En stor fundering, efter lång paus

Trotts jag fixar mycket och hanterar många bollar i luften, tid räcker inte att göra allt. Har skrivit en del inlägg som blev aldrig publicerad. Men det kommer, allt som är aktuellt och universellt kommer publiceras.

Idag börjar jag med ett brev, brev som jag skrev efter en av träningar.

Hoppas läsvärt:

På torsdagar brukar jag prata lite med masters grupp i början av träningen, ibland är det bara ”kolla laget” snack ibland är det lite mer styrd berättelse som har sitt gömd agenda.

Sånt samtal skulle vi ha en torsdag (2 veckor sen)

Jag frågade (22 närvarande):

Vilka vill vara svensk mästare? … alla räckte upp handen

Vilka vill åka på EM och VM? … alla räckte upp handen

Vilka vill ta medalj på EM och VM? … alla räckte upp handen

Cool, tänkte jag, då har vi 22 motiverade och villiga fäktare som vi (Kristóf och jag) kan jobba vidare några kommande år (bara några för man vet aldrig när ungdomar i Sverige bestämmer sig sluta)

Då kommer jag djupare, närmare till min gömda agenda,

Jag frågar:

Vilka av er kan vara svensk mästare? … 4 räckte upp handen.

Jag repeterade fråga, och förklarade att det handlar inte om aktuellt säsong, bara ”i framtiden” kom 1 hand till.

Jag trodde inte det jag ser!

Jag hade 22 ”bästa” ungdomar i klubben, och knappt 4-5 tror på det de gör, knappt 20% vågar tro.

Varför??????

Jag kan ganska lätt göra de snabbare, jag kan göra de starkare, jag kan lära ut teknik och taktik, jag kan även lära ut de en del beteende under matchen, lite tricks, men jag kan inte ändra deras karaktär.

Jag kan forma deras karaktär och försöka ta fram det som i fäktningen för de kommer fungera bäst. Det handlar inte att alla ska vara superkaxiga, det handlar att hitta det som kommer vara deras starka sida, och det som tillsammans med individuellt anpassad teknik och taktik kommer ge resultat inom kort.

Men oavsett vad man gör, måste man TRO på det man gör, … våra ungdomar inte tror

Hur kan jag vara effektiv som tränare?

Till visst ålder alla mina fäktare tränas upp på samma sätt, sen upptäcker vi det som fungerar bäst, och det som fungerar sämst. Jag vil att så länge det går att de kan fäktas ”universal” Men runt kadett ålder upptäcker vi att varje fäktare har sina ”tendenser” visa gillar mer attackera, vissa gillar avvakta. Det kommer vi göra deras stark sida, så stark att den täcker allt som inte fungerar, och vi kommer lära os fäkta på sånt sätt att det tar långt tid och vi kommer få massa poäng innan vår motståndare upptäcker våra brister. För brister har alla. Det brukar ta väldigt långt tid att eliminera brister, att ändra reflexer speciellt för fäktare som har lärt sig fäkta någon annanstans och har bytt till oss.

Men att kunna göra detta behöver jag 2 saker i grunden.

Regelbunden och disciplinerad träning är en av det (2 gånger per vecka räknas inte som regelbunden). Andra är tron att det vi gör är det som kommer leda os där vi vill.

Allt som fungerar i idrott ligger på två ben, hårt jobb och självförtroende, en utan andra kommer inte garantera att vi når långt. Fäktning är kampsport, här möter man en annan människa som tänker, analyserar och försöker besegra os. Det räcker inte bara vara snabbare och slå en viss tid, det räcker inte lyfta upp mer än man klarade senast. Det handlar mycket om att lura motståndare.

Man måste vara liten psykopat faktiskt, för att vinna en fäktmatch måste man ha viljan att ”skada” den andra, dessutom skada (genom träff) på ett smart sätt, manipulera avstånd, moment, reaktion, och ta sina chanser.

Tron (och självförtroende) att det man gör ska leda mig nånstans är en grund till allt.

Ni har tur eller otur att i EGF finns tränare som vill vinna, de vill att EGF-are är bäst, och just nu (så länge de orkar) det är fokus nr. 1. Här måste ni tolka det rätt – det handlar inte att alla måste vinna, det betyder inte alla måste blir svenskt mästare eller åka på EM, men om vi ser någon som enligt os har potential att göra saker bra, har t.om talang, då vill vi att den talang utvecklas, då kommer vi pressa, då kommer vi styra upp det. Här kommer en roll till föräldrar, stödja som ni kan (choklad efter förluster på tävlingar är inte stöd). Det handlar mest att lita på tränare, förstärka effekter av deras arbete genom att ha samma värderingar inom idrott, att lära sig prioritera idrott under visa perioder även om det krockar med mormors födelsedag, eller fotbollsmatch AIK-DIF på fridens arena som gör att det kanske är lite svårare att ta sig till träningen.

