Congratulations to the Deutscher Fechter Bund (DFB - German Fencing Federation) on the 100th anniversary of its founding. The DFB will hold a celebration in Frankfurt am Main this Saturday with a wide variety of dignitaries from both the German government and the fencing world in attendance (more information at http://www.eurofencing.info/news/100-years-german-fencing-federation).
The Deutscher Fechter Bund is one of the 7 original members of the Federation International d'Escrime, the international governing body of our sport. The FIE itself will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013. In a sport where tradition is important these are important milestones. The founders of fencing as competitive prize fighting in the 1500s and 1600s and the pioneers of modern fencing in the Victorian sports revival of the late 1800s would be proud.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
The Cue:
Last night I was taking a lesson from a fellow professional on the beat - I beat, his blade moved widely to the inside and down. And it confused me. His cue was for me to execute a straight thrust. But it was large enough and obvious enough that I could not figure it out - a beat opens the way, but not for very long, nor for very much against a strong opponent. Presented with a large obvious opening my brain simply said "what is he doing," and I responded incorrectly to the cue. So how big should a cue be?
This is not an easy question to answer, because there are at least three answers:
(1) for a beginner or intermediate learning the technique, the cue needs to be large enough and slow enough for the student to see the obvious and make the correct choice.
(2) for the candidate in a professional coaching examination, the cue needs to be large enough for the examining panel to see the candidate offer the cue to the student.
(3) for the advanced fencer, the cue in training lessons must model what he or she will see on the piste fencing against an equal or stronger opponent. That includes the size of the blade movement, the speed of movement, and the duration of the cue.
So it seems that like so many other things in fencing, there is no one, always correct answer - as a teacher or trainer our cues have to be tailored to the needs and abilities of the student.
This is not an easy question to answer, because there are at least three answers:
(1) for a beginner or intermediate learning the technique, the cue needs to be large enough and slow enough for the student to see the obvious and make the correct choice.
(2) for the candidate in a professional coaching examination, the cue needs to be large enough for the examining panel to see the candidate offer the cue to the student.
(3) for the advanced fencer, the cue in training lessons must model what he or she will see on the piste fencing against an equal or stronger opponent. That includes the size of the blade movement, the speed of movement, and the duration of the cue.
So it seems that like so many other things in fencing, there is no one, always correct answer - as a teacher or trainer our cues have to be tailored to the needs and abilities of the student.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Day Two at the NAC:
Some added observations:
I have seen a number of fencers (one if foil, two in sabre, one in epee) lose touches simply by going off the rear end of the piste. In two cases the fencer who went off eventually won the bout. In one case the fencer later reached at least the round of four. Many electric pistes go from silver to a very light gold in the warning area that is not immediately obvious unless you are looking for it. This is a bad way to be hit because you lack even the chance that your action will be interpreted as having the right of way or of being in time. Be aware and use your peripheral vision to keep track of where you are.
Start moving early in sabre, keeping moving forward, accelerate and do everything while you are moving, and your odds of hitting increasing. If there are two lights the fencer who is moving has a big advantage.
Convention center concessions are not noted for their healthy options - grease, fat, and protein are staples in a number of different culinary forms. A lot of competitors rely on the concessions for their energy sources. Fencers and fencing coaches need to pay attention to nutrition and hydration if they are to maximize performance. And concession food is not the answer.
Vendors are a great source of information. Each is obviously trying to sell their products, but if you spend the time to talk with them, you will get a lot of data on weapon and equipment performance, data that does not show up anywhere else. You may have to filter it, and compare what one vendor says with another's claims, but a conversation when they are not mobbed is worth it.
I have seen a number of fencers (one if foil, two in sabre, one in epee) lose touches simply by going off the rear end of the piste. In two cases the fencer who went off eventually won the bout. In one case the fencer later reached at least the round of four. Many electric pistes go from silver to a very light gold in the warning area that is not immediately obvious unless you are looking for it. This is a bad way to be hit because you lack even the chance that your action will be interpreted as having the right of way or of being in time. Be aware and use your peripheral vision to keep track of where you are.
Start moving early in sabre, keeping moving forward, accelerate and do everything while you are moving, and your odds of hitting increasing. If there are two lights the fencer who is moving has a big advantage.
Convention center concessions are not noted for their healthy options - grease, fat, and protein are staples in a number of different culinary forms. A lot of competitors rely on the concessions for their energy sources. Fencers and fencing coaches need to pay attention to nutrition and hydration if they are to maximize performance. And concession food is not the answer.
Vendors are a great source of information. Each is obviously trying to sell their products, but if you spend the time to talk with them, you will get a lot of data on weapon and equipment performance, data that does not show up anywhere else. You may have to filter it, and compare what one vendor says with another's claims, but a conversation when they are not mobbed is worth it.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Things from the Richmond NAC:
The North American Cup circuit Division II, Division III, and Cadet NAC is in Richmond this weekend. Some observations from Day One:
Old people are few and far between. Old, 20 years old or older, has been replaced by a majority of teenagers. Never has it been so apparent that fencing is going the way of a number of other Olympic sports.
