Fencing

[GinSueDog]

Kind of off subject here, anyone here taking fencing or has taken fencing in the past? I am looking into it as I hear it can improve your stand up game a lot. Anyone notice any improvements in there fighting, and is there a specific system in fencing to go with? Thanks all.-ED

[Chad W. Getz]

Stickfighting with real rattan sticks and minimal gear has made me more accepting to the strikes from fist. It helped improve my timing and distance. I think fencing can probably do the same, but I would rather stickfighting.

[Underdog]

No way!

Forget fencing ASAP!

It teaches you timing and distance relevant fo sword; maybe it can be translated to stickfighting somewhat, but for standup fighting is a huge backstep in your progress: I've done some fencing back when I was a kid and, remembering the lessons past with today knowledge it would be suicidial to apply them:

-footwork is done mainly with front toe pointing forward, dragging the rear leg almost stiff; in stickfighting this means instant death for your fron knee.

-the body posture is really open, wide open, rear arm do not protect anything

-you'll learn no slashes, only thrusts

-you'll have no lateral movement, or diagonal ones

In a word, forget it.

PS if you are intersted in fencing, try some medieval one, it seems widespread in USA, some of the guys went REAL hard; I posted the website of an Italy association before, and if you'll look at the photos they train like dog brothers somewhat (I've heard they go with lot less power).

http://www.sis.it/users/a.r.m.a./

[Underdog]

Sorry; I checked the url I posted but the page seems removed from the web...

[GinSueDog]

What's wrong with Fencing?

I heard that Fencing can really improve both your striking game as well as improve your knife fighting skills. I've done stickfighting before in the pass and have nothing against it at all, I am just looking for something different. One of the big things that I heard about fencing is there focus on speed and being non-telegraphic when striking. It was actually Knifefighter on this board that got me thinking maybe I should look into fencing as a suggestion to improve my knife skills as well as the fact that a number of JKD instructors recommended it too improve my striking.-ED

[Chad W. Getz]

Re: my post. I almost forgot, I met a master fencer here on Oahu a few months back and we got around to talking, he mentioned to me that he couldn't box to save his life. Years of making his left hand dead, has killed it. He can't use his left hand for anything he told me. If you want to practice the distance and timing, I would think that stickfighting should do it. I don't see how fencing could help with striking or interception, but I think it could give you some ideas if you look hard enough. Mostly with shuffling in and out, but then again, you can practice that by your self. I think fencing can give you a few ideas for ceartain attributes in knife fighting, I've used a few ideas myself. Though not for my striking or much for my stickfighting.

[IslandDog]

Gin Sue Dog:
I would echo what everyone else is saying about fencing not helping your striking and stickfighting game. It probably won't help much in those areas, but there are some killer techniques that can be applied to the knife game.

[double ouch]

In order to gain maximum benefit from any practice, it should closely resemble the game you are practicing for. If you want to improve your standup game try boxing, thai boxing or anything where they do full contact sparring. Timing speed distance etc. cant really be learned effectively outside of sparring. Just my 2 cents!

[GinSueDog]

I guess I wasn't exactly being very clear. I heard that fencing footwork is amazing. After all two thirds of striking is footwork. Isn't one of the major ideas and area trained in fencing is development of timing, footwork, distance and the interception of course. I have done stcik fighting before when I trained with Richard bustillo and with some PFS guys and really found it helpful but I cannot help but be curious about the art of fencing.-ED


BTW, from reading Giacomo DiGrassi's manual on fencing, they share a number of techniques that are similiar or almost exactly the same as those used by the FMA, like stealing a step...

[Edited by GinSueDog on 10-19-2000 at 07:04 PM]

[Evilution]

Fencing has some good footwork, but as far as I know it is all forward/back, lateral movement being against the rules. I think the main things that can be gained from it are the ability to lunge and cover ground quickly, and familiarizing yourself with angles of attack. But a lot of the stuff will NOT translate very well. I suggest not taking a fencing class but instead buy a good fencing book and look for the things that you think might translate in a DIRECT manner. This way you don't build up bad habits like holding your gaurding hand behind you back, but you can still learn a thing or two.

[GinSueDog]

Evilution,
If you don't take the art how do you know if what you have taken is valid to begin with, or that your judgement is sound? I am not thinking of taking this all the way to the Olympics, but I do have the chance to study with some really good fencers and see first hand what they have to offer, as it is the price for the fencing class is the third of what I pay for BJJ. I know at the very least stealing the step is used the exact same way as in the FMA and that this should translate will with knife techniques. Has anyone have tried fencing and how did they feel it helped or hurt them out of curiousity?-ED

[YeLLa-TiGeR]

I fought a former fencer once.(messing around for fun) He had a yardstick and I had another one. I think Kendo is better, because thats what I used for it. I just bonked him on top of the head with it.

[Ninja Vanish!]

Di Grasse

Giacomo DiGrassi's fencing manual was a rapier fighter's text, so it dealt with fighting in a life or death situation and actually killing someone. Modern sport fencing is a world apart from rapier fighting and what is known as "historical" fencing. It's so evolved as a sport, that a lot of the martial value is very diluted. As a sport, it's fun and really good for building reflexes and perception of distance. But as a fighting art, you have to take it back about three hundred years to when it was still practiced as such.

If you're interested in western swordsmanship, one of the best groups is the HACA. http://www.thehaca.com I haven't been on their site in a while, but they're pretty serious about reconstructing the European Sword Arts.

[Edited by Ninja Vanish! on 10-20-2000 at 05:15 AM]

[Underdog]

well said.

[Evilution]

GinsueDog, I'm just saying what I would do if I were you. But do what you want and make your own decisions. I personally think that fencing doesn't translate as well some other things but go ahead and take a class, check it out. You'll probably learn something, I just think there are better ways to spend your training time.