Det handlar att lita på tränare, det handlar att låta honom göra sitt jobb… undrar hur många av er kommer till bilmekaniker och berättar hur ska han reparera era bil.

Men det handlar om att inspirera, att berätta att man kan nå högt men det krävs att jobba. Ungdomar är låta, människor är låta, och coacher är den döds-hotat grupp som försöker ändra detta, vissa att det går, en klok person sa att tränare är den person som ser vad du vill inte se, och som säger vad du vill inte höra, för att du kan blir den du alltid drömde att bli.

Tränare själva van en del, var med på tävlingar och träningsläger, var skadat och stod på prispalllen, och trotts massa andra skit som händer kring fäktning valde att stanna i fäktningen och jobba vidare, försöka passa vidare det som de har lärt sig själva. Varför?

För att vinna är det bästa de vett. Varje stöt som går som du vill, varje stund du bevisar fäktare på andra sidan att du är bättre, att du lyckades lura honom, att det du gjorde på träningen lönar sig nu, de stunder där du jobbar så att det brinner i vaderna och du hinner inte andas, att du samlar allt fokus för att träffa, och du träffar, och du kan skrika och släppa allt, för att ladda om inför nästa stöt, det gör dig beroende på ett sätt, och du vill ha mer.

Bakom masken du kan vara vem du vill, oavsett om du har mörkare hud eller inte, oavsett om du är den kaxigaste i skolan eller den mest tyst i klassen. Du jobbar för att du har sina mål och du vill uppfylla de. Jag säger att man kan nå sö högt man vill, och ”sky behöver inte vara limit” för det finns redan fotspår på månen.

Men hur ska jag nå medaljer och vinster om mina elever tror inte att de kan blir det de vill?

Jag försöker eliminera allt tänkande att lagom är ok och bra.

Det är den värsta bulshit jag vet om det gäller idrott.

Känner ni några idrottare som var lagom bra?

Lagom bra tar inte medaljer, lagom bra är de som åker på tävlingar och sitter på läktaren när bäst 64 kör vidare.

Vi kan inte vara lagom,

Era barn vill vara svensk mästare,

Era barn vill åka på EM och VM

Era barn vill ta medaljer på EM och VM,

Och jag som tränare säger att det går!

Det är inte lätt som en plätt, det är inte billigt heller, och man har ingen garanti att till slut blir det som man vill, men sånt fungerar det egentligen i vilken idrott som helst,

Alla kan inte vara Alexander Isak som skriver 9mln euro kontrakt som 17åring.

Men försöker man inte, då blir det inget.

Man missar alla chanser som man inte chansar

Man missar alla mål som man våga inte skjuta

Ska vi vara fäkt-turister, varsågod, jag hade precis möte med många ungdomar i klubben för att tydligt göra lite regler som vi har i klubben, rutiner. Jag kan anpassa min engagemang till hobby nivå om det är det vi vill göra, men vänta, varför EGF startades?

EGF startades för efter 96 medaljer på svenska mästerskap ÄFK orkade inte mer, de trodde inte att det går, … jag har sagt upp mig, och det var fäktare med föräldrar som initierade start av ny klubb, klubb som kan göra skillnad, och jag hoppas att 5 år senare, har vi kvar samma ambitions nivå.

Det finns faktiskt en tradition i klubben, vi har tradition att EGF fäktare är bra.

Många tränare ger beröm till EGF-are, för deras teknik, för deras stil, vi briljerar med fys träning i Polanica, medaljörer på kadett VM kommer, provar, och tackar när vi är halvklara för de orkar inte. Men de har redan medalj, och vi är långt bort från. 

Kristof som var hos os 5 månader, berättade att han förväntade sig värre skit här, men det visar sig att vi gör bra jobb, att vi tränar som de flesta bästa (även om motivation och disciplin varierar)

Men vi gör inga resultat… (resultat betyder top 16 och bättre på internationella tävlingar)

Så klart ett stort ansvar för detta hur är det med svenskt fäktning har Svenska Fäktförbund, system som vi har, eller snarare brist på systemet. Men om vi vill vara bättre, varför ska vi titta och vänta för resten? Kanske resten vill inte lika mycket åka på EM, eller vara svensk mästare, ska vi jämna neråt?

Vi måste vara tuffare mot varandra, och vi måste vara tuffare mot sig själv.

Varför en överviktig, skadad, otränad, 5 gånger opererad tränare kan kliva på pisten och inom en timme hinner fäkta mot alla som finns på träningen, medan de bästa juniorer i Sverige hinner hälften av detta, och t.om hinner de förlora mot den tjocka tränare?

Om de skulle bara våga, kunde de göra köttfärs med mig, fysisk kan de knäcka mig inom 3-4 minuter, och sen bara träffa när jag kommer be om mer luft att överleva.

Men allt sitter i huvudet.

Gnista som finns i hjärtat räcker inte.

Mod som sitter i huvudet räcker inte.

Ork att anstränga sig, att gå över gräns är väldigt liten, en bra träning verkar vara den som ligger mitt i vår ”comfort zone”, och den träning leder ingenstans.

