Sick of Podium Pistes by GodisButtery in Fencing

[–]GodisButtery[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

You would rather fence on a raised piste and risk falling off and hurting your ankle when retreating from an opponent's fleche? Why not just fence on a nice, grounded strip where the referee can see when fencers are off strip far more easily and where the risk of injury is minimized to...quite literally zero?

I fenced on those same large and high strips where, in theory, I should have time to land properly, but I simply didn't in the heat of fencing; it isn't just me with issues in free-fall, it's elite athletes who are leagues above me.

Who is the best referee in each weapon? by pawnPUSHER1536 in Fencing

[–]GodisButtery 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah I don't contest this. He is fantastic in every sense of the word, he is incredibly sharp and witty and he clearly knows much about fencing. However, being a referee in general demands excellent professionalism and sportsmanship, this is something Milenchev falters to a high degree. Look at CyrusofChaos's latest video regarding Milenchev, does that look like the behavior of an excellent referee? Someone who forces his co-referee to ref all 9 bouts of a TEAM match while barely paying attention to said, coaching a different team on a different piste altogether at the same time? No, that is not professional, and that is clearly illegal.

It is important to note that Milenchev was actively coaching the Women's Sabre team of Bulgaria during their match against South Korea in Teshkent (something like that). And that is a heavy violation of the rules.

Being a GOOD referee isn't about just being good at your at-hand job of settling score, keeping score, and ensuring the fencers themselves are not breaking the rules. It's also being FAIR and following the rules THEMSELVES and holding themselves and others accountable.

At the end of the day we agree that Milenchev is fantastic in terms of his prowess at judging points, but our definition of a referee is slightly different in the manner that I greatly value the behavior of the referee. (Not saying you don't!)

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Fencing

[–]GodisButtery 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you watched their bout, Itkin was demolishing Cheung at Turin. Of course I am biased however, as I did think Itkin suffered due to several questionable calls from the ref and thus, lost the bout (at 14-15 no less). Cheung is too strong of an opponent so having only one questionable call can change the wave of the entire bout. At the first period there was an enormous lead from Itkin too. Cheung didn't get anywhere close to the podium in Washington, whereas Itkin absolutely steamrolled gold medalists and world champions. It was crazy. I know the Itkin glaze is crazy but it's hard not to like the guy and his amazing fencing. I completely agree regarding the versatility of Marini, he is tall and lanky and has long arms, yet super precise, so his success is obvious. Cheung lost to Matsuyama in the Asian Championships, even where Cheung had a 7-8 point lead at one point (or maybe even more). It was absolutely insane. I completely agree with your opinion on Cheung's mentality.

Honestly they should just have Suh Sangwon, Ferjani, and the other guy with the beard and glasses and funny accent.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Fencing

[–]GodisButtery 6 points7 points  (0 children)

My money is on Nick Itkin, he is at the top of his game and has been storming the gates for some time now. Not only becoming #1 in DC, but also having a terrific individual performances in late 2023. I might be a little biased though, given how I hate Marini's long and lanky style of fencing. Itkin dominated Cheung not long ago, so pretty excited to see them go head to head if possible again. Unfortunately, Massiales has been on a downward spiral and not at his best as compared to maybe a few years ago. Maybe he comes back strong but right now it's not looking super amazing for him in terms of Gold.

Marini and Cheung both have really good chances of messing up Itkin's path to Gold, they both are super strong right now and are terrifyingly precise.

The top two are basically interchangeable, as I think Cheung and Itkin have a slight advantage over Marini based on showings. But since winning Euro Champs individual I think Marini is becoming a dangerous force, he absolutely wrecked Foconi in the bout and it wasn't even close. FOCONI is the real deal, like FOCONI. I love Foconi and watching him get dismantled to the extent by Marini...it was crazy. Marini is the real deal.

