Fasting + Practice = Makes You Hardcore

Why hello there.

Apparently this month is the fasting month for Muslims. Which means we are going to refrain ourselves in doing any act dealing with letting out desires especially refraining desires to devour foods. This way we would learn how it feels to be like our brothers and sisters out there who don't even have any penny for buying edibles.

Not devouring foods, it's fine with me, but my world evolves around fencing and I just need to go to practice.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

Some people are complaining and ended up making "Lagi puasa (is currently fasting)" as the top excuse for the month. Yet, once all the hard work is done during fasting, it would feel like conquering the entire universe already.

You. Yes you. Stop right there.

In London 2012, Egypt made its first history to gain a fencing medal from the olympics. Not only Egypt was involved in this peculiar phenomenon, but the entire Africa too. 

In fact, Africa gained its very first fencing medal from all the hard works done by the 22 year old, Abouelkassem.

The Egyptian student literally beat the legendary Andrea Cassara of Italy before ended up losing to China's Lei Sheng in the gold medal bout.

I recall clearly that time, around July - August 2012, it was the fasting month for Muslims.

"I'm from Africa and nobody thought I could win." Said Abouelkassem (via Bloomberg).

It turns out that no matter where you are from, what blade you are holding, how old you are or what title you are holding, nothing beats hard work and will power.

Good job Abouelkassem, you are a true inspiration.

Dadah,

Unchivalrous Douchebaggery Acts

I was browsing through fencing.net's articles and came through an article concerning a sportsmanship-related experience that was written by a coach. The article was written by Mr. Damien Lehfeldt about his experience in encountering his student's behaviour towards a ref during a competition. Do read the article in here, it immediately became a reflection for me towards my behaviours all the time during practices and competitions.

Back in the regionals, although I had so much fun in competing in it, I remember that I cussed towards one of the referees there.

Oddly enough, he did not give me any card or even warning for my ignorant behaviour towards him (any methods regarding scornful abuse towards the referee is supposed to be fined by card... right?). Instead, he just took everything like there was nothing happened. I clearly remember the ref seemed to be smiling by himself after I cussed at him. I was so overwhelmed by my own emotions I ended being reckless, it was a complete idiotic act that I just did.

Yes it might look like something trivial but now, after I read the article made by Mr. Lehfeldt, I'm feeling so aroused by my own behaviour during the regionals.

And so I began to act all-awkward every time I came across the ref because it turned out that, he was one of the coaches for the Jakarta Fencing Team.

Fencing may be a sport and I do find letting out stresses and emotions after one intense period as reviving but... I don't find cussing as a chivalrous act, I mean, was there even any dignified knight back in the Middle Ages who was actually cussing because he couldn't defeat his opponent?

One of my teammates (left) with our coach.

Friends', coaches', and parents' involvements in developing the future seedlings of fencing regarding sportsmanships are very much important. Our sport is not made to be some sort of a gala to show who's more superior than who, who's got the most medals, who's got the most touches, and the like.

"The real difference between what makes a good fencer and a world-class fencer is how they are able to control their emotions." - Jed Dupree, "Olympic Fencing Prodigy: Race Imboden" by THNKR

"Everything is Better in Hijab"

Before I moved to sabre, I discovered this particular athlete from google images. At first I was quite ecstatic about my new discovery. This lady has a rather 'peculiar' way of dressing but it seems that coincidentally, fencing is actually accommodating her needs in terms of dressing.

Yep, Ibtihaj Muhammad lately has been gaining reputation as the first Muslim woman to represent the US in fencing. Her headscarf makes her noticeable among her comrades. They are none other than the 2008 olympics medalist, Mariel Zagunis, and Dagmara Wozniak.

Ibtihaj Muhammad began to fence as a cadet, based on several articles that I read about her, Ibti's mum managed to get her daughter to take a glimpse at fencing as she said "I don't know what that is, but when you get to high school, you're doing it." Also, she managed to went through some sort of a rather awkward demo fencing session after her coach asked for her father's permission "if he could touch her" in order to correct her.

Ibti would gradually become a trigger for Muslim women to achieve what they want without letting their faith to compromise them. I, for one, am really motivated by her and she became my rolemodel instantly after I discovered her.

 I think Ibti should really come to Indonesia one day and see how many girls who have the same 'appearance' as she is. Seeing that the numbers of hijabi fencers are gradually increasing too in Indonesia. It's just that I think she is a little bit underestimated by the world, because I personally think that our fencing seedlings are still in need of influential individuals like Ibti.

Diversity is the thing that makes us stronger, we may be a bunch of individualists on the piste but in reality we are one big family because we have the same passion. If we managed to overcome that  particular barrier, then our bonds will just become even stronger than ever.

Pictures don't belong to me, they belong to their respective owners.

Dadah,

Derping Around in The Regionals

I squealed. Everywhere I saw athletes. Everywhere I saw awesomeness.

Thank you for Athaya Harwig, for taking all of these amazing pictures.