När jag frågar någon varför man fäktas, och någon svarar för det är roligt. Då frågar jag vad är det som är roligt?

Långa jobbiga träningar är inte roliga, om man tycker så, då är man masochist eller liknande. Resor där man oftast hinner inte se något mer än tågstation/flygplats tävlings hallen och hotellet med närmaste restaurang är inte roliga heller. Fäkta mot bättre är inte roligt. Få skit från tränare när man inte lyssnar eller sköter sig inte på träningen är inte roligt. Förlora är inte roligt.

Vinna är roligt. Och det är ända som är roligt. Om vi har inga vinnarskallar bland våra ungdomar, blir det svårt att ha vinnare i framtiden.

Tillbaka till snacket på träningen vi gjorde även kort analys med ungdomar, ”varför du inte kan”?

Vad krävs att lyckas och blir svensk mästare?

Träna, blir bättre, lyssna på coach etc… (lite sånt)

Att blir svenskt mästare krävs egentligen att man är bättre än alla andra som ställer upp på SM J

Den dagen, den moment… och visst bakom detta har vi lång vägg med träningar, blod, tårar och svett brukar man säga.

Men har ni sett någon gång ungdomar som ger 100% på träningen?

Jag har inte sett det, tyvärr,

Om man ger inte 100% på träningen, hur vet man att man gav 100% på tävlingen?

Jag vet hur är det stanna 30min efter träning, för man orkar inte gå till omklädningsrum.

Vi har föräldrar som kommer hämta sina barn 15 minuter innan träning slutar, visar sig, distraherar barn och ger tydligt signal ”nu är det dags att åka hem”

Fram till jag var 19år, var det tränare som sa när vi kan gå hem, vi viste när träning börjar, men det var aldrig säkert när träning slutar.

Jag vet hur är det att låna en plaststol och ta den under dusch med mig, för benet skakar efter träning och man orkar inte stå medan man duschar.

Frågade kan ni träna 4-5 gånger per vecka? Flesta sa ”ja”..

då frågar jag varför ni inte gör detta? ”vet inte”

Varför kommer du inte på träningen på onsdag? – jag gör läxor

Måste du göra läxor på onsdag? Nej, men föräldrar bestämde att jag behöver en dag att göra läxor.

Men om man tränar på måndagar 18:45, då hinner man göra en del läxor på måndag då?.. jo

Kan man göra lite läxor på fredag? Jo,

Kan man göra lite läxor i helgen? Jo, (fast visa sa att det inte går.)

Fan, om man gör lite läxor dit och dit, och planerar det bättre, plötslig kan man träna alla dagar,

Mer träningar, ger coachen mer tillfälle att jobba med mig, och det kanske leder till bättre resultat.

Och egentligen skulle skola orka hålla disciplinen och använda den tiden som elever finns i skolan då skulle de behöva inte alls göra läxor – se Finland. Om våra fäktare är duktiga elever varför måste de spendera så mycket tid att göra läxor då? Något som stämmer inte enligt mig.

Kanske måste jag arrangera en föreläsning om studieteknik? (det kan jag också)

Frågade om tävlingar?

Om det går att åka på flera, flesta ”trodde det”.. ps. om barn åker på tävling, hela familj behöver inte följa! På riktig.

Vi pratade om olika situation som hindrar os från träningen

Efter 5 minuter visade sig att hinder för att träna mer, är inga hinder, man måste bara skärpa sig själv och istället vara bekvämt, köra vidare.

Som sagt, ungdomar kommer alltid vara trötta efter skolan, de kommer välja oftast att göra något helt oproduktivt och bekvämt än något som är krävande, dessutom man kan träna även de dagar man har idrott i skolan.

Det är aldrig fel om barn gör något annat i livet än fäktning, inga problem att hitta idrott som de tycker är roligt också, inga problem att spela fiol eller piano, inga problem att träffa kompisar.

Men om man väljer sina mål, som 10-11-12 åring, måste man vara medveten vad krävs att jag når det jag vill.

Tänk att nånstans i världen finns någon som precis när du inte tränar, han träna. och när ni träffas på pisten nästa gång, han kommer vara snabbare, starkare, bättre, och han kommer vinna.

Vi pratade om 10.000timmar, myt eller inte myt, alltid en teori som man kan fundera på.

Bruce Lee, sa, att han är inte rädd av en människa som tränar 10.000 kick, men han är rädd av människa som tränar 1 kick 10.000 gånger. Jag gillar Bruce Lee.

Har ni pratad någon gång med sina barn, och frågad hur lång vill de nå med fäktning?

Så länge man tycker att det är 2ggr per vecka ”kul-aktivitet” och förväntningar är på samma nivå, inga problem för mig,

Men just nu 22 fäktare sa att de vill ha medalj på EM och VM, och de verkade medvetna att det är inte lätt, varför de säger att de inte ”kan” trotts de vill?

