Fencing (sport not fences)

[Bubba Elvis XIV]

But think of the girls!

Good legs from all the lunging I am sure...but you wanna take the mask off before you go for the stab.

I think women's Beach Volleyball is the only sport I can watch on TV.

[Mook]

But think of the girls!

Good legs from all the lunging I am sure...but you wanna take the mask off before you go for the stab.

I think women's Beach Volleyball is the only sport I can watch on TV.

remember, you don't look at the mantelpiece when you're stoking the fire.

[Mölkky-Fan]

OK, training is on Wednesday and as the coach is Hungarian the teaching is in English!!

I will let you know of progress, and I have a wife... so enough women in my life thank you very much!

[Mölkky-Fan]

So, last night was the first fencing lesson and I can report I really enjoyed it. I have a Spanish friend joining me from work, and in total there were 8 trainees. It was hard work on the right leg (if you are right handed) as there were lots of exercises in the en garde pose and lunging and moving forwards and backwards etc, but I managed (and at 41 I guess I had 15 years on most of the people). Right leg is a little sore this morning, but not as bad as I expected it would be after the training.
Some of the Finns were even talkative! Nice group of people, and good, funny coach who speaks good English. We are learning with Epee, so Bubba should know it was not the real gayboy's weapon! In fact it seemed to me one of the least gay sports I could imagine, but then again the white outfits are not the most manly and look a little like women's underwear (but what is wrong with a few evenings wearing women's underwear?)

Fencing (based on first lesson): recommended

[Bubba Elvis XIV]

(but what is wrong with a few evenings wearing women's underwear?)

I enjoy it myself...

Mind you I used to do greco-roman & olympic freestyle wrestling

When you have your skills up...next month...you can enter this, full contact Filipino Eskrima:

[Mölkky-Fan]

Session 2 of the fencing course, and it is getting a bit easier. Right leg is not so sore this morning as it was last week. Quite a few people complained that they had lots of bruises last week from being poked with the epee, but for some reason I did not have that problem. Everyone had sore leading legs.
Really it is a good sport and the coaching is great (he is laughing a lot and patient when I have no idea whether to go clockwise or anticlockwise with the epee when he shouts sixte, quarte, quinte etc), and yesterday the Finns started talking more so it is even getting quite sociable. I think three new people started yesterday, so up to 11 fencers now.
I miss next week as I am travelling on business in Spain, hopefully they do not all become experts for the next training. I am sure I will miss a week of stabbing people, however I ordered a starter epee kit from UK so when that comes I can dress up and stab the dog a few times as practice.

I have now booked my flights to UK for the 2012 olympics, as based on current progress I am sure I will be part of the UK team

[Pursuivant]

can I wear a mulkku-plate? Then I will look just like

Pantherman? (in Buck Rogers, Princess Ardalas bodyguard after Tigerman)

[Bubba Elvis XIV]

Holy Smokes....new pic, you're really hooked!?!

Interested to know, how much does the stuff you ordered cost? Is it just stabby stuff or do you get the clobber with it? Got a link?

(I believe one of my old work mates was actually on the Finnish national team - wow!).

[Mölkky-Fan]

Bored with the last avatar... and why not? It was difficult to explain on the Brazilian thread that I was not a pervert, and post with a pervi avatar

The complete kit: epee, plastron, jacket, trousers, glove, bag, socks, wires etc cost about 350Euros

Here is where I got it from http://www.duellist.com A little bit more expensive, but well regarded is http://www.leonpaul.com

I was told the best price here Suomi side was about 700€ but I have not checked this.

[Bubba Elvis XIV]

That's not bad. I thought the gear would cost a lot more, the UK price being about about 700 euros...and the Finnish being about 2000.

Are you going to decorate your house with stuff from http://www.duellistswords.com/ A nice Conan style barbarian sword for example? Perhaps a suit of armour for work too?

[Mölkky-Fan]

Thanks for that Chrissy-babe, that has really made me want to go out and buy myself a few weapons...

[Mölkky-Fan]

OK, due to requests I give my latest update on the fencing:

Been very busy this week with US business visitors, but managed to get the time to go to the fencing again. I went straight from curling, and already had a sore back as I gracefully fell on my arse while sweeping. We were in the next lane to the Polish ladies team who were getting some lessons from Mr. Uusipalvelniemi (is that the way to spell it?). They were beautifully graceful sliding half way up the lanes, and we made bambi look co-ordinated, but a good time was had by all.

Anyway, the fencing is definitely getting a lot easier and the only injury this week was a sore thumb which I got in the warm down I have just received my epee kit from the UK (3 weeks before it was dispatched, even though they said it would be dispatched next day), will try it on this evening. It will be nice to sweat myself stupid in my own kit as opposed to sweating in an already sweaty kit.

My friend is completely covered with bruises on the right side of his chest from the poking, but I just have a few whip marks (even though it is a lunging weapon, as we are beginners we seem to have some slashing interspersed in our fighting). It is great to be a little trained now, and the defence is becoming much easier. The attacks still need some work, as I have to think about it and that takes time... so by the time I am making my attack the opponent has had time to set up a tent, brew a coffee, smoke a cigarette and dig a few trenches, but I am hoping that this will improve with practice. Top tip for fencing is to remember your drinking bottle as you seem to lose so much liquid while fencing that you cannot last without a full bottle of water.

We got a few more people on the course (12 last evening), including a beautiful woman who can already fence and a son with an attractive mother who was watching. If they were not there maybe my defence would be even better as concentration is hard. But at least the cheer leading team was not practising outside the room as the last time.

Only bad thing with the course so far is that there is always a basketball match at the same time, and the PA commentary and cheering makes listening to instructions a little difficult.

Surprisingly I have received no calls as yet from the British Fencing Federation, but I am sure my participation in the 2012 Olympics is already pencilled in and I should start looking for flights over to London as it will be quite busy then I guess. I am half expecting a call from the Finnish Curling Organisation for next week, but I might have to turn them down as I have a party next Friday at home.

[Bubba Elvis XIV]

Nice one!

It is great to be a little trained now, and the defence is becoming much easier. The attacks still need some work, as I have to think about it and that takes time...

I dunno if you have done any combat sports... but it's often the case and part of the learning process. You kinda get sick of being hit/thrown/stabbed so you tend to focus on your defence. When that's ok, you can relax and focus and you're not getting battered so you gain confidence and then you can work on your attacks. You usually find that when you are making that transition, your skills dip...cos then you are really confused. Your brain has a little panic and can't decide what to do.

You tend to see it more in sports where you have to make a real attack not like those semi-contact sports where you can just throw your arms/weapon around and get a point.

A very silly question...And I bet you have been asked this a zillion times...Does it actually hurt when you get hit? Cos the suit is padded right?

Strange that about the phone call...I am sure they're busy though getting everything ready and that. You did give them the country code? I always do it wrong.

[Mölkky-Fan]

Actually I do not feel the hit when fighting, but if you just stand there during practice and get poked, then it does hurt a little.

[Mölkky-Fan]

Well the beginner's course finished, and surprisingly I won the final tournament.

Whether an old, fat bloke winning is a good sign for old, fat blokes or a damning outcome for the youth of today is debatable.

I am, as well as all the other fencers, continuing with fencing by becoming a member and taking part in both the free fencing and the training. It really is a nice sport... but what will happen when golf season starts I do not know... the travelling has a serious impact on how much time I get to spend on hobbies.

Well I am off to Piispala today with my son on a hockey tournament, so maybe I can try out ice climbing and archery to really piss off my wife by taking up another hobby