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redfiona99These thoughts were brought about by the epeeist who knocked me out of the 2018 Alice Ruggles Memorial Competition. She is not a shouter. I am. My hoodie nicknames have included Banshee and Everyone Can Hear You Scream, and I have earned them.
She said that she had been encouraged to be more voluble, but it felt completely alien to her.
As far as I can see, in fencing, there are 3 reasons to shout/scream:
1 - to convince the referee that the hit is yours.
2 - elation
3 - frustration
There are those who would say 1 doesn't happen, but they're either lying or in denial. I try not to do it, because it doesn't work on good referees and annoys all referees, but I have done it and will do it again, especially if my opponent starts it because every little bit helps, and I'll be damned if I let someone get a point just because they're more convincing.
Epeeists don't have reason 1 for shouting - if you're having to convince the referee that it's your hit at epee, something have gone very wrong somewhere. That might explain why epeeists as a whole are less shouty.
Not having to convince the ref might also help with the frustration aspect. That's one I am infinitely, frequently and loudly guilty f.
I understand why people disapprove of shouting in general, and think you are giving your opponent the upper hand if you express your frustration, but for me at least, it's a lot like a pressure cooker. If I am allowed to scream, it helps me release pressure. It means I can get on with fencing a lot more easily.
Much as shouting would have made A feel odd, if I don't shout, I feel constricted. After getting a bit of a whinge from a competition organiser about my volume and pitch, I tried not to for a while. I felt horrible. I could feel the frustration oozing round my body for days after a competition. It made fencing a lot less fun. I was very happy when I ended that deeply unpleasant experiment.
I suppose the fact that I don't *have* to scream means I shouldn't, but it's a definite quality of life improvement and I think it improves my fencing, because I am less tense.
She said that she had been encouraged to be more voluble, but it felt completely alien to her.
As far as I can see, in fencing, there are 3 reasons to shout/scream:
1 - to convince the referee that the hit is yours.
2 - elation
3 - frustration
There are those who would say 1 doesn't happen, but they're either lying or in denial. I try not to do it, because it doesn't work on good referees and annoys all referees, but I have done it and will do it again, especially if my opponent starts it because every little bit helps, and I'll be damned if I let someone get a point just because they're more convincing.
Epeeists don't have reason 1 for shouting - if you're having to convince the referee that it's your hit at epee, something have gone very wrong somewhere. That might explain why epeeists as a whole are less shouty.
Not having to convince the ref might also help with the frustration aspect. That's one I am infinitely, frequently and loudly guilty f.
I understand why people disapprove of shouting in general, and think you are giving your opponent the upper hand if you express your frustration, but for me at least, it's a lot like a pressure cooker. If I am allowed to scream, it helps me release pressure. It means I can get on with fencing a lot more easily.
Much as shouting would have made A feel odd, if I don't shout, I feel constricted. After getting a bit of a whinge from a competition organiser about my volume and pitch, I tried not to for a while. I felt horrible. I could feel the frustration oozing round my body for days after a competition. It made fencing a lot less fun. I was very happy when I ended that deeply unpleasant experiment.
I suppose the fact that I don't *have* to scream means I shouldn't, but it's a definite quality of life improvement and I think it improves my fencing, because I am less tense.
