Olympic Medal Count or GO Canada GO!

[Rhydderch Hael]

Hi,
Yes, indeed, things have changed a lot since Hagar the Horrible bludgeoned people to death with his ten pound sword. You actually need to think to fence;)

When your only armor is speed, only speed will defeat your armor.

--Pete

Your armor isn't speed. Your armor is your own blade (which gets better with speed, no?). Length and the stiffness of the blade can be a big help, too, if you can close or set aside your opponent's attack while bringing the point in line for a thrust home.

I've seen modern matches where the combatants did little more than vibrate their epees and then run towards each other, all in the hopes their point was made first. And flicking with a foil isn't about respecting the 'armor' of speed or blade, but rather a way to ignore it to fulfill the purely technical obligation of putting the point on a target.

I'd agree that thinking will get you going in the world of fencing. Problem is the sport has come to the point, technically and stylistically, where the fencer who metaphorically 'mashes buttons' will get viable results.