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weekly fencing breakdown
Jan. 7th, 2007 09:22 pmThough my historic coach has said in the past that I shouldn't take any historic techqniues onto the modern fencing strip, this week has shown me some cautious comparisons.
This week at sport foil club I learned about displacement, a movement taking the body away from the opponent's point that is not entirely dissimilar from a girata in rapier: pull back shoulder further back and step with the back foot while thrusting - takes me off line but still scores a touch. Not sure how it plays into modern right-of-way reckoning though, so I will use with caution.
I'm undergoing the continuing "breaking in" at the new club. Footwork is a challenge, as many of the fencers tend to jump forward when lunging while my back foot wants to stay firmly planted on the floor because I'm convinced I'll fall! The New Club also endorses a much more patient, distance-focused game overall, where I'm used to standing my ground and relying on bladework to get right of way/score a touch - which only works if you're, well, fast like a freak - which I ain't (at least not yet). The footwork is constant and I get a hell of a workout!
Smallsword footwork is somewhat (but not entirely identical) to modern foil footwork, advances and retreats being more or less the same but the extension is with the body instead of just the arm (and that totally scrambles my brain because it's different!) I still marvel at the short blade and tight measure - it feels claustrophobic.
In both smallsword and foil I'm fighting the urge to "death-grip" the weapon. I think it's because I'm doing so many new things that I'm clinging too hard, a kind of "security blanket" behavior in the face of unfamiliarity. It's unnecessary for weapons this light and I need to remember to balance between index finger and thumb, and extend straight.
Got to talking to another smallswordswoman who shares my desire to not only have the sword but the matching 18th century garb as well. Hey, I might be a fencer, but I'm also a shameless fop :P
Speaking of which, I'm also bone-tired and am going to go work on buttonholes on the doublet (yeees! I'm in the final stretch) until bedtime.
Unrelated addendum: picked up the latest Kage Baker from the library on the way to practice; the librarian is in the middle and loves it. It will be a book or two before I even get started so no spoilers please (and yes,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jlsjlsjls, that's a jab at you ;) )
This week at sport foil club I learned about displacement, a movement taking the body away from the opponent's point that is not entirely dissimilar from a girata in rapier: pull back shoulder further back and step with the back foot while thrusting - takes me off line but still scores a touch. Not sure how it plays into modern right-of-way reckoning though, so I will use with caution.
I'm undergoing the continuing "breaking in" at the new club. Footwork is a challenge, as many of the fencers tend to jump forward when lunging while my back foot wants to stay firmly planted on the floor because I'm convinced I'll fall! The New Club also endorses a much more patient, distance-focused game overall, where I'm used to standing my ground and relying on bladework to get right of way/score a touch - which only works if you're, well, fast like a freak - which I ain't (at least not yet). The footwork is constant and I get a hell of a workout!
Smallsword footwork is somewhat (but not entirely identical) to modern foil footwork, advances and retreats being more or less the same but the extension is with the body instead of just the arm (and that totally scrambles my brain because it's different!) I still marvel at the short blade and tight measure - it feels claustrophobic.
In both smallsword and foil I'm fighting the urge to "death-grip" the weapon. I think it's because I'm doing so many new things that I'm clinging too hard, a kind of "security blanket" behavior in the face of unfamiliarity. It's unnecessary for weapons this light and I need to remember to balance between index finger and thumb, and extend straight.
Got to talking to another smallswordswoman who shares my desire to not only have the sword but the matching 18th century garb as well. Hey, I might be a fencer, but I'm also a shameless fop :P
Speaking of which, I'm also bone-tired and am going to go work on buttonholes on the doublet (yeees! I'm in the final stretch) until bedtime.
Unrelated addendum: picked up the latest Kage Baker from the library on the way to practice; the librarian is in the middle and loves it. It will be a book or two before I even get started so no spoilers please (and yes,
jlsjlsjls, that's a jab at you ;) )
