Hello Sup Forums

Hello Sup Forums
What do you think of fencing?

Really enjoying watching it this Olympics. I've never really been into it, at all, but I got hooked day one this year.

Personal preference is probably

Epee > Sabre > Foil

I wish it were more widely practiced.

Do you practice?

I find it very o-fence-ive

Wow

Nah, Sabre>Epee>Foil

I feel like the cross points rulings on Sabre are just better, and that it opens up way more offensive options for both fencers.

Dumb.

Hurrr lets poke each other in the tits with hotdog roasting sticks.

>mfw

I can't get over 'right-of-way' shit though. So I feel the need to drop epee above sabre...

I prefer HEMA.

But I appreciate the athleticism of modern sport fencing, (if not its efficiency.)

>HEMA
Anything in particular? I mean, fencing is pretty specific, HEMA isn't.

Would be more fun to watch if they used broadswords and had animals released into the arena, executed people during intermission. Bring back the gladiatorial games, close gitmo

im sure geneva would look the other way if they were paid for it
this isnt a bad idea

Elegant AF.

Well, to be specific,Lecküchner's Messer, Thalhofer and Paulus Kal for Harnischfechten (though truth be told my health isn't what it used to be, so I dont get to train in armour much these days)
And the occasional bit of i.33.

But I was assuming that listing those would be a "WTF is that?" affair for the sport fencers.

I think I don't understand shit

...

...

I dare say, I'm quite fond of it.

But buddy, mate, pal, friendo. It's like this: We can research shit. Why ever should you hold out on us?

Ama, fifth in US, Epee.

I fence. It's fun. Hard.

I think it's alright

Currently at fencing camp

I'm on the fence about it

I was coming to say this same thing, fencing has some dumb rules that encourage reckless behaviors. In fencing if you both strike the winner is determined by fractions of a second. In HEMA you both lose because you were dumb enough to get hit.

It would be more amusing if y'all used 4 foot dragon dildoes and loser had to take the whole damn thing up the ass

Fencing is neat and all, but it's too... Fruity? Bourgeoisie? When it comes down to it, two men beating the fuck out of each other with their bare hands is something most of us can relate to, you can actually see the fists flying and it's simply more entertaining to watch.

I've wanted to take it for a long time, but I live in a sort of remote part of the South, so there's nowhere around to teach it.
Also, I would prefer it to be less... Strict and subjugated. I just want to take out a (blunt) blade and fight.

most people just have a blank look if you list the historical master/fechtbuch's name, so was easier just to use the cover-all term.

especially when its something like messer, where people tend to go "mess-what?"

Eh. I guess I'm not most people. I'd rather you explain shit and me look up certain things I don't know.

I love the idea of swordsmanship and sword fighting, however, fencing does feel a bit restrictive and strict to me. I don't dislike it at all, but I kind of agree with you on that.

I think this is pretty neat

I've seen a lot of these hearty Irishmen just fighting with shillelaghs. -That- seems interesting.
I want to do a fight club type thing in general. With all types of weapons.

Got me looking into these various fechtbuchs now. Hadn't ever considered them before. I'm officially interested.

Fencing is a little more strict but not by much. The real issue I have with it and kendo alike is that if both opponents hit each other a winner is determined by a fraction of a second. In HEMA both players get a loss since you both still got hit.

I understand, I read what you said above. And I still agree with you on that.

But in epee I believe they both get the considered hits anyway, no? One of the reasons I prefer it to sabre and foil.

its a dangerously slippy slope.

if you like technical fencing, look at DiGriasi and Capo Fero's rapier manuals.

You can find a vast body of these on "Wiktenaur" - its a collection of digitised manuscripts that often includes translations.

Messer is fun, very fast, dirty street fighting with a 3-foot long knife that will take a hand off if the poor bastard's unlucky.

the best bit about historical fencing though is the fact that there's no right of way, and there's no piste, so you can step through, past the opponent, step to the side, and end up circling. makes it much more technical in footwork and balance.

Intradasting. What say you, for having all this knowledge?

Though it would probably help you find it if I don't put a typo in the name Giacomo di Grassi.

Have a wee page from Paulus Hector Mair's fechtbuch.

(Oh, what I'd give to be able to afford a full harness of 16th C plate in spring steel, with gilded decoration. (and less of a fucked shoulder))

well, I'd say I'm a fucking nerd.

but only because its more fun to say it first.

Pic: Dagger-fighting from Marozzo's Opera Nova.

"Fencing"? You can go to jail for reselling stolen goods.

Not if you have a good de-fence

It's fucking awesome--I'm 26 but I think with some training I can make the 2020 Olympics for foil. You get a gold medal for stabbing people with a rapier--Yes please.

Would have figured Messer was a knife study. It appears to just be a short sword approach, rather.

Originally was great but electronic scoring and safety measures have completely removed the martial arts aspect that original fencing had held. Now you just charge at each other or flick your flimsy little wannabe-blade over your opponent's bell-guard and hit their wrist. Fucking pathetic.

It is sad really. Very unfortunate what has become of sport fencing. Classical fencing can still be fun though.

You stab people with a Foil. That's why it's called Foil, moron.

"Messer" means "knife" in german, but in the context of the fighting manuals, its the "langes messer" - a sword-size single-edged blade with a knife-like hilt, with a distinctive side-guard called a nagel, rather than a sword-like hilt with cross and pommel.

popular in the 15th and 16th centuries, particularly in germany, bohemia, and poland.

way too sportified, undfortunately

I was aware of the translation, hence my assumption before researching it. I appreciate that other information though, that clears it up quite a lot.

Speaking of, do you actually know of any knife studies?

That's it Sup Forums, tomorrow I'm starting to practice fencing.

there's a dutch bloke I know of who's done a study of dutch "mes" knife-fighting, but dont think its published yet.

lots of the fechtbuch cover dagger, which is pretty close, with just slightly more emphasis on point than edge than most modern knives.

Thalhofer, Ringeck, Paulus Kal, Marozzo, Mair (who also has sickle fighting, which is fucked-up), Fiore, Joachim Meyer, all of those have sections of pretty intensive dagger fighting. Gladiatoria (see pic) does too, but that's all in armour.

More modern, you get Fairbairn Sykes, which was the WW2 SOE dagger techniques, I know an ex SAS instructor who mostly does Sabre, but used to teach them hand-to-hand and knife fighting. About 65 now, but still more than slightly scary bloke.... Stories of teaching the Vietnamese forced alongside the ASAS in the late 60's that are quite insane.

>sportified
That's the word I was looking for earlier.

I'll agree with most of the anons in this thread: I enjoy modern Olympic fencing, especially for the technical and athletic aspects; I've taken classes and practiced for several years, although it's been some time. I started as a teenager and I'd need to buy all new equipment and everything, so it's a tad cost-prohibitive for me at the moment.

That said, I also agree that HEMA and that sort of stuff has a lot of benefits as well, and is definitely a lot more practical and based in actual, historical fighting techniques. Sport fencing is a lot of wrist-flicking and illogical moves and restrictions, and I absolutely get where people are coming from when they mention that. I recall in my original classes asking why we couldn't aim for wherever we wanted (we learned with foil), or knock the opponent's blade aside with our hands, or do things like that. Unfortunately, I don't know of any good HEMA places around me.

Mostly what I think about fencing right now is I'm pissed it doesn't seem to be playing on any of the stations I get, and my Internet's too shitty to stream it.

You sound like an interesting guy, that can light the path towards lots of intriguing information, as well as relay many a satisfying tale.

That's sad mate. I'm really not sure what I'd like to train, but I'm interested in training some more primitive, logical, art, that is based around actual circumstance and such.