Quote:
Originally posted by iglanid@Dec 7 2019, 08:09 PM
whether fencing is technically a martial art or not, a foil, epee or saber hurts just as damn much as a foot when applied to the groin. while this topic started originally as martial arts, it has transformed to cups, and so a cup in any sport would now be a valid post. speedoguy, what cup do you use in fencing? i fence (foil) and find that any sort of cup rubs horrendously with the sideways forward-back movement. luckily i hardly recieve knocks to the groin as the foil target is restricted to the torso and back, but an occasional stray foil hits.
iglanid
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This thread intrigued me about the definition of "martial art" so decided I'd better look it up. I always assumed the term "martial art" simply meant something like "combat sport" but according to the definition I found its this:
martial art - Any of several Asian arts of combat or self-defense, such as aikido, karate, judo, or tae kwon do, usually practiced as sport. Often used in the plural.
So, it seems that western style foil, epee or saber don't fall into under that definition.
Regardless, I agree about the need for protection during fencing. I learned the hard way. Before I started wearing a cup I fenced "bareback" until one day I fenced Selberg himself with saber. I underestimated just how fast he could move. Advancing quicker than thought itself, he executed a ballestra while I threw a stop cut at his wrist that clanged on his guard. He then delivered a beautiful chest cut in 4th that carried through and whipped me on the glans. The pain was so intense I thought I had suffered nerve damage in my penis and I fell writhing onto the strip. I lay there contorted in pain until I gathered the courage to grip myself and see if I could still feel anything. Luckily, tingling eventually returned and I staggered away.
But that kind of blow is rare. I fence foil or saber and for both I use a sturdy plastic cup shaped like a curved tear drop. Its main effect is to protect against direct thrusts and whippy carryover hits. It has padded edges but I can't remember the manufacturer name or model. Its at the salle now which is closed for the holidays. I'll can try to indentify it in January for you.
allez!
SG
