Due to a number of factors (Time, Money, Stress etc etc) I had stopped going to fencing comps (and thus deprived my self of the driving force for going to normal fencing), but with the Nationals being this weekend and thus the end of the Season, i think it is time to start to get ready for the next season, so the Bristol Open 19th of September will be the first comp i attend and i REALLY have to get in shape by then,

Exercise target (per Week)
2 x Nights of fencing.
1 x Lesson
3 x Gym Sessions

The Gym stuff is not really ideal (as Steve Paul Says “the best exercise for fencing IS fencing”), but i believe i have finally started to get my priorities in order in my life, fencing is fun and all and i believe the best way to keep fit but im not going to sacrifice personal relationships or work for it, strangely enough i think this might make me better at competitions as i wont be as stressed.

The gym sessions will initially consist of 40 mins sessions with

2k rowing (as level 10 in 8mins)
10 mins punch bag
10 mins Stepper (at level 13 random)
10 mins undetermined!! (yeah yeah)

I feel there may be pain ahead!!

I cant exactly call it a return to fitness as i hurt from my bones outwards and have blisters in all the places where i used to have fencing callouses, but i have had 2 squash sessions this week and one fencing lesson, proper fencing tomorrow and on Friday another squash game (or at least a gym)

I at least feel as I’m making some progress (nearly made it through the lesson with Steve without whimpering like a baby)

STATUS:

Places that hurt:4 (Back, knees, left hand, right foot)

Fencing Status:
1) Being an embarrassment in any fencing hall (X)
2) Being fit enough not to cry ()
3) Being fit enough to go to a comp ()
4) Returning to the status of “Oh bloody hell I’ve got to fight Myers” ()
5) Learnt to Fence properly ()

Sometimes i subscribe to the whole “x degrees of separation”, “only 100,000 people in the world kind of thing”, for example I’m doing Steve’s my fencing instructor’s web site and going through his portfolio, when i find the following image

The fact that a fencer (not a common sport) who has advertised a piece of IBM software on Unix, is having a website built on IBM software on a UNIX derivative (Linux), is quite frankly more than a little freaky to me.

enough of the random gibbering, back to work

After a long and boring absence, i am finally getting back to fencing, i had my first lesson with steve on Wednesday, and 2 things were obvious

1) I missed it HUGELY (Steve rocks hard as a coach, even if your not a fencer, go have a beginners lesson with him steve@battling.com )

2) I am so unfit its embarrassing (really really embarrassing)

I start training in earnest this Saturday (at the london fencing club), stickfight, STICKFIGHT!!

Last Friday, I was lucky enough to perform in a fencing demonstration at the V and A museum in London the results of which you can see here Doms Photos (you’ll have to scroll down a bit as dom put some roller derby photos on at the top, and I refuse to tell you which one is me as I quote obviously look like a twit), it was quite fun,but we had to cut down the swearing and abuse that is such a part of modern fencing, this is sample of what were were not allowed to say

Onlooker: so to challenge someone do you say “I challenge Thee'” and slap them with you glove?
Fencer: Nope, we yell Muther F**, and knee them in the balls.

there were medieval demonstrations of fighting, and people dress up mighty fine, as well as all the amazing things that are normally at the V&A, all well organised, however the highlight of the night was the reaction of the security guards when we arrived,

“whats in the bag?” he asks,

“swords”, I reply, he pales a bit, backs off a couple of steps and looks at the half dozen identical bags held by the rough looking and sweaty lot standing in front of him,

“im afraid you will have to leave them here” he says,

“Thats going to make the demonstration a tad boring” comes a voice, he then inspects a epee and states that you could hurt someone with it,

“not a much as a golf club” is the reply, the poor gentleman then has to watch as the rabble start the normal argument of which would be easier to kill someone with, a “wood driver” or an “iron”

how ever, now that I can go to the nationals in a months time, (work changed its plans), I have realised that there is the off chance that I might have to practice else I’ll go home to mother on a sheet of blotting paper