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Title
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18 Characteristics of Fencers
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Date
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December 1941
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6
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en
18 CHARACTERISTICS OF FENCERS
By Dernell Every
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This is the first of two articles that deal with the physical, and mental makeup of the fencer. This part deals primarily with physical equipment; the second will take up mental qualities.
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FENCERS have for a long time endeavored to classify themselves under some grouping method which would serve as a means of ready comparison. When you purchase a can of peas in Florida labeled "Super-Duper" you get the same quality, size and grade of peas that you would get in Kansas if you purchased another can so labeled. Peas have been scientifically classified, fencers have not. The novice or junior fencer in Florida may be quite different from the novice or junior in Kansas. This considerable variation in strength between two parts of the country has often been a matter of concern to the A. F. L. A. in the arrangement of their intersectional competitions.
At the present time there are several different ways of branding fencers to specify some particular difference between them. These rough classifications are (1) amateurs and professionals; (2) preps, novices, juniors, intermediates, seniors and veterans; (3) foilsmen, sabremen and epeeists; and (4) students of the French, Italian, Spanish and Hungarian schools. Each of these particular methods treats of one or a few particular characteristics, but each is inadequate to give a fencer any idea of another fencer. Is there not some way to classify them? They say that fools rush in where angels fear to tread. We rushed in, stayed about six months and rushed right out again.
The fact that our investigations led to failure insofar as obtaining our objective does not mean that the entire study should be discarded as having no value. We are reminded of the chemistry student who spent an entire year in trying to show how one chemical could be combined with another. He worked long and hard, spoiled much equipment, caused many smells, used up a considerable quantity of gas, electricity and chemicals only to find out that the two would not stay in combination. This did not completely discourage him. He wrote a paper on his experiment so that it would be available to all other chemists and save them from repeating his unworkable experiments. This was a negative but nevertheless definite contribution to chemistry.
Our investigations led to somewhat similar discouraging results. We prepared our findings in a paper, presented it to other members of the staff with the result that they held their noses and refused to consider its use for the purpose intended. We did not give up any more easily than the chemist did. We felt that certain findings were of interest and although their use for a definite system of classification was out, their listing and definition might be of interest to many of the fencers. We, therefore, present them with this lengthy preliminary apology.
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Characteristics Required of a Fencer
We found that there were eighteen qualities or characteristics that a fencer should have. We were particularly interested in the fact that none of them was directly pertinent to any of the systems of classification mentioned above and in more or less common use at the present time. We list these characteristics in alphabetical order: change of pace, choice of time, competitive heart, concentration, coordination, courage, experience, form, memory, rhythm, relaxation, smartness, speed, stamina, technique, training and timing. Some of these may impress you as being synonymous. We assure you they are not and shall endeavor to prove our contention with later explanation.
One of the interesting things about this list is that ten of the characteristics are mental while only eight are physical. By mental we mean that they are the result of thought, headwork, analysis, mental conditioning or control. By physical we mean that they are natural to us before we learned to fence, constitutional, the result of pure exercise, body conditioning or type of physique. Fencing has always been considered a brainy sport. The very fact that a preponderance of its required qualities depends upon mental application should prove the justification of this consideration. To list eighteen characteristics is one thing; to have every reader interpret them the same is another. The word "timing" may mean one thing to the writer and another thing to the reader. For that reason we are listing our eighteen qualities in groups and will then attempt to explain the meaning of each, at least the meaning which the word conveys to us.
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The Physical Qualities
Competitive Heart — This is the quality which keeps a fencer going even though his cause appears hopeless. It is the "never say die" spirit which finds a fencer striving even though the score is 4-0 against him. It is a natural quality which is either his or isn’t his by birthright. It cannot be acquired by those who do not have it. A man having no competitive heart whatsoever would not even try to be a competitive fencer. Those who have a great deal of this quality go far through pure persistence, fight, intestinal fortitude, or any number of other names which are applied to it.
Coordination — The harmonious reaction of the appropriate muscles to the requirements of successive actions or new nerve stimuli. Some men are better coordinated naturally than others, but fencing cannot fail to improve anyone’s coordination through practice. It can become the result of muscle-learning or muscle-training which implies the repetition of a movement or series of movements until it becomes smoothed and improved. The results of good coordination are gracefulness, smoothness of action and speed; the results of the lack of coordination are awkwardness, stiffness and slowness.
Form — This is a learned physical characteristic. It is the way in which your fencing master teaches you to fence. You acquire your form from the teachings of your instructor and you attain it under his correction, modification and development. You may acquire good form or bad form from the good or careless teaching of your instructor and once established with muscle-learning it is difficult to change. The pupils of the same instructor may often be recognized through their similar form. Good form is a valuable ally in that it implies that the fencer accomplishes the required movements with accuracy in the minimum of time and with the minimum of effort. It must not be confused with its similar mental characteristic, "technique".
Rhythm — This is difficult to explain, but it is the cadenced flow of movement dependent upon the tempo of the opponent. A good sense of rhythm as required of the trap-drummer or the tap dancer instinctively recognizes the use of the off-beat or break. Fencing is often a pulsation of movement between opponents wherein one's success depends upon purposely breaking "time" either through an increase of speed of movement or a hesitation. Fencers have often been compared to dancers. This is incorrect. Whereas dancers are expected to keep time to the music, the fencer must be above this and be able to distort the cadence of the moment to his advantage.
Speed — This is another natural gift. It is said that sprinters are born, and not made. Some fencers have naturally fast lunges or fast "hands." A certain amount of speed can be acquired through practice. It is so easily recognized as an advantage that it has perhaps been overemphasized, for speed alone is not enough. This has led to the extreme disappointment of many a speedy fencer after losing bouts to slower men.
Stamina — This is the natural resistance to fatigue. Without stamina, a fencer’s success in any particular competition is short-lived. This is particularly true since every competition becomes harder as it advances through semi-finals and finals. Stamina can be improved through good training, proper diet and sufficient sleep, but natural stamina is a valuable quality which some men possess in greater amount than others.
Training — A physical conditioning wherein one recognizes that the body, like any machine, will work more efficiently if given proper care. One must undergo both physical training and fencing training. The first implies exercise, proper diet, eight hours sleep and the non-use of alcohol or tobacco. All sports-minded Americans fully understand the meaning of training although few there are who obey its strictest demands in all particulars. Fencing training means the actual and regular exercise of fencing itself. One cannot train for a fencing match by playing tennis, swimming, or by any other substitute sport. One can retain the fencers' "touch" only by actual, frequent and regular fencing practice.
Timing — A frequently misused term, closely related to rhythm. When you hear someone say that this fencer or that fencer has a good sense of timing he probably means that he has a good choice of time. Timing is a non-thought quality, an instinctive ability to react to an opening, a reaction which frequently surprises its maker no less than its victim. Its best examples are found in the unintended stop thrust or time thrust. It is the fencer’s sixth sense which makes him stop in middle attack only to find the opponent's point threatening a few inches away. It is the instinct which makes the fencer crouch to let a point pass overhead or turn to let it pass by without in either case being conscious of the action or the threat. Fencing improves timing but timing itself cannot be taught. Actually, it is probably a subconscious reaction time which ceases to function under conscious control.
