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I like epee for the above reasons- but while fencing and kendo are at this point both sports, they do provide a nice starting point and teach a lot of good foundations for actual weapons use- kendo translates nicely, with a little expanded learning, to european two hander and bastard sword, and fencing gives you a good start for any european cut and thrust swords- though to get the full effect you should fence sabre and epee- either one will improve your fitness across the board, and both are enjoyable activities- in answer to your above questions about rapiers, cutlasses ect-, the term fencing derives from the words art of defence, and today is strictly a sport involving practice weapons- techniques with these weapons resemble old styles of fighting, but are quite different from the real thing- foil is sort of like the techniques used with the smallsword, epee is kind of like rapier, and sabre is similar to well, sabre- there are many groups out there that are trying to recreate other weapons, and most try to teach true to history techniques- you can get some very good books on rapier fencing, sword and buckler, etc, but fencing will certainly help your skills with any recreationist arts that you get into later........
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Thought the harder, Heart the bolder,
Mood the more as our might lessens
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