En guard - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Xazy · 05-13-2008, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Peter Aikins (left) takes on Eileen Fahey as residents at the Catholic Homes Corpus Christi in Melbourne, take up fencing foils Photo:William West/AFP

Hain · 05-13-2008, 06:03 AM

Ahhahahaahahahaha

Redlemon · 05-13-2008, 06:05 AM

If you give them huge hypodermic needles, they can get exercise and medication at the same time!

The_Jazz · 05-13-2008, 10:05 AM

How are they going to score touches? Those look like electric blades and they're not wearing the right gear.

Not to mention that foil is for pussies and morons.

I used to own a fencing sal. www.windycityfencing.net

lotsofmagnets · 05-13-2008, 03:45 PM

this is how we train the elderly to deal with home invasions in melbs

Slims · 05-13-2008, 11:11 PM

Jazz, are you joking?

First, fencing was around long before electric scoring machines became popular. Second, safety equipment such as a plastron is worn to protect against broken blades from aggressive maneuvers such as a fleche; something I doubt these people have to worry about.

Third, foil is probably the only safe option for them to practice with. As the former owner of a fencing Sal, you probably realize how helpful it is to start beginners off on foil so they can learn technique before jumping to a more forgiving weapon (like Epee), or one that has even more complicated and arbitrary rules (Sabre).

The_Jazz · 05-14-2008, 05:33 AM

No, foil's for pussies. And morons.

Check the instructor/judge - he's got all his gear on - and that might be a body cord dangling from his right hand. It's hard to tell and might be something completely different, but that's what it looks like to me. If it were about safety, why are they wearing breast plates?

We didn't bother to teach foil (although we did have a few sabre fencers). That didn't change after I sold the club. And I would never teach foil to the elderly since the rules aren't exactly intuitive.

Then again, these are Australians, and we all know how crazy THOSE folks are (I'm looking at you, dlish).

Slims · 05-14-2008, 06:58 AM

Ok,

The director doesn't have a body cord, it's the blade for his weapon (he is resting his hands on it). I don't see anybody wearing breast plates, and the director is probably the only one wearing a jacket because he is the only one who has one. Also, the foils being used are dry weapons (you can see the rubber tip on the ends).

I would like to think that I am neither a pussy nor a moron, but I do fence foil. As a matter of fact, I won my 'C' in a dry foil tournament some years ago (They have a big one in NC every year). I always preferred (and was better at) Epee, but foil was great practice as it forced bigger, more dynamic moves and fast exchanges.

The people in the photos are fencing while holding onto walkers. Do you really think it would be smart to give them a heavier, stiffer weapon? Or one where the chief aim is to slash the shit out of your opponent?

I after I graduated college, I stayed on as a coach for a while. I was taught Foil first, but we were almost exclusively an Epee club by that point, and we chose to let people jump straight into their weapon of choice. It caused a lot of problems as we were continually trying to correct bad habits. Our epee fencers also had a very difficult time transitioning to foil or sabre, though those who learned foil first transitioned quickly over to either epee or sabre.

Another note: Foil fencing evolved as a way to teach people how to survive duels, as opposed to just winning them. Think how often you get simultaneous lights in epee. People would duel and both parties would get injured or killed. Foil, along with right of way, was designed to teach people not to jump onto their opponents blade. Of course, foil has it's problems as well (simple blade contact should not equal a parry), but it came about for very good reasons.

The_Jazz · 05-14-2008, 07:55 AM

Heh, classic epee vs. foil vs. sabre ego conflict.

IMO everyone should fence epee. Everyone who doesn't is wrong. Foil fencers tend to be pussies and morons and sabre fencers are pompous ninnies. Oh, and foil fencers - pretty much all of that group - were the sole reason for the explosion of the club that mine succeeded. It was a great club and I was very happy not being an owner. If I (and my partners) hadn't stepped in, there would have been a very noticable vacuum in Chicago fencing. So if I seem a little embittered towards foil fencers, there's a reason.

On an unrelated note, everyone should also be Cubs and Bears fans. Oh, and Steve Spurrier is the devil.

ironpham · 05-14-2008, 08:06 AM

Now, I know nothing about fencing, but if you two were trying to persuade me to one way or the other, I'd say that I would listen to Greg over Jazz.

But, funny picture.

markre · 05-22-2008, 06:16 AM

haha...looks kinda dangerous

mrklixx · 05-22-2008, 09:39 AM

How many points for a hit to the walker?

05-13-2008, 06:03 AM	#2 (permalink)
Hain has a plan Location: middle of Whywouldanyonebethere	Ahhahahaahahahaha __________________ ////\\// IRONSKY.NET \\//\\\\

05-13-2008, 06:05 AM	#3 (permalink)
Redlemon Devoted Donor Location: New England	If you give them huge hypodermic needles, they can get exercise and medication at the same time! __________________ I can't read your signature. Sorry.

