About Me

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Either an author who fences, or a fencer who tends to write a lot. I found a passion for writing first, then I found fencing. I also found that the pen and the sword work very well together. The pen may be mightier than the sword but together they are much greater.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Fencing and the Learning Process

Greetings,

As you can tell by the subject this blog will address the idea of fencing and the learning process. More to the point it will have a look at the attitude of the fencer toward fighting different opponents and how this can affect the learning process.

In fencing when you are bouting there will always be a choice between the easy win or the hard fight. This is a question of who you go out to seek to fight. Do you seek simply to win, or do you seek a challenge and the opportunity to learn from the encounter? If you are simply looking for the win there it is more likely that you will seek opponents that you can easily beat whereas if you are seeking a challenge and an opportunity to learn this will inevitably lead to finding the harder opponent. While the instant win gives you some sort of ego gratification it is a much shorter path and actually leads not too far. If you go out and seek the harder opponents not only is a win against them more gratifying a loss can also lead you to learn something from the encounter, this will enable you to learn more and improve yourself, a much longer term goal. It is important that we all seek the harder opponent and be grateful for their presence as it gives a much wider opportunity for us to learn than fighting those that we can easily beat, which leads us on to something else.

Everyone knows that they have a set of techniques which are reliable for them, which in some cases will guarantee victory over the opponent. So, should we use these same techniques and be satisfied with the victory, or should we look to learn new things and put them to the test against an opponent? As with fighting opponents who are easier, the win is instant gratification whereas the other will extend our fencing experience. Even where the technique does not work something is learnt. Was it the way the action was performed? Was it the timing or the distance at which the action was performed that needs to be corrected? These are things we can learn from extending ourselves and trying new things, this is vital to the learning process. Even where the loss is to an easier opponent something can be learnt when using a new technique, so the expansion of ones repetoire is a good thing and will help us down the path.

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The rest of this article can be found in Un-Blogged: A Fencer's Ramblings by Henry Walker, which is available in paperback from:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Blogged-Ramblings-Henry-Leigh-Walker/dp/098764470X
Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/un-blogged-henry-leigh-walker/book/9780987644701.html
Among other places...

It is also available in electronic format (pdf) from: https://buy.stripe.com/fZecP419c7CB9VKeUV

... or direct from the author.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Teacher vs Instructor

Greetings,

I would like to discuss and issue. Now this may be an issue for some and a matter of semantics for others, but I think that it is something that needs to be looked at both from the teacher/instructor point of view and also the student's point of view. What I am talking about is the difference between a teacher and an instructor, and consequently teaching versus instruction.

Now first we have a look at the words, a teacher teaches, and an instructor instructs. Pretty simple really. The question is which one has the most benefit for both the student and the teacher/instructor. In essence I would like to look at it this way, instruction involves the giving of a set of techniques which the student follows, the instructor says and the student does, this is the essence of instruction. Teaching differs from this, a teacher teaches the student the technique and explains what it is based upon and how it fits into fencing overall. This involves a two way form of communication something that instruction is missing.

So the big question here is do we want to be instructors or teachers? Or another way to look at it are you a teacher or an instructor? Teaching involves explanation of what is happening in the technique. Instruction just deals with the technique and perfecting it. Now, there has to be some element of instruction in the teaching in order to pass the information along, but there has to be more than that in order for it to be teaching. How is only one question that can be asked of a technique, there is also why and when which are relevant to understanding a technique properly. The teacher should be able to answer these questions. The instructor will not worry about them as all he is interested in is the how of the technique.

....

The rest of this article can be found in Un-Blogged: A Fencer's Ramblings by Henry Walker, which is available in paperback from:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Blogged-Ramblings-Henry-Leigh-Walker/dp/098764470X
Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/un-blogged-henry-leigh-walker/book/9780987644701.html
Among other places...

It is also available in electronic format (pdf) from: https://buy.stripe.com/fZecP419c7CB9VKeUV

... or direct from the author.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Motivation and Fencing

Greetings,

I would like to talk at this time about motivation and fencing. This is an important subject for all fencers and should seriously be considered. We all have our own reasons for taking up fencing in the first place. For some we have seen something in the media and thought it would be cool to be able to do it. For some we have been influenced by friends and family who fence and have decided to fence ourselves. For others we were looking for a pastime that would last a long time, and for others it is a simple search for the secrets of swordplay in all its forms. What ever your reason for learning to fence in the first place, it will become a factor in your motivation to continue.

Your fencing instructor or teacher will attempt to keep you motivated by introducing new skills for you to learn and encouraging you, but when it comes down to it, the motivation must become internalised if you want to really get anywhere. You need to decide where your fencing sits in your priorities and this will decide how much energy you will be willing to put in.

Do your lessons end at the end of your training session, or do you do extra research? Do you practice alone at home in order to improve your skill at and understanding of the things you have learnt at the lesson? Do you do extra research into things related to fencing in order to understand more of what is out there? All of these things relate to personal motivation. If you are truly motivated, you should have answered "Yes" to all of the questions. If you really want to succeed in fencing these things are the key and they require motivation on your part. Your teacher will have information about these things and can give you direction, but in the end it is up to you.

....

The rest of this article can be found in Un-Blogged: A Fencer's Ramblings by Henry Walker, which is available in paperback from:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Blogged-Ramblings-Henry-Leigh-Walker/dp/098764470X
Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/un-blogged-henry-leigh-walker/book/9780987644701.html
Among other places...

It is also available in electronic format (pdf) from: https://buy.stripe.com/fZecP419c7CB9VKeUV

... or direct from the author.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Here We Go...

Greetings,

Here I go again sprouting about things that I hope I have some idea about. This is actually my second attempt so bear with me. The purpose of this blog is to have a place for my random ramblings about the subject of fencing. I hope that at least some of the information that I put forward will be of interest to some people out there. I can't guarantee that this will be a regular thing, I can guarantee that there will be some thought put into the subjects that I post on this blog. So sit down and strap in, this could be an interesting ride.

Cheers,

Henry.