Signed up for a 2 month "trial" membership over at the Other Fencing club and just got back from my first practice as a fee-paying member. I fenced with them some over the summer and was consistently impressed, and going back this tonight my opinion has not changed:
- the fencers work hard on their own, doing their own drills, most of which are useful for fine tuning speed and distance. Even though tonight's was on flicking, a technique I dislike (if I want to whip someone, I'll use a whip, dammit), I got to practice defense against it, so I still benefitted.
- the fencers there are very good, and a constant challenge to me because they do things I'm completely unaccustomed to from my previous training. I can't read them - it's exciting!
- the coaches are friendly, and haven't tried to tell me where/who I can and cannot fence :P I've not taken any private lessons (yet?), but every single person who has vouches for the foil coach's ability.
- I have to say I'm also swayed a bit by the cost - for the same I was paying for 12 weeks of lessons I can get a year's membership which includes access to practice 3 days a week, and given that they use another club for one of those days, I get access to that club/fencers as well (because fencing more and different people helps me learn). Private lessons are extra, but I can pay for one when I can and still practice/drill the rest of the time.
Truth told, I think I've learned everything I could at my old club - great foundations for beginners, but after
5 6 (! crap!) years I have to stop kidding myself - I'm not a beginner anymore, and it's time to move on.
This is new territory and I know I'm going to be pitched back squarely into the
suck threshold, but I think in the long run I'll improve more than if I stay with the same club/coach/fencers.
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