Vem sa det till de?

Varför är de begränsade?

Så klart är det svårt att förvänta sig från en 11-12 åring inställning ”who of you motherfuckers will be 2nd? Becouse I will win this shit”

Men någon form av viljan, kamp i hjärtat måste finnas, annars våra chanser att lyckas är väldigt små.

Jag vill inte jobba med folk som inte tror.

Jag har faktiskt inte tid att jobba med folk som inte tror.

EGF startades för folk som tror!

Kanske vi måste införa ”tro” test vid rekrytering till nybörjagrupper… vet inte

Att förlora när man jobbade bra på träningen, att förlora när man gav 100% av sig på pisten, är ok, då vet vi att vi måste vara bättre nästa gång, denna gång motståndare var bättre.

Ibland motståndare har tur, eller domare gjorde fel,

Men även svenska idrottare säger att ang. tur vet de inte mycket, förutom mer de tränar, då mer tur brukar de ha.

Men om vi tränar inte regelbundet, om vi hittar ursäkter att inte göra 100%, och förlorar vi, då är det bara vi som ska bära den känslan. Då finns inget fel på mamma/pappa, tränare eller domare.

En skada är inte anledningen att inte komma till träningen.

Har man bruten arm, tränar man bolen och benet,

Har man brutet ben, tränar man överkroppen,

Vissa redan fattar detta, visa lite mindre.

Visa är skadad, och ska göra rehab. gör de detta? Visst, 2-3 gånger per vecka, varför inte varje dag?

Jag vet och är medvetet att idrott inte har samma värde som förut, kanske i Sverige hade den aldrig samma värde som i Polen eller Ungern.

Jag håller med att fäktning ger ingen framtid, (fan, valde helt fel)

Men flesta av er hade säkert en passion i livet, och hoppas att många kunde satsa på den under visst tid, jag bara önskar att vi tillsammans ger möjligheter och förutsättningar till våra fäktare att de som har fäktning som sin passion kan gå hur lång som helst.

Dessutom det är en praxis att fäktare som går långt med sina resultat, går också långt med sina yrkeskarriärer. Den disciplin, den målmedveten process är inget annat än körövning innan riktiga utmaningar kommer i livet.

Jag har en del ideer hur jag vill jobba inför kommande säsong. Vart ska jag ligga fokus, så länge mina armbågar klarar, så länge jag inte ge upp pga svenskt ”lagom-mentalitet”.

Cause sometimes you just feel tired,

Feel weak, and when you feel weak, you feel like you wanna just give up.

But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength

And just pull that shit out of you and get that motivation to not give up

And not be a quitter, no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face and collapse

I Sverige är rätt populärt begrepp om ”innerst samtal”, jag önskar att mina elever, även ungdomar har sånt, hitta svar på ”varför”?

Varför jag vill fäkta, hur lång vill jag nå med min fäktning?

Om ni har svar på den fråga, då jag kan berätta till er vad det som krävs,

Sen ni kan fundera om det är värt.

Det finns inga genvägar,

Det finns inte ”kanske nästa år”

Det är egentligen, bestämma sig, och gör det som man ska. Göra, inte ”ska göra”

Jag har en svenskt landslaget med fäktare som ”ska göra” saker, men det aldrig sker.

Sluta ”ska”

Börja göra.

det krävs så lite

En tanke efter helgen...
"det krävs faktiskt så lite"

I dagens tider föräldrar fixar allt för sina barn, skjutsar hit och dit, betalar för allt, och kräver nästan inget,allt finns egentligen på silver talrik.. redo att ta, tugga och svälja,
alla berättar "sky is a limit"

Varför är det så få, som vill utnyttja dom förutsättningar för att blir bäst?

Det räcker bara bestämma sig att göra något och börja göra detta regelbundet, steg efter steg, bättre och bättre, utan fundera veckor "vad händer om", utan att kolla vad gör dina kompisar..

ett 10 dagars träningsläger under sommaren räcker att "vända om tänkarna" ett par veckor med lite mer regelbunden och fokuserat träning räcker att märka att man gör steg framåt, några ord med motivering räcker att tända eld..

Elden kommer driva framåt när man vaknar på morgonen och känner att man är trött..
skola, läxor, träning.. sova..
skola, läxor, träning.. sova..

Någonstans finns också trötta fäktare, men de kämpar och tränar trotts andra väljer "ta det lugnt idag och vila"
... "if you want something  you' never had, you have to do something you've never done" ...

varför är det så få som orkar göra detta?
det är så enkelt.. inte lätt, men enkelt faktiskt,

Tessan Moberg​ bestämde sig att göra något mer...
2 månader senare håller hon guldet från en nationellt U13 tävling...

nej.. det är inte satsning eller tidigt specialisering som kanske några tar upp, det är medvetet långsiktig och väl planerad allsidigt träning.. sånt som jag erbjuder om man vill gör något på riktig med mig som tränare (inte kanske.. inte om det går)

De som vill vara duktiga på piano ska träna varje dag..
De som vill vara duktiga på fäktning ... ska träna varje dag..
finns annan alternativ ?

hur många fler guld blir det för Tessan ?, vet inte...
Men just nu hon gör det hon ska att det ska vara fler....

foot work nr.157.. and Im back

Long time since I wrote something here. Many reasons, and some are just excuse.. fuck excuse.
Im still working, still trying develop my practice method.
My last video became very poppular so I decide that maybe putting some videos with examples of my work can give inspirations to other coaches.

