Comments on: Woman in sensible armour

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 11:03:45 +0000

Unfortunately modern fencing has little in common with Renaissance practice – I would have got things badly wrong if that was the only research I did! And even before sport fencing, practices evolved. In Elizabethan times, for example, the seconds in duel usually joined in the fight (as seen in Romeo & Juliet) rather than being passive assistants.

I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun fencing – just make sure you back it up with detailed research when writing historical-based fiction. I agree about the movies, though – once you’ve learnt about real swordfighting, “stage fights” are so obviously fake

By: Brian Turner

Brian Turner — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 10:17:13 +0000

I’m hoping to start fencing soon – just put my name down on the waiting list for a local club last week.

However, in terms of research, it’s not actually the fighting as much as the vocabulary and mentality that comes with it.

In the late mediaeval period to late Elizabethan, it seems that any gentlemen worth his salt would carry a sword and be familiar with the etiquette of fencing.

That has to translate into into normal everyday life and life and expressions. That’s my theory, anyway, and one I’m looking to use, especially when you have a group of gentleman in conversation.

Will probably be more fun as research than simply watching Muskateer films.

By: S. Eric Rhoads

S. Eric Rhoads — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 20:39:03 +0000

Given the free time I would love to spend more time w/ the SCA. It is really interesting the work/research being done to re-create these martial disciplines. I live near Cooper’s Lake in PA and a few times a year they have some hardcore SCA folks camp out there and stage mock battles (Pennsicwar), etc. They stay in character full time, but it is invite only, closed to the public.

By: Erica

Erica — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 09:38:59 +0000

I liked the blog. I did some fencing back in college and wasn’t bad for someone at my level. I really loved epee, though, and at that time (the early 80′s) there were a lot of resistance in the sport to women fencing anything but foil. After some truly nasty and sexist stuff happened in the sport with regards to its rules (women weren’t allowed to fence epee with anything but a French grip for a while) and not feeling supported by my club, I drifted away from the sport. Still, the experience was fun, and I can draw a bit from it with writing fight scenes. Now that I’m writing fantasy there’s a part of me that wants to find a club that does more historic style fencing or maybe even take up a martial art, but I’m now at an age where inertia is great and new physical skills come slowly and painfully, so I completely relate to your experience.

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 08:33:22 +0000

Thanks, Doug! The trouble is, it’s my shoulder that’s the problem – I developed frozen shoulder a couple of years ago, and whilst a good osteopath sorted that out pretty promptly, it’s still prone to RSI. I was hoping that fencing would build up the muscles that weakened when I couldn’t lift my arm for several months, but I think I need to work on the muscles before I try any more fencing!

On the plus side I still have the Tai Chi class, and our instructor is a martial artist – he likes to show us the combat applications of various moves, rather than teaching the forms in isolation

By: Douglas Hulick

Douglas Hulick — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 07:50:18 +0000

Wish we were closer to one another. I have someone in our group learning rapier who has awful tendinitis, but we’ve figured out how to get around it. One of the nice things about the historical systems (or, at least, the Italian rapier style we use) is that the weight of the sword is mostly carried by the shoulder & back when you are in your guard. I always tell my students if their arm is sore, they’re doing it wrong. However, the movements & stance are different than in modern, so what works for us likely wouldn’t have helped you with modern fencing anyhow.

At least you gave it a go, which is more than most people do. And no, it’s not for everyone. There are sword styles I still can’t get excited about, no matter what I do. It’s a very subjective thing.

So, congratulations on your attempt!