Apart from anything else you've got a wire running up the sword-arm sleeve and the jacket is zipped down the opposite side i,e. a left-handed and a right handed one aren't the same. You'd have to change clothes to switch weapon hands.
I didn't ask if you train in how to use a weapon. I asked if you fence. The original fencer is talking about the modern sports of foil, epee, and saber, not weapons-work in other contexts.
If my opinion is "irrelevant" then why should you care whether or not that "I'm answering the question being posed"? It's "irrelevant" anyway.
nope but I am curious why respond, it was a specific question about sport fencing so what was the point in raising real weapon training for combat? It added nothing to the discussion and didn't answer any question asked?
Yes! I did fencing and I believe to train one hand is the right method (I'm repeating myself here). Do you agree that "sport fencing" is a training and testing for "combat fencing"? Do you agree that in "sport", you - stab your sword into your opponent's body, - punch your opponent's face, - throw your opponent down, - choke your opponent out, the same way as you do in "combat"? This thread is under "weapon" and not under "sport". When did MAP turned into "sport only" forum? I truly have no idea what we are arguing about here?
No. It's really not. There's some skill overlap but sport fencing is a goal in and of itself, very different from training in bladework as a combat skill. Depends on the sport. In FIE fencing, all of that activity is grounds for a black card, lifetime ban, and probably a call to the police. It'd be like pulling a knife on someone in a boxing match. MAP is not a "sport only" forum, but this particular thread is about an Olympic sport. Nothing precludes you from starting threads about swordfighting as a life-or-death combat skill, but the original poster didn't ask about that, he asked about Olympic fencing.
Yeah, obviously it's physically impossible to switch hands mid-bout. I just meant in general I've never heard of an FIE-style fencer in foil, epee, or saber fencing left-handed on Tuesday and right-handed on Wednesday. Some coaches switch off for the limited purpose of giving lessons, but nobody competes one day left-handed and the next-day right-handed. It's simply not done.
It's a sport only question, not really that hard to grasp. It'd be like going on to a Kendo competition thread and moaning about the targets they use.
I used to train with a very, very good guy who would do it from time to time in practise for a giggle. Agreed though, it is not common practice or recommended by any coaches, anywhere.
That totally happened to me once. Luckily the Tardis showed up and I bummed a lift home. True story. -Mark
I have a strict live-and-let-live policy with people who want to train in "realistic" swordfighting. I personally don't get the appeal, but their hobby is no skin off my back. More power to them. Unless they're one of those historical swordfighters who feels the need to constantly disparage or bash sport fencing in order to justify their own hobby. If they're not going to live and let live, yeah, then I'm going to start making Westeros jokes to them.
Listen, I get sword training with martial applicaton. That is the way I am taught too. But let's not go overboard. Let's be realistic about the times we live in. When are any of us going to be engaged in a life or death sword duel in this day and age? When are any of us going to be walking down the streets with our sword and use it in a self defense situation? There are weapons TMA practitioners learn that are more oriented towards real self defense in modern times and some less so. Stick, staff, cane, even, daggers are very applicable to the modern age. Spears, swords, Pole arm style weapons- not so much. No shame in admitting the less modern day applicable weapons are just plain old fun to learn. Doesn't mean we shouldn't train with any less martial intention with those weapons. But I wouldn't be so quick to get all "I train for combat" judgemental on a thread about sports use of a weapon either. No disrespect intended. but seriously................
Combat = Martial = 武(Wu). Why the word "combat (or martial)" could upset so many pepople in this forun?
Imagine if we started talking about pulling a knife in the clinch during a sport Shuai Jiao match. It's a genuine concern for combat, but an irrelevance for sport Shuai Jiao.
Why do you think people are actually upset? People were just responding on your posts being out of context with the original question posed. Your responses specifically mentioned life and death survival chances, not general concepts of martial=combat. Life and death survival chances have to do with self defense or battlefield situations. This thread was talking about sports fencing in particular. As a left handed person, I find the idea of left handed people having an advantage in fencing to be interesting.