Politics Are Evil

So apparently I got qualified to play in the Nationals as I had won a medal in the Regionals, but that's just because of the fact that for Cadet Women's Sabre, there were only 2 candidates in the whole Jakarta. I don't quite know why girls aren't so particularly interested in sabre but the competition only left one of my teammate and I to reach the final instantly in the Cadet Women's Sabre.

But I am so gutted right now.

Maybe because of the fact that the original Jakarta Fencing Team stepped down from the Nationals.

Which means my very first Nationals was a complete fail.

The technical meeting was in June 22nd, I remember we were all waiting for the outcomes of the technical meeting when suddenly I heard people around began to speak of 'another' team that was going to represent Jakarta. 

I, for one, was present in the Regionals, it was June 15th and 16th in Senayan (some sort of a famous sport centre in Jakarta). This so called 'Jakarta Fencing Team' was clearly not signed up for the Regionals but somehow they just got the opportunity to hold their very own Regionals. This is where everything is getting so complicated. No one even knew where these people of the fake 'Jakarta Fencing Team' did their practices.

My coach, being the person who knows his fencing comrades in Jakarta and all that jazz, decided to abandon the invitation sent to him by this fake 'Jakarta Fencing Team.'

Clearly the original Jakarta Fencing Team who always held the practices in Senayan outnumbered the athletes of this fake 'Jakarta Fencing Team.' Not only that,  the original Jakarta Fencing Team outnumbered the fake 'Jakarta Fencing Team' in terms of athletes whom constantly represent Indonesia in international-rank tournaments. In short WE are far more superior than they are.

I heard that the head of this fake 'Jakarta Fencing Team' had once associated herself with the All Indonesian Fencing Association (IKASI). From this, I just had the feeling that politics would be involving in this sort of matter. It is always like that in Indonesia no wonder everything we do in sport is always so shitty.

The head of the original Jakarta Fencing Team told us that they offered us some bargain about sharing a half of our athletes to them so we would still be representing Jakarta. But no.

Sometimes in fencing, fencers who would win the medals would be the one who got the first, second, third, and fourth place. Making the bronze medals to be gained by two people. In this case, if they offered us to share a half of our athletes to them that means 4 divided by 2. They would take the skillful ones and use them to 'represent' Jakarta.

Then left the other 2 who had done their very best in winning a place on the top 4 to mourn.

That is not All for One and One for All.

Now please die IKASI. You are useless after all.

Wait. That rhymes. I guess.

Dadah,

Onkel, You Really Need To Find Another Hobby

Dueling scars are everywhere. You would perhaps think, that these men should get a new hobby.

Allow me to do the honor of introducing,

MENSUR

Mensur has been something that caught my attention for awhile, maybe it was because I was merely browsing cool fencing images in tumblr and suddenly stumbled upon this:

I thought it was some sort of a steampunk fencing art, but I was wrong. It actually seemed to be an old photo of a German mensur enthusiast. I've heard something about akademisches fechten (academic fencing), but I had no idea that it's all about using sharp blades and resulting many scars from constant duels. 

Mensur (literally means 'scale' in German), some sort of a sabre fencing tradition being practiced by German college students. I don't quite know if girls actually participated in mensur, but all I know is that they literally injured their friends with sharp sabres.

What I like from mensur is for the fact that it's not about who the winner or the looser is. It's about taking the pain like a man. The scars there, are actually badges of honor for them.

Oh, and their goggles are pretty cool too.

I suppose it's a bit frightening to imagine myself in that man's position

Another cool fact about mensur is that the thing itself, is still being practiced TODAY.

I think not just any people can actually do this, they are pretty special. To be able to take pain like a man is just something worth to be proud of. I personally consider this as a part of being knightly, as in you know... relating with being chivalrous and all. But I think when it comes to the context of being chivalrous itself is not something that actually relates with manliness. Anyone can be chivalrous, whether you're a woman or a man.

Dadah,

No More Thrusting For Me

Hey you guys, I know it has been quite some times I posted something here. Lately, I've been thinking of taking a 'greater step' in my fencing 'career.'

Anyway

It was all started because of playing a certain game called 'shadow fencing' with my fencing mates. It was all because of one of my coaches who suggested us playing this sort of game to teach us the 'priority (right of way) rule.' Basically, shadow fencing is just an ordinary game of fencing in which we will have a bout with our opponent.

In a shadow fencing bout you WILL NOT need your blades, but you will use gloves instead to replace our sharp and pointy blades. The next step would be the ref shouting "PRET ALLEZ!" and the first one to slap his/her opponent using the glove may get a score. It is optional if you wanted to use a mask or not. I tried not to use masks with my friend and then we had a bout and slapped each other very hard on the face, it awfully stings.

In short. It is a glove-slap duel game.

This game is very useful to practice the infamous 'priority (right of way) rule' in fencing (which I personally found as a huge problem when having a bout). You have to move and think fast, make some analyses about how your opponent is moving. Be the leader of the bout, don't let yourself to be led by your opponent. Be fast, be aggressive. *ahem*beasabreist*ahem*

Since it's all about slapping your opponent with your glove, there will be no such thing as thrusting right? It wil be all about slashing and 'cutting' your opponent <--- both are sabre's things.