I think is very important to try find methods which help develop many skills. and are quite funny..

no one likes 3 minutes foot works...
why we do 3 minutes food works ?
there is no such a moment in fencing match like 3 minutes foot work.
no one like it, and just few work very good during this excercise

So here you can find an example how to make foot work litle less boring.

This was a first round and as you see few fencers didnt work as they should, but after few rounds when you tried all exercises and you remember them, its time to work really hard..
and believe me 20 rounds.. its not easy peasy..

Share passion

Its quite fun to share passion..
as a friend,
as a parent,
as a Godfahter too,

My Godson started fencing 2 years ago, after multiple trying I could take him on summer trainingscamp with me and hi could try fencing. After camp question was simple, should I take this equipment back with me, or maybe you will keep it and start practice.. same club Ive started, same Coach Ive started with.
So hi started, little late than hi should... but most important is to have fun.
Its a long way for him to be quite good, so long old, slow and overweight Godfather can give him lesson of real fencing.

Its quite interesting to see how hi develop, its totally different way Im looking on him.. Im coach, Godfather too... sometimes not best solution.
This situation gave me a lot of reasons to thing what happend if my son will try fencing.
I know a lot of father-coaches.. some of them make great job, but many not...
Hard situation, but life will show me for sure, how hard it can be.. or maybe my son will choose something else (hope not football).. but then what... be father who is just standing on side drung practices ? I dont think so..

 



 





be calm, work step by step, be patience

I remember how its feel sometimes.
Same practice, same exercise. day by day.
you are thinking " I already know it" .. its borring to do this again..
you are thinking " I already can this" .. its borring, i should learn something more..

but, really ?

Can you durring individuall lesson repeat any action 5 times identically?

I mean identically! same speed, same rytm, withuout losing balance, hit in the same place, without any not necessary moves.. identically.. 5 times in row. not mechanical repetition, but after few moments of preparation, find this perfect moment, and make this action, make this action perfect.

No?
so keep practicing! repeat until it will work...

Can you durring duel be so patience, effective and consequent that you can hit your opponent on the same way 3 times, way that you have planed, and you have chosen?

I mean not hit to get a point, hit not becaouse its easy and its work on him to make a hit by this way. Action that you choose to improve that you can hit him on your own conditions.

No?
so keep practicing! try it, try it again, until it will work..

Why Im writing it?
Becaouse I have a feeling, and I see that sometimes my students dont understand, why we do someting again. Motivation to practice is automatically lower because we do something that they thing, they already know..
Some practices are exactly the same, sometimes whole week seems like dejavu..

But how in other way (without thousand of repetition) became prefect?

I thing that many fencers just forgot that doing something as best you can att this moment, let you be the best in the next moment!

Are you doing your best on every practice moment?

Vitti ... Wratislavia ... Its nice to be here!

In the 90's it was "Challenge Vitti", it was qualification for Polish Championships U15.

Big and strong competitions, among those first ones with many international fencers I could fence against. I remember (and I checked) that last time for me was 1996 and I was 10th among 235 fencers. I lose L16 against Marcin Zawada 15:10. Michal Ponaczewny won this competitions in the final aginst Krzysztof Gracki.

I could check it in my "fencing diary"... yes, because I have one, since my very first competitions in 1994 until I start work as a coach 2006, all competitions I was, all places, all matches, always with best top 8 results and my result, if possible with article from newspaper..
who has something like this now??

After Challenge best 30 Polish fencers has qualified directly to Polish Championships, than another 18 fencers gets "ticket" after additional qualifications in regions... and few months later Michal Ponaczewny became Polish Champion, with Krzysztof Gracki in great final, 15:14.. last hit was "squat".. Michal was like 30cm smaller than Krzysztof, so hi just used oportunity.
its history.. I lose L16 again.

Challenge Wartislavia has long history.. 36 years, as a competition for kids, bigger and bigger every year. Since few years ago we have new categories U15, U13 and U11, all six weapons!

I think there is no chance to find any good european fencer who didnt fence there!
Offcourse succes in Challenge will not determinate your fencing future, but its always good memories.

Kids competitions with budget around 80 000 euro.
Kids competitions with all weapons and 3 age categories in each
Kids competitions with over 2000 fencers
Kids competitions with great finals and TV relations

I love come to Challenge Wratislavia.
Meet all people here,
Meet coach Glowacki who seems be always that same, that same since I was 15 years old.. but is already another 15 years later.
My coach Puza, "maestro" Kuzma, ... Im kind of sentimental guy sometimes.
All Coaches who remember me as boy.. boy, girl.. doesnt matter - you are "sword" as Syrio Forell says, Old coahes has always something to say, I like to talk.. and I like to listen about fencing.

