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Sorry for the delay, Rothky - too much Barbelith politics:
Haus: ah, foil! The one I remembered on the bus on the way home. There's been a couple of things I've dug up about the various weapons/styles of competition - what's your choice? Not necessarily for beginners, but what's the one that keeps you going back?
For me, foil. Basically, epee is a sniper's weapon - hits count anywhere (it was designed to reflect more realitically the "first-blood" style of the actual duel; if you get a sword through your foot you aren't likely to be carrying on, no matter how off-target the blow" and has a heavier blade. Epee matches are intensely strategic and largely involve people moving backwards and forwards warily and occasionally trying to stab each other in the toe. Sabre, which is probably what the boys in Die Another Day thought they were doing, is athletic and flamboyant, uses the four high, low and cross guards (positions 1, 2, 3, and 5) far more than foil or epee (because the winning blow is deliverable by the flat of the blade as well as the point, of course), and generally devloves into people hacking at each other with lenghts of steel. I get enough of that at home. It's also unlikely that a responsible teacher will let you start on sabre, btw.
At the moment, my plan is to just do it socially/low level club stylee. I figured that yeah, I'm too late to be in any high-level comps or anything, but I did want to get it happening on some level. I'm already building up resistance/aerobic ability with other stuff anyway, so I figure that a couple of weeks of getting whupped in lessons should be a good incentive to make a proper go of it.
Yeah - fencing is very good aerobic activity - lots of movement while wearing armour. Take in lots of fluids. Also, any length of time fencing will lead to a disproportionate growth in your thighs and calves, which are constantly flexing even when you are standing still.
Also: how much is the kit, generally; is there much secondhand availability, how much is essential, and what's wait-until-you're-better kind of stuff?
Generally about £200 (no idea about that in $AUS - sorry), I think, but the beginner will usually be given communal kit by the salle. However, I'd suggest that if you decide to stick with it the basic purchases are a mask and a jacket, because the range of jacket sizes owned by a salle tend to be pretty eccentric and you may find yourself fighting over a limited supply in your size. Masks likewise - too tight is painful, too large dangerous, and the sense of inhaling everyone who has ever worn a communal mask's sweat is very uncomfortable.
You probably won't need the breeches until competition - a decent pair of tracksuit bottoms (*decent* i.e. designed for sporting rather than fashion) will serve. Likewise, plastrons are worn more frequently instead of jackets when training (a practice that I am officially required to disapprove of massively, of course), but are required in competition these days (a practice that, jnofficially, I disapprove of massively). On the bright side, they add a definite element of cool to the robing and disrobing process. You'll probably need your own glove for competition as well, unless you can borrow one, but they don't cost that much.
I'd recommend getting a sword last, for a number of reasons. Most obviously, you'll need to choose your weapon (although most fencers have a foil as well as their weapon of choice). Also, you'll need to find out whether you prefer a pistol or French grip (I opt for French, more out of habit than anything), and what length of blade (you're about 6 foot, yes? So a 5, which pretty well everyone except children uses these days anyway).
Regrettably, although a "steam" (non-electric) blade will onyl set you back about £20-30, unless you want to get fancy with lightweight guards and maraging steel, competitions these days insist on an electric sword (starting from about £40) and may also not provide a lame (metal weave) jacket. This is an absolute pain in the arse, and yet another reason why electric fencing sucks cock. If you can find traditionalists, I recommend them. Electric sucks.
Oh, and shoes. white trainers will do fine, although you need something which supports the ankle but doesn't restrict its movement. Adidas makes two dedicated fencing shoes, the D'Artagnan (for fuck's sake), which is designed for the movements used in fencing generally and costs about £50, and the Equipment, a much heftier £80 or £90 for the serious fencer - they are desinged assymetrically, to reflect which foot you lead with. But if you need that, you shouldn't be fencing, as my old maitre would say.
Oh yeah: what's the worst injury you've seen/had/heard of with fencing? Aaaaand, what's your take on Classical Fencers like these guys? One-step-away-from-SCA, or...?
Oh, well, I suppose it's harmless...
As for injuries, well, you get the odd fatality, but they're very rare and usually down to bad equipment. I got a few cuts from fencing without decent armour or being clipped after my mask fell off by an overenthusiastic attack (loose masks dangerous), and lots of bruising, minor contusions, a fair few scraped knees. Fencing isn't a dangerous sport, done properly, but it can be a painful one (first time you get hit with a sabre on the ear with a too-tight mask is one that'll stay with you). The worst I ever had, which was also the worst I've seen so far, was when I competed when unfit and cocked the weight on my lunge totally- much too far over, which fortunately was not actually a break or a dislocation, but just the tearing and straining of almost all the muscles of my right leg. I didn't get treatment for it, which was dumb and macho and self-destructive (I was going through a rather bad period) - couldn't fence for getting on for a year, or run for quite a while without throwing something. Still occasionally troubles me, especially when carrying heavy objects; on occasion I carry a cane, but more these days as a security blanket than an actual prosthesis, as I can usually walk OK even when it's bad; it just hurts. |
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