In previous blogs I talked about Strip Coaching and Getting the Most Out of Your Practice. Both topic require you to be able to honestly and critically reflect you performance. To help you improve the reflection process I will introduce a model that is often used in education: the Reflection Cycle.
The other day a was frequenting reddit.com and found a disturbing article from r/fencing on my front page ‘The sexual assault problem in fencing’. The author wrote that she is quitting the sport because sexual assault from coaches goes unaddressed.
The other day I was watching sports news. Dutch top tennis player Kiki Bertens (ranked 10th in the world at the time) had beaten Wimbeldon winner Angelique Kerber (ranked 2nd). The result was exceptional, as Bertens fought her way back from a 1-0 deficit in sets to win 1-2, after being down 2-1 in games in the second set. What really caught my attention was what her coach, Ramon Sluiter, said to her during the break in between the 3rd and 4th game of the second set. Everything he did and said was pure strip coaching gold. We can learn from that and apply it to fencing. (more…)
During last week’s practice I discussed a basic tactical model to analyze your opponent and build a game plan in foil fencing. However, the Tactical Wheel applies to all weapons and is really helpful to beginners to get a deeper understanding of the game. In fencing, like in chess, you can only really start to appreciate the depth and fun of the game once you get a basic understanding of moves and counter moves. In this blog I offer a more detailed explanation of the Tactical Wheel. (more…)
When we practice we hope to learn and improve (and beat our nemesis just for once). After all, if you keep improving and growing as a fencer, you can get joy out of our great sport for the rest of your life! However, we do not always practice with a clear focus and make the most out of the hours we spend on the piste. Here are some tips to change that. (more…)
