What is a bout plan? It is a framework to guide how you will fight the phrases within the bout to achieve your goals for the bout and the tournament. Although no plan survives first contact with the opponent, having a plan provides a unifying theme to your bout on…
Tactics are the second of the broad categories of actions that govern fencing. Technique is the first order, the mechanical performance of footwork and bladework required to execute offense, defense, counteroffense, and actions not intended to score. Strategy is the third order, the planning and management of training and competition…
Note: This blog post draws heavily from Ziemowit Wojciechowski’s THIS IS FENCING, John O’Sullivan’s EVERY MOMENT MATTERS, two decades of watching Sumo Basho (especially the performance of Yokozuna (Grand Champions) and Kinboshi winners (lower ranked wrestlers who defeat a Yokozuna), and a wide variety of other writings about psychology in…
Fencers make decisions all the time. Some are relatively slow, for example “do I want to enter the Upper Noplace Open or not?” Some are made in advance, for example “what is my plan for this bout?” Some are made in the instant, for example “she is stepping into distance,…