Tag: hype train

Serfo 2017 has come and gone. UWF Fencing brought 8 fencers to the tournament this year. Nik medaled in ringen, conventional rapier, and first blood rapier, and one of our students won the Franco-Belgian tournament. I’m proud of both of them.

Leading up to Serfo, we had to lift less because I was experiencing muscle fatofue when training, but we did still did both (just less intense lifting). In addition to all that, I got a sinus infection the Monday night before the event. I medicated it aggressively and felt better for the tournament – not 100% but better.

Believe it or not, I felt at my best when I was fencing. I never made it out of pools, but I did some good fencing, especially on Sunday (I don’t feel proud of my performance in the first blood tourney). I competed in Women’s Longsword, First Blood Rapier, Conventional Rapier, and Sword and Buckler. Women’s Longsword conflicted with Franco-Belgian Rapier, and I didn’t care to do the Open Longsword or Ringen. I’m pleased with my longsword and conventional rapier fights, and I feel like I absolutely crushed the buckler tourney in the last fight of my pool.

In addition to competing, I attended a Friday night class on rapier and observed part of a cutting class on Friday morning. I took a lot of notes on drills we can do in the club.

I also took notes on what needs to change about my own fight and my expectations for tournaments. I want to increase my muscular endurance, my cardio capacity, and my timing. I have the skills, but I got caught flat footed more than I’d like. We debriefed our students and have some feedback on things they want to improve as well. It’s never too late to start preparing for next year, right?

We drove back Sunday night, rested Monday day, and returned to fencing Monday night. Nik and I hit the weights again today. I intend to have a fitness assessment done in the next month or two so that I’ll have a direction for my physical training. As far as fencing in particular goes, I think I need more drills, more conditioning – all the tedious stuff that really makes a difference.

SERFO 2015

Okay, where do I even start?

Nik and I got to Atlanta Friday night and had dinner with friends who were also going to participate in the tournament. Four of our students came up as well, but we left them to their own devices.

Saturday

We were up bright and early on Saturday to check in by 9. The Franco-Belgian Tournament was a good warm-up. I won a couple of fights but didn’t make it to finals or anything like that. It knocked the dust off. Nik did make it to finals, and after four and a half minutes of fencing (which doesn’t sound like that much time unless you’re in the ring) took second in the event.

After that, I officiated the Open Longsword Tournament and the Invitational Longsword Tournament (Nik came in fourth place, I believe). I don’t practice much longsword, but every time I go to this event, I remember how artful and powerful it is. I’d like to learn more about it.

After lunch, we had the First Blood Rapier Tournament. The only touches on me in the pools were from my own students. I was super proud of them. I ended up coming in fourth (out of 25 people), a personal best. One of my students came in second, and Nik won first.

I had a fantastic evening hanging out with friends, eating amazing cashew butter cookies, and getting on the HYPE TRAIN with my HEMA friends.

Sunday

The Women’s Longsword Tournament was first thing. That tournament is my goal for next year’s SERFO.

After that, we had the Conventional Rapier Tournament. I didn’t do so well in the pools that time, but I didn’t feel like I choked or did bad fencing. I was simply bested because of the choices I made. One of my students made it to finals, and she and Nik fought for third place that afternoon. He took third, and she took fourth.

After lunch (before all the finals for the day, of course), I had the opportunity to participate in the dussack tournament. I’ve never done dussack before, but I have done some sabre and some backsword, so I signed up and crammed during the lunch hour. I won one fight out of my pools and was generally knocked around, but I LOVED it. Nik and I are looking into getting some dussacks ourselves. None of my people made it to finals, but Nik and one of our students did participate in the elimination round.

I also had the chance to fence some pick-ups with some awesome fencers, and I saw my students doing the same. I received compliments on my progress and also on my students’ skill, sportsmanship, and comportment. I’m so proud of them, and I’m thrilled to see some progress in myself after a plateau.

Nik and I got in from Atlanta around midnight. We’ve turned into the Professor and Mr. Burns, respectively. Despite general soreness from fighting and stiffness from being in the car, I’m going to try to stick it out and go to Krav tonight.

I think I’ve written everything out here, but please let me know if you have questions about the event as a whole or any of the tournaments.