hitting the air
It didn't go well this week. Some weeks are like that - or so I tell myself.
The omens were good. I was feeling a bit better. (The doctor reckoned four weeks to recovery and I was waiting for the magic cure. It didn't happen. I'm still unwell. Not fair!)
There was plenty of space as schools were on half-term. In the warm-up - a game of "masketball" - I kept going throughout. And while most epeeists were away, there were still a few eager for a bout.
It should have been great.
I couldn't do anything right. I hit the air, hit flat, or hit without sufficient strength or angulation to attach the blade. The more I thought about what I was doing wrong, the worse I was.
My opponents offered me openings but I couldn't take advantage.
Every so often I got cross with myself, forgot what I was doing and scored. (The coach said that thinking too much can lead to failure.) But then I'd try to repeat the hit - only to land the point neatly in the air. I was about half an inch above my opponent's sleeve every time.
In the intervals of missing, I walked (or even ran) onto my opponent's blade.
The bruises have turned from purple to yellow but they still hurt - not so much as my failure.
I'm still not better. I spent Friday evening and most of Saturday in bed.
Back to the doctor tomorrow - but I don't suppose she has a prescription that will ensures neat wrist hits, accuracy and elegant parries. I might ask, just in case.
P.S. My son is still crowing because he won all his bouts in the recent (un)friendly against a neighbouring club. Luckily no-one objected to the "cool" torn jeans which he's somehow got away with wearing as part of his fencing gear, but he's been advised that breeches (just arrived from Duellist) will be compulsory for the re-match (away).
The omens were good. I was feeling a bit better. (The doctor reckoned four weeks to recovery and I was waiting for the magic cure. It didn't happen. I'm still unwell. Not fair!)
There was plenty of space as schools were on half-term. In the warm-up - a game of "masketball" - I kept going throughout. And while most epeeists were away, there were still a few eager for a bout.
It should have been great.
I couldn't do anything right. I hit the air, hit flat, or hit without sufficient strength or angulation to attach the blade. The more I thought about what I was doing wrong, the worse I was.
My opponents offered me openings but I couldn't take advantage.
Every so often I got cross with myself, forgot what I was doing and scored. (The coach said that thinking too much can lead to failure.) But then I'd try to repeat the hit - only to land the point neatly in the air. I was about half an inch above my opponent's sleeve every time.
In the intervals of missing, I walked (or even ran) onto my opponent's blade.
The bruises have turned from purple to yellow but they still hurt - not so much as my failure.
I'm still not better. I spent Friday evening and most of Saturday in bed.
Back to the doctor tomorrow - but I don't suppose she has a prescription that will ensures neat wrist hits, accuracy and elegant parries. I might ask, just in case.
P.S. My son is still crowing because he won all his bouts in the recent (un)friendly against a neighbouring club. Luckily no-one objected to the "cool" torn jeans which he's somehow got away with wearing as part of his fencing gear, but he's been advised that breeches (just arrived from Duellist) will be compulsory for the re-match (away).
posted by kathz | 7:03 pm
3 Comments:
bummer about your health - hope that clears up - as for the perfect prescription - I think cocaine is suppose to be a very good stimulant - does the NHS cover that?
There are definately days like that, sometimes weeks like that when you don't win a single bout or get a decent point. Mr. Ho came over and told me that "When you have empty brain (touched my forehead) you leave opening to get hit" - so can't think too much, can't think too little.
When you do not feel well (physically or mentally) it can mess up your whole game. When you feel better check the cant on your French grip and do a bit of target practice at home. 5 or 10 minutes a day.
I hope you feel better soon Kathz!
"Masketball"? Is that a real game or warm up of some kind? Or were you just joking?
alas, no-one's offered me cocaine yet and I don't think they put it in coca-cola any more.
I'm slowly beginning to recover. Sometimes I'm surprised that I've been managing to fence at all - but it's just a debilitating viral infection that's wearing off.
"masketball" is a mad team game used in warm-up. There's a mini-rugby-ball and rules about moving with a fencing run when holding the ball - and each team aims to get the ball in a fencing mask behind the other team. It's not played entirely seriously - sometimes a member of the losing team will even pick up the mask and run with it! and it's quite good for getting warm in an unheated hall on a frosty evening.
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