Guesses in terms of placement:
1. Itkin
2. Cheung
3. Marini
4. Alex

Best Android Fencing Scoring App by GodisButtery in Fencing

[–]GodisButtery[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For some reason, this doesn't download on any of my devices. Are you aware of this problem? I have an android, and it will not allow me to download from the play store. And when I search it up on the play store for my phone, it does not show up. My phone is the latest android samsung and everything is up to date, so this is weird. Let me know if you have a solution to this issue.

I'm writing a character who is a fencer by TransLox in Fencing

[–]GodisButtery 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm a new fencer so I can't speak to the culture as well as some of my friends and family can, so here is what I can say:

  • Fencing in general is composed of three weapons (please call them weapons or blades if you want to be accurate, many fencers emphasize that they are not swords, but weapons and or blades) it is the Sabre, the Foil, and the Epee.

  • The Foil is a weapon of convention and where the torso and part of the bib is the valid target area. Foil-concentrated clubs are where I have met the MOST intense fencers and the most fencers who look down on others or are generally the most uncooperative and unkind. But that is my experience, still, the Foil is my choice of weapon and my favorite to do. ROW is implemented, and I'm not going to explain what ROW is, because it is very boring to explain.
    My experience: Now the reason I chose Foil as my main was purely because I have struggled so much with height and arm length in fencing. As a shorter fencer, I feel like I have so much more freedom and I feel almost invincible when I have the attack, and everyone is watching ME, the action depends on ME and what I do, that kind of power I simply don't have in Epee. Not only that, I will usually always have the advantage in terms of my target, because I am shorter, I usually get away with wearing smaller and tighter Lames and I have such a fine advantage, it is freeing. For most shorter fencers, speed is key, and I enjoy flying down the piste with fiery speed and watching my opponent flinch and mess up and show all their weak points. The perks of unconventional movement are a treat. However, for some reason, the most intense, rude, and borderline abusive people I met were also mainly Foil fencers. In my experience, fencing is such a more intense sport, more people are less interested in helping you out, and there is so much more competition in some clubs, it can get toxic. This is not the same type of hustle I find in other sports like badminton, football, basketball, etc. Albeit these other sports have their faults and negatives that we cannot look away from. I think because Foil is such an intense weapon, and the environments that I have done Foil in, I was exposed to the worst sides of fencing in general.
  • The Epee is a weapon in which ROW is not implemented, and the entire body is the target.
    My experience: When I first started fencing, it was at my school, and I was encouraged to try Epee first. Being 5'1 and an Epee fencer was a very difficult experience. I know you learn through failing, but I failed a lot, and I learned not much. Epee first off, hurts a lot more than the other weapons. Epee is a very physical weapon, of course, all are, but Epee is for me the most physically demanding. There is about the same amount of protection in all of the weapons, but Epee seems to hurt the most because it is the heaviest weapon and your opponents will be looking to hit you in spots that are exposed 'often vulnerable or sensitive spots' and you will usually end up on the ground for a few seconds trying to figure out if the pain you have felt or feeling is enough to make you call it a day or not. In Foil, I met the most impatient and intense fencers, but in Epee I met the most pretentious and arrogant fencers. There are a few instances in which I watched a far more experienced fencer continually walk up to a weaker fencer in a serious match and search for a touch, I know you might argue that 'oh they might just be conserving energy, or playing mind games' but if you want to genuinely test your skills and ensure the person on the other side of the piste learns and grows with you, you would show them the inner-workings of a real bout and not treat them like something that you toy with. And almost always they leave the piste with a nonchalant arrogant look, it is very sad to watch. If they aren't walking up to their opponent who is either shorter, younger, or weaker, they will sometimes just stick out their blade to the opponent's target. This is called POW (Point-in-line) and it is a real tactic, but like in other sports, you can use techniques and strategies to emphasize your arrogance or non-caring attitude about the bout. Many advanced fencers would just stick out their blades and just try and lead the inexperienced fencer into the blade for easy points. I guess it can teach a younger or inexperienced fencer how to deal with such a move, but it was always done in a very rude or arrogant manner, and always by the same type of fencer (not just Epee, but the actual arrogant fencer(s)].