Footwork is everything. Although footwork differs by weapon, there is no question that you must have fast, fluid, and explosive footwork if you are to win.
Timing is really important. I saw numerous hits delivered in all three weapons that took advantage of very short lapses by opponents. To exploit timing you must be in the moment. To not get hit while you are standing stock still, you must be in the moment too.
I have long said that you have 8 to 15 seconds between the commands to halt and fence in which to analyze what has happened and figure out what you will do next. That data, based on analysis of world championships video footage in the 2004-2007 time periods is no longer accurate. You have 5 to 6 seconds.
... except when there is instant replay. Now the period expands to the point where you can easily lose focus, with as many as 110 seconds of delay observed.
The big disappointment is that Leon Paul's booth did not have any of the SR-71 epee blades ...
The next two items are based on conversations with fellow coaches whose word I trust.
Some people do not get it, whatever it you want to it to be. Mask cords are a simple item. So why were PBT mask cords failing one armorer's inspection? After all PBT is a very reputable Hungarian manufacturer whose equipment is widely used in World Championships, the Olympics, etc. What the homologation standards, a separate and somewhat obscure FIE publication, says is that:
"The maximum length of this wire is 40 cm to 45 cm. In the case of a coiled cable, the maximum length is 25 cm, when the cable is at rest."
Our intrepid armorer was failing the cords because they were less than 25cm in length. Notice I said "less than 25 centimeters" when the FIE standard says clearly that the maximum length is 25 centimeters when at rest. Nowhere is 25cm specified as a minimum length. When challenged the armorer said words to the effect of "well I interpret the standard as meaning that the minimum length has to be greater than 25 centimeters." In other words, he was using his authority to interpret the actual rule as having the exact opposite from its actual meaning.
Some people do not get it, whatever it you want to it to be, part the second. I was in Virginia Beach at the NAC in 2010 when the rules of fencing changed on a Saturday at 3:30 pm. At a meeting of referees and coaches called by the US national sabre coach and several of our international referees, the interpretation of when an attack ends changed. Although the rules say that the attack ends when the front foot lands, the way the rule is being applied at the international level is that if the defender is still reacting to the attacker's action, the original attacker retains the right of way. The actual discussion of why this should be so requires a complex understanding of right of way, but it makes perfect sense. So why were most referees applying the attack continues interpretation, and one wasn't? When faced with a referee who does not get it, remember to fence the referee, not to do what is right. Right only counts if you win.
Old people are few and far between. Old, 20 years old or older, has been replaced by a majority of teenagers. Never has it been so apparent that fencing is going the way of a number of other Olympic sports.
Footwork is everything. Although footwork differs by weapon, there is no question that you must have fast, fluid, and explosive footwork if you are to win.
Timing is really important. I saw numerous hits delivered in all three weapons that took advantage of very short lapses by opponents. To exploit timing you must be in the moment. To not get hit while you are standing stock still, you must be in the moment too.
I have long said that you have 8 to 15 seconds between the commands to halt and fence in which to analyze what has happened and figure out what you will do next. That data, based on analysis of world championships video footage in the 2004-2007 time periods is no longer accurate. You have 5 to 6 seconds.
... except when there is instant replay. Now the period expands to the point where you can easily lose focus, with as many as 110 seconds of delay observed.
The big disappointment is that Leon Paul's booth did not have any of the SR-71 epee blades ...
The next two items are based on conversations with fellow coaches whose word I trust.
Some people do not get it, whatever it you want to it to be. Mask cords are a simple item. So why were PBT mask cords failing one armorer's inspection? After all PBT is a very reputable Hungarian manufacturer whose equipment is widely used in World Championships, the Olympics, etc. What the homologation standards, a separate and somewhat obscure FIE publication, says is that:
"The maximum length of this wire is 40 cm to 45 cm. In the case of a coiled cable, the maximum length is 25 cm, when the cable is at rest."
Our intrepid armorer was failing the cords because they were less than 25cm in length. Notice I said "less than 25 centimeters" when the FIE standard says clearly that the maximum length is 25 centimeters when at rest. Nowhere is 25cm specified as a minimum length. When challenged the armorer said words to the effect of "well I interpret the standard as meaning that the minimum length has to be greater than 25 centimeters." In other words, he was using his authority to interpret the actual rule as having the exact opposite from its actual meaning.
