Customer Reviews

Fencer's Start-Up: A Beginner's Guide to Fencing (Start-Up Sports series)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Fencer's Start-up is an excellent intro and informative source for the beginning fencer- In all three weapons that it goes over, it covers the parries,footwork, basic defence, attacks, and some strategy. Also, the text is very interesting and easy to understand; you wont feel like youre being dragged tediously throughout the book. I highly recommend this- However, fencers BEYOND their first 6 months would NOT find this book as helpful since by then, they would have mastered the things shown.

FENCER'S START-UP is a light, energetic, easy to read book, full of enthusiasm for fencing. It is well suited to the needs of the beginning fencer whose goal is simply to have a good time. As a fencing master, I recommend this book

The first part of Mr. Werner's book covers the basics of the three weapons (foil, epee, and saber), and the second half is a autobiographical account of the author's experiences begining to fence. The first half of the book is very light...not explaining footwork, stances, or bladework in enough detail to be truly helpful. The photos used are not very helpful either, even though the use of PVC tubes over the blades to increase visibility in the photos is a good idea. The journal is interesting, but leaves me with little respect for the author. He comes across as whiny and slightly juvenile in his approach to fencing. I would pass this one up.

Although this book provides an excellent introduction to the sport of fencing, it lacks much detail in terms of various attacks and footwork. The book also seems to concentrate on the sabre area of fencing, usually not a concern for beginners.

I checked this book out at a local library in Kansas City when I was looking for a book to help learn the basic skills of fencing. When I first read "Fencer's Start-Up: A Beginner's Guide To Traditional And Sport Fencing" I thought I had discovered at least a primer for the on-guard position, parries and basic attacks. Unfortunatly the descriptions of the body mechanics involved for the moves were to shallow for me to make use of them. I started reading the second half of the book and that is when the book redeemed itself.

The author included a short journal of his learning experiences as a fencer. He did manage to be honest throughout the entire journal and that's what makes the second half so good. Not a lot of author's can be totally honest with their readers when they sit down to write even a simple treatise on fencing. The manage to write themselves into a good light as with most short autobiographies but this author didn't.

You all came to this book expecting a serious manual on the art of fencing and I think that is the wrong attitude to approach this book with. Try to think of this book as a tool to get a young person passionate about the sport by showing them how simple a game it is to play. Most of the books on fencing I have read have a stern classical view of fencing, one that keeps it's full people potential chained back by tradition. What I mean is that most of the books I have read do not make fencing look like something that can be done by just anyone. They confine the sport to the rich, the elite or those who already have friends or family fencing. This books was a small attempt to change that by showing people the game without a great deal of tradition. For that it is a book I would want in my library.

For those of you who don't agree with what I have said I say, "Tough."

This is a lightweight introduction to fencing that deliberately avoids detailed technical explanation and historical background. The serious student should look elsewhere, but the book is intended more to spark interest in those who might otherwise be tempted to write off fencing as old fashioned, elitist and boring. 'Sport fencing' tries to combat this attitude. Mr. Werner's fencing diary is to be commended for its honesty, he does not always portray himself in the best of lights. For mature students starting out, or for instructors who want insight on how their students may see them, this part has value.

I have a 9-year-old daughter who is interested in fencing. I bought this book hoping it would be a good basic instruction manual suitable for a child who is a good reader. Whatever it's merits, the book did not meet my hopes and expectations.

There is clearly a lot of good information in the book. However, in order to get to that information it is necessary to wade through a lot of prose in an excessively informal, folksy style that instantly rings false. The introduction (titled "You've Got To Be Kidding! But It Looks So Wierd") sets the tone, devoting itself to reassuring the reader that fencing is not a wimpy sport. The book proceeds to devote entirely too much ink to fencing's supposed underdog status in the world of sports, berating unclean fencing clubs, unintelligible instructors, etc.

Now my daughter had been fascinated by the idea of fencing ever since she discovered one of my old foils in the basement. It had never occurred to her that fencing was anything other than exciting and fun. The introduction, however well-intentioned by the authors, sets a negative tone that is entirely inappropriate for a young reader.

My daughter daughter was pretty much instantly turned off by this book. I had to agree with her.

If you can get it, I would highly recommend the out-of-print "Sports Illustrated Book Of Fencing", as a much more appropriate book for a young beginning fencer.

This book was a gift for a step-grandson. He is interested in swordsmanship, and this book has encouraged him to persue fencing for a sport. The pictures and language were clear and easy to understand. I would recommend this book for anyone who is interested in fencing.

A very interesting book, I will be exploring this sport further and this was a great starting point.

Fencer's Start-Up is the best introduction book, you can buy, for someone if they have no idea, of what fencing is, or how it is played. It doesn't have the history of traditions of fencing lurking around every page either. Children or teenagers interested in fencing would especially benefit from this book.