Thank you for the Music

I'm sure that all fencers have a ritual that they go through before they start a competition, or even just a normal match. This is sometimes done for comfort, out of habit, or for inspiration. Inspiration is something that means different things to different people. With me, it can vary between creating a fierce mood, or calming me down. To do these things, I listen to music without fail before a competition. Here are some examples of what I find inspiring in music.

• Bat out of Hell
• Go the Distance
• I'm still Standing
• Eye of the Tiger
• Everything I do
• For Crying out Loud
• God of War Montage

These are just a few examples, but they seem to follow a set pattern of inspiration.

The Melody of A Blade

I purchased a new foil yesterday, and I used it whilst I was fencing (obviously). I was surprised to find that most of my attacks were landing, and all of the techniques I used were almost flawless. I then switched back to my other foil, and suddenly, my attacks seemed to fail. So, I wonder whether the foil affects how you fence. My philosophical and common sense screams NO!, but I have to consider it. Maybe it was just a pyschological effect; better foil, better style, but I'm still not sure. Musashi says that the weapon does not matter, if you are good enough. So maybe it does matter before you are not good enough? Do blades matter, or don't they? I'll consider his for a while, and then come up with a good answer...

Seeing is Believing

Where should we look when we fence? There is so much to take in, and yet we need to focus on one aspect. Where should we start? Study this image, and find the face. When you have found it, study fencers as such:

REALISE THAT THE THING YOU ARE LOOKING FOR LIES NOT IN THE BODY, OR THE HANDS OR FEET, BUT THE FENCER ITSELF.

Lessons

It is said that we all learn a lesson; in victory and defeat. There is no such thing as mastery, only bettering yourself, and because of this, there is a lesson in everything. This is my lesson for today:
Today was the day that I fenced in the Norfolk County Junior Championships. Most of the people who turned up were from N.A.F, and there were a few others. I was in the U16, along with six others. Included within the six, was the opponent I beat two weeks ago in the DE, 15-11. I don't think I felt nervous then, just a quiet reminder that I had only beaten him once. I didn't want to get complacent for the poules match. Evidently, he felt differently. Every victory for him seemed to be magnificent, and he frequently told uninterested spectators that her was doing well. Me and him were the last poules match. What did I feel then? Confidence? Determination? I can't say. I don't remember feeling anything. Remembering the technique I used last time, I entered the match, and came out of it a victor, 3-1. He didn't seem fazed by it, but something had changed about his attitude nonetheless.
The DE started, and I found myself in the final, facing none other than the same opponent. This is then where emotions began to gather. There was a desire to beat him, a desire to win, a determination to prove myself and an anxiousness that I would fail. I then realised that these emotions did not matter. None of them would help me on the piste, only hinder my performance. I tried to crush them out, and the DE began.
After two periods, I was in the lead 8-3. I knew that I had the psychological advantage. All I had done was hit him, and exploit his own technique, and suddenly, he had excuses for walking onto my parry ripostes. Amongst them were slippery shoes, a bad foil, and a sore leg. Inwardly, I knew that he believed he had lost. For the final period, I expected him to go all out to attack, but he continued with his previous technique. I think that he knew that he had lost. Some part of me thought that this was bad. The 'Hagukare' tells you to burn with mad death when the time comes, but this acceptance disturbed me a little. However, I was satisfied with a victory of 13-4. I was satisfied, as I had shown once again that gaining points with a bad technique is no substitute for gaining fewer points with a good technique. So, as a winner of the U16 Norfolk Championships, I feel that there is a lesson for everyone.

• Always try to better yourself, and you will find that your opponent will then be bettered subsequently.
• Even when things look bad, there is always a victory somewhere.
• Burn with mad death when the time comes.
• Utilize your opponents weaknesses, and attempt to mask your own.

So, I have learnt a lot on this day. Also, well done to all those N.A.F fencers who took part and had victories of their own. Thanks for the partaking, and the support.