I always get news who is coming to Polanica tranings camp during summer.
I hear news which are not always official...
I see many new talents, and what is most fun as a coach I can seee how few of them growing from U11 to U13 and than to U15

Fencing is great, you know, you meet people here who will follow you whole your life..if you just decide to stay with fencing. We were 15 when we compete here, we are 30 and we are still here.
I can imagine that I will meet many of those people even when I will be 50.

So, why I write about it?
Because I think that good competitions should get good "marketing" among fencing people.
And I always try to say between the words, that fencing is the best you can do in your life.

More about competitions here: Challenge Wratislavia

Becoming a better coach

Quite often I try to find something new, something what can be new inspiration for me. I need new inspirations to be better, to be motivated. Sometimes is just enough to see good fencing, sometimes is enough to talk with some coach, sometimes is enough to read somethin.
Today few tips from very good coach, about how to be better coach.

Allistair McCaw has trained some of the world's best athletes including four world number 1's, five World Champions, nine Grand Slam winners, two PGA Tour winners & six Olympians. He has trained the world number one player Dinara Safina, 2x Grand Slam Champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, as well as the world number one & two squash players, Nicol David & Natalie Grinham.

And there are few "powerful tips" from him:

1. Never stop learning

Every single day I spend at least 45 minutes to an hour reading and researching anything coaching or training related. I also like to observe how other coaches carry themselves and speak to people. One of the great things about this profession is that you are never too old or knowledgeable to learn. The thing is to never stop learning and challenging yourself to improve. Remember that in order to make our athletes even better, we too need to become even better coaches.

 2. Talk to experienced coaches

It’s not enough to only observe great coaches in action, so if you have experienced coaches around you who inspire you, talk to them. Pick their brains about the technical and mental aspects of coaching. You will find that great coaches are more than willing to share their knowledge. Often they will tell you stories about when they first started and these stories will be of great comfort. The great ones were also once a little frightened and intimidated. They have also made mistakes along the way and still do.

My advice is that you hang out with people who simply make you better.

 3. Lead by example.

I was fortunate enough to have a good sporting career and competed in five World Championships in the sport of Duathlon. But you don’t need to be a world class athlete to be a great coach. However, I do believe that you should look the part, meaning partaking in a sporting activity and keeping yourself in good shape. I am a firm believer in the ‘Practice what you preach’ theory. I also ask my athletes and clients to step outside of their comfort zone and confront places of fear. In other words - take some risks, because if I’m not living by that, why should they trust me?

One last thing on this subject, take pride in your appearance and look professional.

4. Experience is your greatest teacher

I’ve been a coach and trainer for almost 20 years now. I started working as a fitness trainer whilst still in school to help pay my Triathlon habit. Over those years I studied as many subjects as I could and completed numerous certifications related to the industry. However, the place I’ve learnt the most is on the field, court, track and in the gym. You see, nothing beats the real raw time actually spent teaching and coaching. There’s no book or class that can prepare you for the reality of day-today coaching. Gain experiences. Make mistakes. Learn from failure. We all fail. Those who are ultimately successful are those who learn from their failures and do not repeat them.

 5. Evaluate yourself from time to time.

Even though I’ve been a coach for a while now, I still need to stay on top of things and make sure I’m giving my athletes the very best they deserve. A good self-evaluation can sometimes be hard, but is a fast track to becoming even better. The more comfortable you get with being uncomfortable and putting yourself on the spot, the more you will learn.

 Sometimes get another person to sit in on one of your lessons and afterwards give you specific feedback. Things like the way you brought across your message and was it clearly understood? Was the training challenging enough for the athlete or athletes? Was there maybe an ‘information overload & toO much talking? etc..

6. Become an even better motivator.

If there is one thing I can tell you all great coaches have, it’s this: They know how to motivate and get the best from their athlete/s. Sometimes, just some encouragement and positive words can make an athletes performance go from average to exceptional.

If you want to get more from your athlete/s, find out what motivates them and what makes them tick. When you tap into this, you will discover that you are more than half way there.

On closing, the road to mastery is a long and humble one, but it’s one that is rewarding to no end. My journey so far has been more than I had ever expected and It’s one I’m happy to be on. I have learnt that patience is huge part of the journey and I can only hope that someday, years down the road, while continuing a never-ending quest to learn, I will have motivated as many athletes, coaches and anyone for that matter, who seek to get the very best from themselves.

A Championship effort

I found very good text by David Littell . So I hope you will enjoy it too.

Maybe some of you will understand little more what coach are saying now.

