Fencing versus Armoured Combat

Yay! Third post in one day. Work is really buzzing right now :)I've recently had my first training session in period fencing after participating in heavy combat for a year or so (I'm still trying to be a good heavy, I just break easy and need to do something when I don't feel like being used as a tent peg). Anyway, I wanted to post some initial impressions on the differences between the two arts (oh yeah, I called heavy combat an art, don't tell the heavies or they might feel it makes the sport too girly).

Differences between armoured combat and fencing:

1. There's a lot more thinking before blades cross in fencing: A lot of heavies I've fought charge in and have a whack and then think about what happened and what to do differently. Fencers seem to spend a lot more time thinking about what to do before they cross blades (which can be drastically dull for an audience!)
2. Fencers pose a LOT more: Okay it may just be that they're changing stances a lot before engaging but fencers like to stand around in cool poses a lot. Perhaps its got to do with the fancy finery they often wear but they do like to strike a pose. Heavies on the other hand strike poses over your defeated corpse.
3. My hearing isn't threatened when I fence: One of the most amazing things I discovered as a heavy was that getting hit in the helmet causes a ringing that is really bad for your ears. I'm mundanely a Speech Pathologist! That can't be good. Still, no heavy has had a blade break off, stab through their mask through their eye into their brain! Okay that happened in Olympic fencing but there's a tiny part of my brain that screams at me every time I pick up a rapier.
4. There's less visceral thrill in fencing: Yep, it's a chess game alright. The cerebral thrill of defeating someones guard is undeniably cool but there's nothing like beating someone silly with a big stick to get the heart pumping.
5. Fencing doesn't make you gay: Had to throw this one in! Some of the heavies seem to feel like their manhood would be sucked from their soul if they ever picked up a rapier. I can confidently say I still look at my lady Cinara the same way since picking up the rapier. That being said, I haven't fenced in pumpkin pants (and won't by the way, not even for money).

So which is better? I'm going to cop out on that one and say they're both pretty cool. Besides, this way I get to fight in twice as many tournaments (and lose twice as many times. Yay!).

Bechtold (now worried that his choice of both fencing and cooking in the SCA may have some unintended consequences...)