I found myself as a very temperamental and impatient foilist I suppose... and so I've been thinking lately of moving... to sabre.

Ugh. The dilemma that I'm going through... it's just horrible.

In my case, it's a foil

I mean I love my foil very much, It's the very first blade that I could handle since fencing had ever been introduced to me. Another thing is because it was my only companion when I faced my very first bout in an official competition. I broke the very end of my foil's blade a few months ago though <--- (result of too much force in thrusting). So children, don't let you emotions get over you when you're fencing because your blades will face the consequences later on.

I've borrowed a sabre from my coach and so I think I'm going to compare it with my foil for some times, just to make sure if this is the right decision that I want.

Have any of you guys experienced what I'm currently experiencing?


As usual, pictures & gifs (and the tumblr post) don't belong to me.


Dadah

How I advertise fencing...

ACTUAL FENCERS LOOKING FOR FENCING NOOBS

STOP RIGHT THERE

YES YOU

Just so you know, FENCING IS NOT ALL ABOUT MUSKETEERS AND CHIVALRIES.

And we certainly don’t fight with light sabers.

MPH Building 1, Monday & Wednesday

3.15 PM – finished

                

Or Go to Mr. Sugi (head coach) in PE Room, 
Building 1

We welcome everyone, students, teachers, whoever you are, whatever grade you are in. Publics are also accepted


***


I've always felt that fencing is just one of the many most invisible clubs in my entire school. Football here is too dominating. Therefore the idea of making a poster in order to advertise fencing popped up in my mind.

Sometimes I brought my foil to class and one of my friends asked me "where did you learn to fence?" and then I said that our school has a club for fencing. She was quite shocked about it and admitted that she never heard about fencing ever exist in our school. Hm.

And about publics being accepted in our club, I think it was my head coach's idea. Because when you fence, there's no such thing as barrier.

After all, the more the merrier.

Dadah

-Nibras Sakkir

SÌ. MOTHER OF FOIL

I am so thrilled today because I just found out that

Valentina Vezzali actually noticed meeeh!!!!!!!!

I know this is a bit exaggerating for some reasons, but I just can't help it. I mean. This. Is. Valentina Vezzali.

Mother of foil. Though several months ago she was beaten by Arianna Errigo in 2012 Olympic in London (I despised her for quiet a while, but meh, I must admit that girl is amazing indeed. Plus her screams are terrifying but... they are quiet effective for self-encouragement I suppose).

But she is still the greatest woman ever in the history of foil fencing. Regardless who beat her, I'm still very very very proud of her. To like a really insane degree.


From your Indonesian fan,

-Nibras

Congratulations Tim Morehouse!!!

Congratulations! I raised my foil for you.

I'm so happy I could even move to sabre somehow.

Sincerely,

A fencer whose existence you will never know of.

New Year's Resolutions... Pretty much

One of my teachers told my friends and I to make our own New Year's resolutions, since I am not the kind of a person who would actually 'stick' to some resolutions, I found this to be pretty interesting.

My teacher came up with these kinds of New Year's resolution for us:

1. For family

2. For school

3. Free, anything

And so I came up with:

1. Interact more with my family, especially my sisters

I constantly found a way to annoy one of my younger sisters and ended up having a war with her and I just felt that our relationship is somehow not so sisterly-like sometimes (Try to put us in a quiet and empty room, it would really be awkward for the both of us). With me being so distant with my own family since I'm getting myself really into the magical world of internet, I just have the feeling to be more responsible now since I'm the oldest in the family and all. 

2. Getting out of the world of pure procrastination Be more organized by sticking to my agenda.

When it comes to having an agenda book, I would just left it and having it untouched since it felt so weird for me to actually write several plans about what I'm going to do. But I think since this one is related with school, I may just make my very own agenda for working on with my projects (I procrastinate A LOT to like an infinite degree every time I worked on a project). Then when I realized the dead line is in several hours, I would go violent in my working desk.

3. Be more motivated, especially in studying and fencing.

Sometimes you study many things without even realizing it and it may comes in many forms. You could observe your surroundings and make a simple conclusion or maybe analysis, and just by that I think you've learnt something valuable too. Since learning doesn't have its limit, I just want to explore even more about the world now.

Anyway

I haven't told you guys about the outcomes of my very first fencing competition.

Pathetic-me decided to keep it unknown for several reasons.

I lost.

I only got 5 points out of 15 since I'm against 3 people here and each bout is consisting of 5 points.

I wept okay.

Bah.

And then I hated fencing.

Then I wept again.

The funny thing is that I got 2 yellow cards in my very first competition.

And I hate the ref.

But I think fencing could also be about:

Sometimes.

Dadah

-Nibras Sakkir

Note:

If you're a fencer, go to fencer-problems.tumblr.com and you will find yourself nod in agreement with every post you came across.