 

Since retiring from competitive fencing I have turned my fencing energies toward coaching. I expected that this experience would require teaching fencing skills, strategy, and motivation. But I had not anticipated that it would be hard for students to understand what it took to be good at a sport. I had been an athlete for so long that this stuff was just part of me. Over the years I have been struggling to find the words to explain to my students what I think learning fencing, and for that matter, any sport is all about. Here it is.

 

I hope that you love fencing. Please, please, please, do it because you enjoy it. There are so many sports and other activities out there to pursue. Do yourself, your coaches and your families a favor, pick activities that your really love. I’ve never met a parent that doesn’t want that for their children. Also, I’ve never felt bad losing a student to another passion. I only feel bad losing a student to fear, lethargy or lack of commitment to anything. In addition, if you look around almost all the greatest athletes are the ones who simply love playing their sports.

 

I expect that you will try as hard as you can to master the skills. This is often the hardest. Although it seems simple, it’s really a complex idea. It requires that you appreciate several key concepts of sport. One is " it is not as easy as it looks". Each and every one of us is guilty of this one. Somehow, in the human experience, we think if you can do it, I can. The second concept is "mastery is in the details." Getting good is as simple as learning to master the skills. However, no matter how many times I say this most students don’t practice their lunges, extensions, disengages, footwork and other fencing skills. I wish I could come up with other ways to say it, but the bottom line is learning requires more practice then you can imagine.

 

Develop an appreciation for how hard it is to master your sport. Mastery is difficult. In fencing you have to master a million skills, put them together in some orderly fashion, develop strategies for different opponents, and learn to do this under pressure. Then you have to start over at every new level of competition. Getting good is hard. Truly knowing this also means that when you do succeed you will enjoy it more. If you ever listen to athletes on TV you notice that the best athletes have a sense of humility about competition. They know that every time they go out there anything can happen. This respect for competition comes usually after losing and getting up and trying again. And when these athletes succeed, you can sense the appreciation even the awe of their performance. On the other hand are those athletes who get frustrated and quit. In my estimation, many of these never appreciated how hard it is to get good. They act defeated and as if they have a lack of self-confidence. They say things like, "I should be farther then I am", and "I can’t believe how bad I am". When I hear this I don’t hear a lack of confidence, I hear overconfidence. In most cases the reality is your right where you should be!

 

Clearly decide where fencing fits in your life and go for it. This means figure out how important this is to you now, balancing your other interests and responsibilities. This requires looking at the time available, your level of interest and your goals. I primarily see the function of goals as helping you determine how much work your going to do. Once this is done, now get down to work! Establishing priorities helps you get what you want and also helps you to enjoy the journey.

 

Become coachable. This is easy for some and almost impossible for others. It requires the belief that you need something, that the other person can offer it, and a willingness to diligently try to master what they have to offer. It seems to me that most fall down in the first category. For many different reasons people have trouble opening themselves up to advice. Be it fear, embarrassment, bad experiences in other learning environments (like school) or overconfidence, opening up to advice and new ideas is hard. Also, know that if you’re going to be great, you have to learn to become coachable. At the same time, I don’t think being coachable means being blindly following the leader. You have to learn to be discriminating. At times, I am certain that you will have to reject some advice- and it might not feel easy to do.

 

Learn to make an honest and rigorous self-evaluation. This means giving full weight to both the positive and the negative aspects of your game, your training program, and your competitive demeanor. If you don’t appreciate your strengths, two things might happen. One, you’ll get depressed and discouraged. And two, even more dangerous, you might throw away what you do best. Another trap here is that sometimes what seems to be a weakness is really a strength. For example, if your best move is your counterattack- it may not mean that it’s time to start over. It may only mean that you need to figure out a better way to set up your counterattack. On the other hand, it’s also important to be able to look at your weaknesses openly and honestly. If you don’t you’re doomed. Saying after every loss "I choked" isn’t going to get you anywhere.

 

Learn to reach out for what you need . Think big. Many people have a closed view of where to get help. The coach, the coach the coach. You, not the coach is at the center of your fencing. This is your activity and the coach as well as the rest of the world is full of tools that will help. Please try and stay and touch with the fact that fencing is yours and where you go with it is up to you. Other life. Part of thinking big, means knowing that what is going on in your whole life can impact on your fencing. For me, those people in my life that support and value me for things other then fencing- have been crucial to my athletic success. They helped to keep fencing in balance and to never seem to important. Also, in many cases, the stuff that keeps us from getting good at fencing has to do with problems outside the sport. When I went to the Olympics I met many athletes, who were not problem free, but had overcome personal problems in order to get there. Keep your ears open. If you listened carefully, everything that you need to know to become an Olympic athlete was said on television by the athletes during the recent Atlanta Olympic Games. Be creative. When you read biographies of athletes, you see that each had a unique road to the top. Many times they chose unusual and creative paths based on their own personalities and experiences.

