Friday, January 25, 2013

can fat girls fence?

I have been thinking of starting fencing with my son or one of my daughters for a while but I'm scared.
What if I am terrible? Well, that's a given since I have never done it before. I would like to learn.
What if I make a fool of myself? They'll be strangers right?
Can we fit something additional into our schedule? It's all about balance right?
Is it expensive? Is a lot of gear required? There is the uniform AND the equipment.
Can I get hurt? Will I inadvertently hurt others? Hence a uniform and good equipment.
I'm still on the FENCE so to speak.
I will keep you posted...

This is what I have found out so far from livestrong.com
Fencing is a highly individual sport that requires a minimal amount of equipment. The age-old sport of swordplay is ideal for girls who prefer not to play team sports, but still want to stay active and competitive. If you expressed an interest in fencing as a sport, you should know that the uniforms are not gender specific, save for one component mandatory for female players. The plain nature of the uniforms gives each participant an equal starting point in fencing.


Jacket and Knickers

The two largest parts of the fencing uniform consist of a jacket and knickers. Fencing jackets usually zip up the back, are fastened under the crotch and have plan fronts and high necks. Long sleeves are a must in order to protect the body from injury. The pants are known as knickers and stretch from the waist down to the bottom of the knee. Fencing gear is traditionally white, and extra adornment in the shape of stickers or embellishment is typically red



Breast and Underarm Protector

Female players are required to wear a breast protector as part of the fencing uniform. A breast protector is thin plastic piece worn under the jacket that hangs over the shoulders and across the chest to protect from injury around the breast area. It offers hardened, molded cups that provide protection much like a men's jock strap does. Underarm protectors are half sleeve shirts worn under the jacket that protect your dominant underarm from thrusts.

Mask

The final piece of equipment that a girl must wear as part of the fencing outfit is the mask. The mask is imperative for safety reasons. While fencing is not an especially aggressive or dangerous sport, a wayward foil or epee could cause damage, especially to the eyes. The mask covers the entire face in mesh while still allowing complete visibility. While some masks have bibs that snap on to protect the neck, the bib must be sewn on in fencing competition.
For now I will just repeat: My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die. 
but not while flying Quantas or without a shirt at all.  

1 comment:

Roselle Harney said...

If you want to fence - go for it. I started fencing a few months ago and I love it. My son has been fencing for 2+ years and I was helping out at his fencing club. In order to be able to help more I'm learning to fence so I can learn to ref my son and his friends as they fence. I am a plus size fencer and fencing is like being a live chess player.
You learn your own and your opponents strengths and weaknesses, It's a great sport for strategy, and as mothers we are naturals at reading the signals from others and adjusting our strategy to fit the occasion. I'm not as fast, young or athletic as most of my opponents but I love getting a teenager to fall for a feint (a move where I act like I'm moving my sword one way but as soon as my opponent goes to parry or block I quickly bring my sword around and get the touch or stab).
Out thinking kids is what we do all day.
It's great exercise but not over strenuous, your legs will be sore the first few times as you strengthen the muscles used in fencing, like any new sport you try. The sport is very safe, the swords are not sharp, like swords used in olden days. You wear a stiff plastic chest protector underneath your fencing uniforms. the uniforms are made of a very durable material and are double lined in areas more likely to be stabbed. You have a mask which protects your face and head.
Experienced fencers work on very light touches, if they can touch you and you don't feel it then you don't know how to guard against it. Beginning fencers often have to learn to use a lighter touch as part of strategy.
My sons coach, and now my coach is a champion fencer, fenced for BYU and at the Pan Am games. She has 5 children and was invited to make these You Tube videos while 5 months pregnant, there are several about fencing basics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZskKjMNqwPI