Every Touch is Important
I have been on a soap box in club of late reminding eveyone that every touch is important. I admit in club it can be confusing to hear me say that then watch fence in a bout with a student and fence at their level so they can be successful against me. Jim goes so far as to counter that some touches are more important than others. This is also true. It made me realize that I needed to be more clear and more wordy on the subject.
Class is an opportunity to try things, learn things and when we bout apply these things to an actual tournament senerio. Everyone is in a different place in club so when each fencer fences they all have different goals. Our younger students are trying to apply skills learned in lessons to bouts. Our expereinced fencers are trying to expand their horizions applying new theories and techniques in a "live fire" situation. In between there are fencers who simply need "tournament simulator" time. Clearly while trying to do all three in pools at the same time, some compromises have to be made and because my club is filled to the brim with the greatest group of individuals I have ever had the pleasure to work with these compromises do happen. If an advanced fencer fences a less advanced one, they will 'fence down' to the level of the less experienced fencer so they can have a good experience and get what they need to get. The only thing you learn by being hopelessly crushed is a sense of worthlessness.
This said and out of the way, you have times where you have two evenly matched fencers who are able to fence to the best of their ability to try to win. Here is where we should apply Jim's "First touch is the most important" theory. When two fencers are evenly matched, the person who gets the first touch is winning, therefore the ounes of "catching up" falls to the other fencer. If they double touch for the next four touches, the person with the most touches still wins. This is very true, but it is somewhat short sighted. Lets look at the bigger picture.
The goal of pools is to be seeded in direct elimination. Each fencer's goal is to be seeded as high as possible so that their path towards first place is as easy as possible.
Lets say that there is two pools of fencers. In each pool there is six fencers. You have won all of your bouts 5-4. You fenced five bouts so overall you scored 25 touches and had 20 touches scored against you. You have an indicator of +5 and took first in your pool. The first place fencer in the otherpool won all but one of their bouts 5-2, and lost one 5-1. They scored 21 touches and received 13 touches. Their indicator is +7. Now imagine there are more than only two pools. You do not come out as well in DE's as you think, because though you won all of your bouts, your indicator is very low. The closer to the top you get, the weaker your opponents are. The closer to the middle you are the more likely you are going to fence someone closer to your own skill level. The closer to the bottom you are the more likely you will face someone much stronger than you.
The secret to climbing up this food chain in pools isn't winning bouts. It is winning and making sure you are not scored against. The secret is total defeat of each opponent. Many inexperienced fencers see pools as nothing more than a warm up for the big fight in DE's. The battle truly begins at the first touch in the first bout of pools and ends when you gear down.
The first goal is to win big.
If you can't do that, just win.
If you can't do that score high against everyone you lose against.
Every touch counts, even if you don't win the bout. Clearly this is difficult to practice in class, but you have to know it so you can practice it in tournaments.
Comments
Thank you for the explaination regarding the connection between pools and DE for those who haven't gone to tournaments yet. I wonder if you can do an essay on stategies to avoid the "double touch" or seeking the "double touch" in epee as this seems to have some importance in strategy.
You say: "they will 'fence down' to the level of the less experienced fencer so they can have a good experience and get what they need to get. The only thing you learn by being hopelessly crushed is a sense of worthlessness."
This is not the first time I have heard this and for junior fencers I agree. For others however, I feel strongly that if I am coming, giving 100% in practice and training and facing them and trying 100% for them to decide not to give 100% back is insulting. So I lose 10-0. If I am planning to go to tournaments, I better be able to handle it, no? I will always (with the exception of junior fencers) give my absolute best when I am in a bout, win or lose, little or big, training or otherwise. I just want to know the person opposite me feels the same.
Posted by: Elizabeth McClung | April 10, 2006 7:22 PM
Blue Beth:
If you always fence your best in a bout and you always fence to win, how do you work on new tatics? Sometimes you need to let go of fencing your best (meaning fencing to win) in an effort to learn. Sometimes a teammate will need to do the same thing. Do you try to crush them or fence in manner that will foil their objective to learn a move or do you play their game a little bit? Would you want them to play your game a little when you are working on something?
Okay, sometimes you need to set learning aside and fence to win. ( Your "tall guy " comes to mind.) But it is not an always thing. Fencing to learn or practice is a lot harder to do than fencing to win, because your opponent will not always know that is what you are doing. You loose face, but gain knowledge.
That is my opinion Tiger.
Jim
PS. I need to read Woody's article again. I think he called me short sighted. That is the way these newly aerodynamic guys are. You got to watch them!
Posted by: Jim | April 10, 2006 10:30 PM
I didn't call you short sighted Jim!!!
I said you had a terrific point!
But your point and my point are on two different strips is all.
Posted by: Woody Cavenaugh | April 11, 2006 8:50 AM
The other difference, beth, is that you're not 12 years old. And, I think that most of the folks woody is referring to here are our younger fencers. I know I am more likely to restrict myself to certain types of touches with the beginning younger fencers, than I am with the beginning adults. I figure if the adults can't handle being beaten then we need to talk professionally.....
kathy wc
Posted by: kathy wc | April 11, 2006 10:43 AM
I must not have made myself clear - the exception I give is for junior fencers, those I do "fence down" to a skill and emotional level suitable for them which usually involved putting certain rule restrictions on me. Also, I did't say I always fence to win, I said I fence 100%. If my purpose is to practice a particular arm attack, then I do that, but I also try to do it perfectly and win. I know that is unlikely to happen because this is new and I will be doing it slower or trying variations to do it correctly, but I still fence at my utmost within those limitations.
Winning bouts only gives me information highlighting mine and the other person's limitations. Though such thinking appears alien, I only have interest in the challenge of perfection. This is why bouts are always a stepping stone (and so may competition until I hit the limitations of my body). Last night, after asking william (who was super agressive because he wanted to beat me) to give me 100%, he hit me so hard in the soft tissue of the neck directly over the vien that I collapsed. When I came to I told him, quite truthfully, that I would have taken the same hit on him if I could have, it was a "Good" hit (I was disappointed that my counter to his arm didn't connect though).
I guess I don't understand the difference between "fencing to learn" and "fencing to win" - I will win the closer I fence to perfection. Everything I learn is dedicated to this. Actually winning consistantly only tends to depress me, because without a coach I am not sure what else I can learn in that situation.
During each point, and during each bout I evaluate which is a) the best possible point solution and b) which is the long term best possible point solution for this situation - for instance trying an attack on the side of the wrist instead of a more "sure thing" - and then I review which includes a plan for the next point and bout and what steps I can take in practice outside the bout to improve in that area.
Sure I go through emotional highs and lows and sometimes really want to "win" or get tired of losing points in a particular way but mostly I get depressed when I lose points and can't figure out a way to train to improve myself.
I never want anyone to lower thier game when facing me. Everyone at the club knows I only want one thing, that they show me "Something beautiful" - perfect touches, perfect attacks; beauty. And I in turn, will try to return the favor to them.
Posted by: Elizabeth McClung | April 11, 2006 7:35 PM