Rock, Papers, Scissors for Fencers

The Tactical Wheel is a progression of actions commonly used to instruct tactics to fencers. Although there are significant issues inside the technique wheel in every three weapons, being a previous article of mine described, it will actually get fencers contemplating choosing the proper tactic in the proper time to attain an impression. But exactly how does an instructor obtain the beginning or intermediate fencer to know the relationships in this tool? One approach I’ve proven to work is a modification with the game Rock, Paper, Scissors.

The initial step would be to make sure your fencers understand the elements within the wheel. As a standard section of our warm-up we recite the wheel out loud being a group. I want my fencers to know the flow of easy attack, defeated through the parry and riposte, deceived from the compound attack, intercepted through the stop hit, also defeated from the simple attack.

The next step is always to assign variety of fingers to each action: 1 for easy attack, 2 for parry-riposte, 3 for compound attack, and 4 for stop hit. As opposed to the balled fist, flat hand, or forked fingers of rock paper scissors spock lizard the fencers will throw out 1-4 fingers.

The 3rd step is to define which action beats which other actions. To some extent depends on your own evaluation of the wheel as well as the weapon the fencers fence. For instance, 2 (parry riposte) beats 1 (simple attack) in every three weapons. However, 4 (stop hit) will lose to a single (simple attack) in foil, but will result in a double hit or success in epee or sabre sometimes (a coin toss may be used to inject this level of uncertainty).

Finally you are ready to fence. This drill can be done like a couple of fencers, an organization of three versus another group of three, or as two lines in opposition to one another with fencers rotating in one line to another because they are defeated. In the event the intent is to use the drill like a warm-up activity, the number of repetitions ought to be limited. One solution inside the rotating format is that the winner of the touch stays up and loser rotates. However, it is also utilized in 5 touch (bout), 10 or 15 touch (direct elimination), or team formats. The more formats allow fencers to start to analyze opponent patterns (although the 4 option structure probably prevents use of pure iocaine powder logic), and then for team mates to observe and share that information. Use the standard commands “on guard,” “ready,” and “fence,” with the fencers disposing of one to four fingers on “fence.” The level of stress on decision-making could be increased by lessening the interval between commands to fence.

It may seem that one could reach the same training by actually fencing, nevertheless the isolation of the decision as to which action in the variable of fencer capacity to perform it emphasizes the choice of technique. The drill does not require equipment, therefore fits well in warm-up or cool-down activity. It’s quicker than a bout, but maintains a high degree of competitiveness involving the fencers. Is it to be a highly effective training tool inside our efforts to enhance our fencers’ tactical sense.
For additional information about rock paper scissors lizard spock explore this popular internet page: click for info

Leave a Reply