4 ms·

I've fenced on and off for 20 years, and the worst injury I've seen is bruises, thank goodness. My only concern these days is the blade breaking and sliding und

I've fenced on and off for 20 years, and the worst injury I've seen is bruises, thank goodness. My only concern these days is the blade breaking and sliding under the throat guard.

charles_f 4y ago
I cracked a rib twice foiling, and sliced the interior of my elbow open through the vest with an épée. The fabric didn't fail but the blade still pressured hard enough to get the skin open. Still have the scar. All three incidents against beginners who were far too enthusiastic, and coming way too hard and way too close.
- metal_am 4y ago
  Cracked ribs? That's gotta be the other person running into you, right?
  - TheRealPomax 4y ago
    You're putting the mass of an entire human, with the force of a lunge, on an area smaller than a dime. There is a lot of force getting transferred during impact. Yes, the blade will flex to absorb some of that, but only some.
  - charles_f 4y ago
    One was this very classic beginner move - you break both their time and their distance, suddenly they're wa too close, you fend yourself off time, and rather than trying any escaping maneuver as someone trained would, they just counter attack ; with short distance and your full weight already committed to the fente, not great. Teachable moment for everyone. An easy point to make, but risky on the safety angle. The other I don't remember precisely, just that it was a tall brute who was just coming at me. Avoided him with cause every time after
- stormcode 4y ago
  Beginners are the most dangerous to fence against in my experience. They don't move like you expect, they flail and flourish and smack you in weird spots with the flat of the blade. All the worst bruises I have gotten have been fencing newbies. It isn't their fault, they are still learning. But owww.
williamscales 4y ago
I still have some scars on my back from when we were trying to learn to back flick in épée lol.
- stormcode 4y ago
  I got flicked in the back of the head at a tourney a few weeks ago!
  - williamscales 4y ago
    Ouch! I haven’t fenced in a few years but IIRC that’s a red-card penalty (hitting the back of the head). I was always fairly invested in not being an asshole so I never back-flicked in a tournament until I was 95% sure I could pull it off (practice on willing accomplices ofc).
quartesixte 4y ago
Oh god! I had that nearly happen to me once. Absolutely terrifying.

I've fenced on and off for 20 years, and the worst injury I've seen is bruises, thank goodness. My only concern these days is the blade breaking and sliding under the throat guard.

charles_f 4y ago

I cracked a rib twice foiling, and sliced the interior of my elbow open through the vest with an épée. The fabric didn't fail but the blade still pressured hard enough to get the skin open. Still have the scar. All three incidents against beginners who were far too enthusiastic, and coming way too hard and way too close.

metal_am 4y ago
Cracked ribs? That's gotta be the other person running into you, right?
- TheRealPomax 4y ago
  You're putting the mass of an entire human, with the force of a lunge, on an area smaller than a dime. There is a lot of force getting transferred during impact. Yes, the blade will flex to absorb some of that, but only some.
- charles_f 4y ago
  One was this very classic beginner move - you break both their time and their distance, suddenly they're wa too close, you fend yourself off time, and rather than trying any escaping maneuver as someone trained would, they just counter attack ; with short distance and your full weight already committed to the fente, not great. Teachable moment for everyone. An easy point to make, but risky on the safety angle. The other I don't remember precisely, just that it was a tall brute who was just coming at me. Avoided him with cause every time after
stormcode 4y ago
Beginners are the most dangerous to fence against in my experience. They don't move like you expect, they flail and flourish and smack you in weird spots with the flat of the blade. All the worst bruises I have gotten have been fencing newbies. It isn't their fault, they are still learning. But owww.

williamscales 4y ago

I still have some scars on my back from when we were trying to learn to back flick in épée lol.

stormcode 4y ago
I got flicked in the back of the head at a tourney a few weeks ago!
- williamscales 4y ago
  Ouch! I haven’t fenced in a few years but IIRC that’s a red-card penalty (hitting the back of the head). I was always fairly invested in not being an asshole so I never back-flicked in a tournament until I was 95% sure I could pull it off (practice on willing accomplices ofc).

quartesixte 4y ago

Oh god! I had that nearly happen to me once. Absolutely terrifying.