fencing badly

I can't think of anything I did well at fencing this week. I was tired and unfit, which didn't help, but sometimes I can get a decent hit or two in those circumstances. This week, if someone had placed a brick wall in front of me and told me to hit it, I'd have missed.

We began the warm-up with gentle jogging in a circle, responding to commands to put right, left or both palms on the floor, or to change direction. My breeches were tight, I was tired and I cheated by scraping the floor with my finger-tips. Even the balance exercise seemed hard and my co-ordination was weaker that possible. Footwork was hampered by the fear my breeches would split. Then it was time to wait for a piste and, finally, to fence.

My first bout was disastrous. Then the expert fencer of last week decided to be kind by lowering his arm to provide a target. The gesture lowered my confidence to somewhere below zero. I missed - again and again - till I was furious with myself. I asked him to stop and fence properly. He did, and I took some pretty nasty bruises which still keep me from sleeping.

I accepted a couple more invitations to fence, feeling slow and stupid, with predictable results. Eventually a patient opponent corrected my en garde position and made me lunge. He promised tp help me practise my lunges next week, at the same time as he coaches his small son. I need it. I need coaching, concentration and an improbably level of fitness.

At least my breeches didn't split. And I don't plan to give up just yet.