05-13-2008, 10:05 AM	#4 (permalink)
The_Jazz Asshole Administrator Location: Chicago	How are they going to score touches? Those look like electric blades and they're not wearing the right gear. Not to mention that foil is for pussies and morons. I used to own a fencing sal. www.windycityfencing.net __________________ "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - B. Franklin "There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush "We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo

05-13-2008, 03:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
lotsofmagnets Upright Location: reykjavík, iceland	this is how we train the elderly to deal with home invasions in melbs __________________ mother nature made the aeroplane, and the submarine sandwich, with the steady hands and dead eye of a remarkable sculptor. she shed her mountain turning training wheels, for the convenience of the moving sidewalk, that delivers the magnetic monkey children through the mouth of impossible calendar clock, into the devil's manhole cauldron. physics of a bicycle, isn't it remarkable?

05-13-2008, 11:11 PM	#6 (permalink)
Slims Eccentric insomniac Location: North Carolina	Jazz, are you joking? First, fencing was around long before electric scoring machines became popular. Second, safety equipment such as a plastron is worn to protect against broken blades from aggressive maneuvers such as a fleche; something I doubt these people have to worry about. Third, foil is probably the only safe option for them to practice with. As the former owner of a fencing Sal, you probably realize how helpful it is to start beginners off on foil so they can learn technique before jumping to a more forgiving weapon (like Epee), or one that has even more complicated and arbitrary rules (Sabre). __________________ "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill "All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act out their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." Seven Pillars of Wisdom, T.E. Lawrence

05-14-2008, 05:33 AM	#7 (permalink)
The_Jazz Asshole Administrator Location: Chicago	No, foil's for pussies. And morons. Check the instructor/judge - he's got all his gear on - and that might be a body cord dangling from his right hand. It's hard to tell and might be something completely different, but that's what it looks like to me. If it were about safety, why are they wearing breast plates? We didn't bother to teach foil (although we did have a few sabre fencers). That didn't change after I sold the club. And I would never teach foil to the elderly since the rules aren't exactly intuitive. Then again, these are Australians, and we all know how crazy THOSE folks are (I'm looking at you, dlish). __________________ "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - B. Franklin "There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush "We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo

05-14-2008, 06:58 AM	#8 (permalink)
Slims Eccentric insomniac Location: North Carolina	Ok, The director doesn't have a body cord, it's the blade for his weapon (he is resting his hands on it). I don't see anybody wearing breast plates, and the director is probably the only one wearing a jacket because he is the only one who has one. Also, the foils being used are dry weapons (you can see the rubber tip on the ends). I would like to think that I am neither a pussy nor a moron, but I do fence foil. As a matter of fact, I won my 'C' in a dry foil tournament some years ago (They have a big one in NC every year). I always preferred (and was better at) Epee, but foil was great practice as it forced bigger, more dynamic moves and fast exchanges. The people in the photos are fencing while holding onto walkers. Do you really think it would be smart to give them a heavier, stiffer weapon? Or one where the chief aim is to slash the shit out of your opponent? I after I graduated college, I stayed on as a coach for a while. I was taught Foil first, but we were almost exclusively an Epee club by that point, and we chose to let people jump straight into their weapon of choice. It caused a lot of problems as we were continually trying to correct bad habits. Our epee fencers also had a very difficult time transitioning to foil or sabre, though those who learned foil first transitioned quickly over to either epee or sabre. Another note: Foil fencing evolved as a way to teach people how to survive duels, as opposed to just winning them. Think how often you get simultaneous lights in epee. People would duel and both parties would get injured or killed. Foil, along with right of way, was designed to teach people not to jump onto their opponents blade. Of course, foil has it's problems as well (simple blade contact should not equal a parry), but it came about for very good reasons. __________________ "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill "All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act out their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." Seven Pillars of Wisdom, T.E. Lawrence Last edited by Slims; 05-14-2008 at 07:03 AM..

05-14-2008, 07:55 AM	#9 (permalink)
The_Jazz Asshole Administrator Location: Chicago	Heh, classic epee vs. foil vs. sabre ego conflict. IMO everyone should fence epee. Everyone who doesn't is wrong. Foil fencers tend to be pussies and morons and sabre fencers are pompous ninnies. Oh, and foil fencers - pretty much all of that group - were the sole reason for the explosion of the club that mine succeeded. It was a great club and I was very happy not being an owner. If I (and my partners) hadn't stepped in, there would have been a very noticable vacuum in Chicago fencing. So if I seem a little embittered towards foil fencers, there's a reason. On an unrelated note, everyone should also be Cubs and Bears fans. Oh, and Steve Spurrier is the devil. __________________ "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - B. Franklin "There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush "We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo Last edited by The_Jazz; 05-14-2008 at 08:27 AM..

05-14-2008, 08:06 AM	#10 (permalink)
ironpham DOOMTRAIN Location: NC	Now, I know nothing about fencing, but if you two were trying to persuade me to one way or the other, I'd say that I would listen to Greg over Jazz. But, funny picture.

05-22-2008, 06:16 AM	#11 (permalink)
markre Upright	haha...looks kinda dangerous __________________ Never Forgive and Never Forget

05-22-2008, 09:39 AM	#12 (permalink)
mrklixx President Rick Location: location location	How many points for a hit to the walker? __________________ This post is content. If you don't like it then you are not content. Or perhaps just incontinent. This is not a link - Do not click here I hate animated avatars.