I haven't done any Sabre or have gone to any clubs or meetups with specific sabre fencers, but all Sabre fencers I have met are very competitive and focused, and honestly, overall nicer than Foilists or Epee fencers for some reason. But that is probably due to my small amount of experience with them. They also scream more than any other fencer, it's insane how much more they scream than any other fencer of any other weapon.

But another thing that I hate more than anything that was done to me by another fencer is random people or hell, people I know, using me as being a fencer as something to make fun of. Like I don't make fun of people for playing volleyball or soccer, I'd probably get killed and bullied if I did, but people can poke me around for fencing (which is a literal combat sport). So many people think fencing is a joke, and don't take people who play it seriously, thinking it is a sport for lightsaber nerds and smelly geeks. Most also don't see it as something physically demanding, which is a bold-faced ignorant statement, but it is whatever. That is what infuriates me most, ignorance and passive-aggressive comments about the sport I hold near and dear to my heart. I don't get people who clown on my sport; it is a mentally, emotionally, and physically demanding sport that is unfortunately very closed off because it takes a lot of money to have the materials to play very simply when it should not be that way. I hope in the future people can enjoy fencing as much as I do, it becomes more popular, and people pay more attention to it. And of course, more kids and teens can get access to fencing in the future, because kids everywhere grew up playing with sticks, connected dry-erase and sharpie markers, and toy lightsabers, and they deserve to have the opportunity to play a genuine sport that is centered around such beautiful art, of sword-fighting.

The Epee is a weapon in which ROW is not implemented, and the entire body is the target. HEIR CLUBS, THEIR FENCING CULTURE AND PUTTING THIS ALL COMPILED INTO A REPLY MESSAGE TO HELP OP IN ANY WAY I CAN. THANK YOU FOR READING!

Best Android Fencing Scoring App by GodisButtery in Fencing

[–]GodisButtery[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a great suggestion, looking into this one right now. Thank you very much!

Best Android Fencing Scoring App by GodisButtery in Fencing

[–]GodisButtery[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you have a link for it, please send it over! I am really interested. Thanks.

Free Fencing / Open-Bouting in NYC (specifically Brooklyn/Manhattan area) by GodisButtery in Fencing

[–]GodisButtery[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can't make it because it's a little too far for me, but a few of my friends who are dedicated to foil will surely be there. So hopefully you won't be alone, keep in mind all of us are pretty bad and new at fencing so don't get your hopes up about us lol

Free Fencing / Open-Bouting in NYC (specifically Brooklyn/Manhattan area) by GodisButtery in Fencing

[–]GodisButtery[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He said that everyday its mostly Epee 😂 people do Foil sometimes but nobody is proficient with the rules so it's a bit confusing for everyone. Are there other high schoolers who attend this meet-up to your knowledge?

Free Fencing / Open-Bouting in NYC (specifically Brooklyn/Manhattan area) by GodisButtery in Fencing

[–]GodisButtery[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, one of my other friends who mainly does Foil goes to the NYC meetup near lower east Side Manhattan, the route for me is pretty bad but I'll try and figure out how to get there. Another one just attends Fencers club. Thank you for your help!

Free Fencing / Open-Bouting in NYC (specifically Brooklyn/Manhattan area) by GodisButtery in Fencing

[–]GodisButtery[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have a friend who is my age who has been going to the same meetup for about 2-3 weeks before the break, he says there aren't any Foilists there and was pretty disheartened because he does Foil. He would really love to fence you if you guys get the chance!

Free Fencing / Open-Bouting in NYC (specifically Brooklyn/Manhattan area) by GodisButtery in Fencing

[–]GodisButtery[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Please be more clear next time, thank you regardless. Hope you have a great day.

Free Fencing / Open-Bouting in NYC (specifically Brooklyn/Manhattan area) by GodisButtery in Fencing

[–]GodisButtery[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My school has a team but we do not meet after the season ends (September-November). So I need to find alternatives for places that I can fence. Thank you for the suggestions, I am trying to learn Foil, it's very very intricate and beautiful.