-bodies...that has NEVER happened in foil or sabre.

PK

[whtouche]

Right of way makes infinite sense to me. I enjoy the aggression, the pressure of knowing that even a slight, nearly impreceptible TWITCH when Im attacking can cost me the touch, and I love making other people feel that way
I fence sabre

[labouche]

I decided based on which weapon is by far superior...foil

[counterattack]

Now now, PKT, if you don't have anything nice to say...

Epee has just as many redeeming qualities as foil or sabre and I think the top fencers in Epee win just as reliably as those of the other two weapons.

I think the biggest factors for determining who fences which weapon are disposition and taste. If you are hyper-competitive, you will most likely choose the weapon that you feel you have the biggest advantage in. If you are hyper-social you might chose the weapon that has the largest following at your local club. If you have access to a coach who has an opinion you might choose the weapon he prefers. If your parents fenced you might try their weapon of choice. If you have a mental picture of what fencing is before hand, you might pic the weapon that matches that most closely.

The reason there are endless discussions about how to pick a weapon is because there are endless motiviations for the fencers themselves. A fencer will fence whatever they like most! The best way to choose is to try them all and stick with the one (or more) that you enjoy.

[Black Jeebus]

I've not tried the other two weapons yet but with the way I'm enjoying foil I might never. I know at some point I am going to try the other two just to see how it feels if nothing else. But like I said right now I am just really enjoying foil and feel no compulsion to move on. Bear in mind I've only been fencing since October.

[Pho]

Epee all the way... tried foil, tried sabre epee was the only thing I was decent at...

[Hurriranger]

well i had to juggle my rugby and fencing. the only way i could do that is if i did only sabre after i finish my rugby games. Now, it just feels right. i totally stink in epee and is okay at foil.

[sabreur]

I fence sabre and I wouldn't want to fence anything else.

That said, good epee fencers (international level) are often beautiful to watch, simply because they have to absolutely minimize the likelihood of a chance touch, and the smallest error can lead to a touch against.

I can't believe I'm defending epee!

Cheers, MR

[D'Artagnan1673]

Black Jeebus,

I stared out with the same attitude you have. I stared with foil and loved it. Why would I want to fence anything else? One day I fenced dry epee with a club member and disliked it. Months later I fenced electric epee with a guy and slowly became hooked. It took me a while to completely change, however, I pretty much love epee now.

My original concept of fencing was certainly foil. The classic en guard stance seemed right out of the pages of a Dumas novel. But with time I learned that the weapon I really loved looks totally different, but plays the way I like to play.

[veeco]

I agree with what Peach said. The weapon chooses you.

Ideally, you would want to try all three. Some clubs may not have a program in all weapons, so in that case, your choice is limited.

However, if you get to a club that has all 3 weapons, you'd want to have a try at all 3 weapons, and at one point, maybe half way through a bout with one of them, you'll go and say "Gee! This is a lot of fun!" At this point your weapon will have found you.

[glowstix]

its strange with me..i like epee the best but i'm equally as good in both foil and epee and i seem to drawn to foil a bit more at times...after one year i'm still not sure...

[Grey]

I recommend going for foil for perhaps about a year to develop the fundamental basic of fencing first. Of course you're welcome to jump to any weapon you like first. In my experience I find the conditioning in fencing foil gave me a major advantage in other weapons, at least in my country.

I don't want to make a lengthy post, unless you want me to elaborate.

[D'Artagnan1673]

Grey,

Your point has been made numerous times. It typically starts an argument from those that claim that foil does not do what you say it does. Personally, I started with foil and from that experience agree with you.

[Grey]

My thanks for your support D'Artagnan. Alternatively, you can go for all 3 weapons or at least try all 3 weapons.

[D'Artagnan1673]

Fencing requires discipline. Each weapon is a separate discipline. My thoughts are that most people do not have an adequate amount of self-discipline to handle the responsibilities trying all three weapons at once. There must be a master, or at least someone with knowledge, to guide a fledgling fencer.

I believe that a fencer should first be instructed in the basics, footwork, lunges and basic parrys that in one way or another translate to all three weapons. Then, when they have a foundation, let them experiment with the other weapons. However, I am not a coach, but I do help in the insturction of some of our younger fencers. That is just my personal opinion.

[Grey]

The basics are always a necessity. I simply find it more pronouced in foil than in epee or sabre. That is entirely open to debate of course... or perhaps because of the fencing hierachy in my country (Fencers who could not understand ROW goes to epee. Epeeist who can barely thrust goes to Sabre which could perhaps explain my bias perception)

[D'Artagnan1673]

I too find the basics more prounced, as you say, in foil than in the other two weapons. Your hierarchy is interetsing. I am an avid epeeist, yet ROW is a concept I understand. I think the point has been made before that a good epeeist will not be void of knowledge of ROW. Epeeists must understand the spirit of ROW; that there is a logical series of strokes that must be executed. These will vary from every situation. If my opponent lunges to my hand, I will not counterattack to his body without first following a logical set of steps to protect myself from my opponent's attack. Is not ROW designed to teach a fencer how to defend oneself?

I understand the idea of putting people in epee who have a hard time with ROW, but I am sure that you meant that they know it, but have a hard time executing it within the conventions of foil.