Some people do not get it, whatever it you want to it to be, part the second. I was in Virginia Beach at the NAC in 2010 when the rules of fencing changed on a Saturday at 3:30 pm. At a meeting of referees and coaches called by the US national sabre coach and several of our international referees, the interpretation of when an attack ends changed. Although the rules say that the attack ends when the front foot lands, the way the rule is being applied at the international level is that if the defender is still reacting to the attacker's action, the original attacker retains the right of way. The actual discussion of why this should be so requires a complex understanding of right of way, but it makes perfect sense. So why were most referees applying the attack continues interpretation, and one wasn't? When faced with a referee who does not get it, remember to fence the referee, not to do what is right. Right only counts if you win.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Thoughts on the World Championships:
The US team's performance at this year's World Championships deserves study for the lessons it may offer for the London Olympics next year. Although, on the face of it, the results were disappointing, especially considering the miraculous promise of the medal outcomes of 2008, this is not the whole story. When we consider the quadrennium as a training cycle, US athletes are close enough to be within reach of a successful peak for 2012. There is work to be done, but we are not out of reach.
However, several things are happening that should give rise to concern. One hundred years ago fencing was a predominantly European sport - for years the European Championships was the World Championships. That is no longer the case. Countries that even 30 years ago had no presence in the fencing world are now regular contenders for positions in the individual rounds above 64, and the team rounds above 16. Fencing is a global sport, and the sheer numbers of fencing countries mean that any world level competition will be a more difficult slog to get to the rounds of 8 and semi-finals.
With this comes the reality of numbers. This is just a matter of population statistics. Individual coaches cannot produce World Championship and Olympic level fencers if the right talent does not walk through the door. It takes an amazing mix of the right genetics, intellgience, psychological strength, burning desire to do what it takes to be really good, and available money and time and family support to create an athlete at that level. With 20-30,000 competitive fencers in the United States we have a small pool to draw from. Measure that against the total number of fencers in the world, and it becomes obvious that the way to achieve results includes publicity and advocacy for our sport at every level.
If the US team and its individual fencers do not achieve the results we hope for, to some degree it is because we as fencers have done a poor job of selling our sport as a challenging, demanding way to athletic success. If they do achieve, it may well be in spite of how poorly American fencers have sold our sport.
However, several things are happening that should give rise to concern. One hundred years ago fencing was a predominantly European sport - for years the European Championships was the World Championships. That is no longer the case. Countries that even 30 years ago had no presence in the fencing world are now regular contenders for positions in the individual rounds above 64, and the team rounds above 16. Fencing is a global sport, and the sheer numbers of fencing countries mean that any world level competition will be a more difficult slog to get to the rounds of 8 and semi-finals.
With this comes the reality of numbers. This is just a matter of population statistics. Individual coaches cannot produce World Championship and Olympic level fencers if the right talent does not walk through the door. It takes an amazing mix of the right genetics, intellgience, psychological strength, burning desire to do what it takes to be really good, and available money and time and family support to create an athlete at that level. With 20-30,000 competitive fencers in the United States we have a small pool to draw from. Measure that against the total number of fencers in the world, and it becomes obvious that the way to achieve results includes publicity and advocacy for our sport at every level.
If the US team and its individual fencers do not achieve the results we hope for, to some degree it is because we as fencers have done a poor job of selling our sport as a challenging, demanding way to athletic success. If they do achieve, it may well be in spite of how poorly American fencers have sold our sport.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Updates To Ladders:
We have made several changes in the settings of our online ladders on Free Online League. The objective is to introduce more movement into the individual ladders so that they are more competitive, and so that you have to stay engaged to maintain your position.
(1) You can now challenge anyone above you. Although the system does display a challenge button for fencers below you, in actuality it will not allow these challenges - so challenge up, and dare down.
(2) A victory means you take your opponent's position, and he or she swaps to take your old position.
Remember that Maitre Green's goal is 150 ladder bouts this fencing year. Anyone who fences half his actual total by the end of the year will receive a special award for their support to developing fencing excellence in the Salle.
(1) You can now challenge anyone above you. Although the system does display a challenge button for fencers below you, in actuality it will not allow these challenges - so challenge up, and dare down.
(2) A victory means you take your opponent's position, and he or she swaps to take your old position.
Remember that Maitre Green's goal is 150 ladder bouts this fencing year. Anyone who fences half his actual total by the end of the year will receive a special award for their support to developing fencing excellence in the Salle.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Ladder Log Available:
If you fence in several of the Salle's ladders at Free Online League it is easy to forget challenges. And it can be a chore to add up how many bouts you have fenced between the ladders if you are planning to meet the "half of 150 challenge." So we have made a simple - we now have a simple Ladder Log that you can use to track your challenges and when they have to be fenced by.
The other good thing about the Ladder Log is that it includes information on how to use the ladder to improve your fencing. The ladders are a good source of information on how you are progressing, so it makes sense to understand what the data means.
Ask for a Ladder Log the next time you are in the Salle.
The other good thing about the Ladder Log is that it includes information on how to use the ladder to improve your fencing. The ladders are a good source of information on how you are progressing, so it makes sense to understand what the data means.
Ask for a Ladder Log the next time you are in the Salle.
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