guess who's a wing chun student???

[swordsoul]

ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

my first lesson was saturday! now i can bore you guys with my fencing stories AND my wing chun stories!!!!

loveandunity
matt

[Stevo]

Congratulations on starting Wing Chun. I'd like to hear what similarities you see between fencing and Wing Chun.

(I don't know anything about fencing but like watching it in the movies. Do you stand side-on or front-on with fencing, or are there different styles favouring each approach? Does modern fencing include both epee and rapier? Is epee for thrusting and rapier for slashing?).

[old jong]

Good luck!... (http://www.alcofielen.com/pics/forumpics/newbie/takecareofnewbie.jpg) ;)

[yuanfen]

Old jong- thats USA Gunfu- an ancient art-directly traceable to Chinese gunpowder after the founding of the Shaolin temple. But the barrels seem to be pointing to somewhat different directions- but I wouldnt test that thesis! After all I might make their day.

[swordsoul]

fencing is very similar to wing chun. the stance is very similar except, fencer's feet are 90 degrees. we put our arm back behind us for balance instead of in the front like wing chun. But i mean our "parries' are similar to a block in wing chun. the stance is obviously functional. when you advance and retreat it's pretty much the same as in fencing and WC. (we pick up our feet completely though, no shuffling ;) ) eh, one major difference. Fencing is even more linear than wing chun, so there's really not even a concept of sidestepping.

Foil: thrusting weapon. Target area is the torso excluding the head and arms (groin is target, sorry guys). Something in foil called the 'right of way.' basically, it's not "who hits who first," it's who ever establishes an attack according to the rules (beating the blade or extending the arm" and then the defender must parry or hit without being hit to score. and it goes back and forth not unlike ping pong or tennis... basically I thrust, so you gotta parry. once you do, you thrust back and i parry. if we break this sequence the one who does better be sure about the hit cuz right of way gets priority.

target area is such that only vital spots count. foil developed as a practice weapon, and is now the most popular (and difficult) of the the three. I myself in my 6 years of fencing have been exclusively foil fencer

epee: thrusting weapon. bigger thicker blade and guard. WHOLE body target area, including the hand and fingers. you want to stand up straighter as the knee is target. Double touches count (with right of way in foil and sabre they dont')

epee is based on the dueling sword. duels were fought for first blood or it was thought that you could hit the arm as a distracting hit and then the vital spots. thus epee target is everywhere

sabre: third and final weapon of western fencing. It's the only slashing weapon. Based off of the cavalry sabre on horseback, so only the waist up is target (including head and arms). right of way applies here.


but blocking and riposting is totally applicable in both. In WC you "thrust/punch" and i "block/parry" and "riposte" there are lines, etc.. just like in all forms of combat.

love and unity
matt:)

[wingchunalex]

congratulations, i'm sure it will be lots of fun.

[Stevo]

Thanks for that detailed description on fencing, Matt. I found it very interesting and informative.

Cheers

[Geezer]

Both you and wingchunalex FENCE?????

I didn't realize it was that popular in the states????your both in OHIO????and you both like reading thich nhat hanh?????WOW

Sheldon

[swordsoul]

NAAAAHHH....

---)------------

[swordsoul]

but it just occured to me that it could be suspected that i am wingchunalex's "other" screen name or something.

Nope! mr. alex just so happens to be one of my bestest buds.

peace
matt

[Geezer]

swordsoul Wrote>

mr. alex just so happens to be one of my bestest buds

Thought so;)

Sheldon

[wingchunalex]

yeah fencing is very hard to find in the states. ohio state universtiy has a really great fencing program. they produce a lot of all american and pretty good international fencers. so i think that is part of the reason there is actually some fencing in ohio. there are just a few small salles scattered around ohio. sort of like wing chun schools.

Yep matt and I are good friends. We were/are in fencing club together.

[Chainsmoker]

I dunno. It's kind of boring. Try to do it extra fast for more fun.

[KenWingJitsu]

I actually ahve an article that theorizes that Wing Chun came form empty hand fencing...lol

I studied fencing too, and the similarities are eeire

[AndrewS]

Dhira,

you used to fence, too? I did a bit with a crusty old Hungarian maestro as a kid.

I can see some of the similarities, but the medieval stuff is where some real similarities come out.

Are you gonna be at class tonight? I've got a copy of Talhoffer's 'Medieval Combat' next to me which you might like to take a look at.

Andrew

[yuanfen]

I gather that there have been changes in stancing and strategies in the evolution of fencinf from combat to sport.
And-- there were differences in English, Spanish,Italian and other continental approaches and differences between one and two weapons and the related body balances.

[swordsoul]

but with modern fencing the game is rapidly evolving. Much more physical now/less blade play, many x's more footwork. Yeah the hungarians used to be really really good, and used to be similar tot he french. It seems to me the russian and the german guys clean up now... America's starting to get really strong too, but we're the "kids" compared to the euro-guys... but we're gettin' really good, i'm excited about it.

Anywho, i was really happy to see the words "parry-riposte" in Tao te Jeet Kune Do... Bruce wasn't shy about his influences and i have the fencing book that (is it john little?) says he used to base a lot of Jeet Kune Do from.

I'd have to say the hardest thing about transferring from fencing to wing chun is first: you use TWO HANDS! haha. Second, power. In fencing, speed and the weaopon do the killing for you. I think i'd be an excellent point spar person in the future, but i need to learn to develop some power or i think i'll be in trouble! However, although you're not supposed to chase hands, in fencing "chase blades" is the name of the game, so i've been able to "Pak"my way through some light sparring with my friends, but other than that...


And as for chainsmoker??!! Fencing is like, the fastest thing ever... like...ever!... i wonder where you saw it???? (alas it is not that flashy and "cool" looking. You got to do it. Fencing is not really a spectator sport, but once you mask, you're hooked! i suggest everyone try it!)

(andrew can you remember who/where you studied?)

unity
matt

[burnsypoo]

Originally posted by swordsoul
In fencing, speed and the weapon do the killing for you.

In Wing Chun, speed and the weapon are one. Fist comes from heart! :)

[KenWingJitsu]

Andrew, yeah I used to fence. Some of my outside footwrok comes from fencing. I might make it to class Wednesday.

[Phil Redmond]

I share space with the Renaissance Fencing Club in Michigan.
There are fencing tournaments there all the time.
Phil

[swordsoul]

I fenced some of their guys this weekend. Actually Phil? could you tell me a bit about how you guys "share space?" Like where do you practice in relationship to them, what kind of facility etc... i'd really like to know how a fencing salle and a wck school interact if at all.
matt

[Phil Redmond]

swordsoul,
Small World, eh? So I guess you know Todd and Matt. Matt and I are going to trade Fencing and WC lessons. The facility is as large as the average high school gym. The space is divided into two halves. Fencing on one side, and me and the JKD/BJJ/WC/
Penjak Silat/Savate/ShootWrestling /Escrima/Kickboxing school. The fencing side is large enough to have multi-ring fencing tournaments. There is a boxing ring on the MA side. I think the building was a printing shop once. It's large enough for us to practice our lion dance too. There's a lot of activity happening there with all the different classes going on at the same time.
Phil