 

I expect that you will practice good sportspersonship This is not easy, and I have carefully chosen the word practice. It also means that if you fail, you apologize immediately. Still, I’m not sure that I say this enough to my students- it does really mean a great deal to me. One of the hardest parts of being a good sport in a one on one sport is appreciating your opponent’s efforts. It’s easy to be miserable, but it truly is important for you to say to your opponent, congratulations on your performance, today you were the better fencer. And the fact is, it’s true!

 

I expect that you will try to try to win until the last touch. All you can do is try. And as easy as that sounds, it is almost impossible. Almost all athletic contests are over before the end. Most times one of the athletes has conceded by the end. It’s so hard- yet so simple- try and win this touch, then after that try and win the next one.

I want to finish by saying that often fencers and their parents ask me if I think that they can make an Olympic team. This question is unaswerable, especially in a sport that has so many paths to success. However, what is almost always easy to say is "I believe that it will be a valuable experience for you to pursue a goal of making the Olympic team". Because, doing so means having to pursue mastering all of the goals that I just mentioned, and these can help you in any pursuit that you choose. Also notice that this same process goes for pursuing much less lofty goals. If you succeed at most or even some of these goals, you will take something away from the sport that will be invaluable throughout your life. Also, I, as the coach will be completely, totally, and absolutely satisfied, even if you lose 5-0.

 

Dreams

I have a dream ...
Many knows those words, but there are dreams which comes true actually.

Many of us dreaming to be Champion..its quite simple and popular dream for every sportsman
(I think)..
and many sportsmen become National Champion, World Champion, Olimpic Champion, few of them even many times. Heroes!

There is always some one else who is standing behind those Heroes... I would like be this man standing behind a Hero.

Its always same draft..
It start with dream, passion, than you make a plan, plan how to do it, than you need a lot of consequence, maybe little luck to step by step come closer..sometimes earlier than You thod, sometimes later, sometimes.. never.

There are small dreams, plans raither.. "I will do it", "I want it".. and you do it, and you have it.
Simple. Because you are ready, you deserve it.
When it hapend, you say: it was good day, it was god practice, it was good, it feels good

There are bigger dreams, dreams which demand more from you, more work! more conseguence!
more efforts! more sweat! more tears! ... more pain!
And when it hapend, you cant stop you happines... few moments is the best reward for all this hard work.

There are great dreams, dreams you can reach only by heroic work, heroic conseguence, heroic effort.. and what is most magic in the sport.. without any guarantee that you will ever reach it.
And when it hapend, you cant stop you tears, you cannot breathe, you cant stop thinking "I make it.. now I can die"

If you are lucky, if you work hard enough you will get earnest of it.
Earnest of you dreams.
I think sometimes is just enough to go forward.. to run after you dreams.
Usually earnest make you stronger. Make you more motivated in your work.
But not always.. shit happends and you need to go forward!

There is no guarantee that you or I will reach our dreams!
But I think its worth to just try it..
Try to make it hapend.

I make my dreams come true.
Not all, but quite many, maybe I have quite simple dreams, or maybe I just choose right steps I should take to go still forward and reach my dreams.

I always have one rule:
Everything you do, do your best!
Its not easy rule... and I need to say that sometimes I need to give up.. go back or wait.. and try it again.

As I wrote before I never planed to be a coach... it wasnt my dream.
BUT
Im coach, and I believe that this is the best way for me, best way to create something!
I have dreams about creating, I wanna be great creator
Im not sure if I will create something as a coach... I will try!

Im quite sure that I will work hard to make it happend.
As a man with great passion for fencing.
As a man with dreams about fencing.

Some day I will open door to great fencing center...

Some day I will meet a boy or girl with great passion to fencing, and togheter we will do something no one have done before

Some day I will show them all results of my work, something speciall

Some day I will be surrounded by houndrets of my fencers, my pupils

Some day I will stand behind swedish foil fencer.. olimpian

Some day I will meet my old fencers with their kids who will start fencing too, with me, next generations

Some day, some one really good will replace me, some one who get this passion from me

What about your dreams?

Water dance

I want to be dancing master, and I want to teach my fencers water dance.
Maybe is quite naive, but I belive that investment in technique is the best investment we can do in fencing, since first practice we should focus on it.. technique, technique.. rytm, flow, tempo.

Off course you cannot forget speed, strenght and coordination but this all are "just" motoric skills and it takes shorter time to train it, much shorter time than get good technigue.

Many can think that is very funny, but I love Syrio Forrel, from Game of Thrones
I think that this framgent is one of the best "fencing" fragments in tv.

 

 

Magic people... Fencing people!

Everyone has friends, (I hope!)... I can be quite boring, but I have only "fencing friends".
Yes I have friends from elementary school, childhood, high school or university..but there are friends.. and "friends".

For me its f...g big difference when you know people.. and when you can call them friends.
I know thousand of people, but I havent to many friends..
Maybe it depends of my character, maybe its not so easy to be friend with me.
Maybe I dont want to have many friends..

There are few people I would like to present.
People who here in far, far away Sweden do some fencing.. not always like me, but beauty of fencing is that enyone can do fencing on his own way, and it can work pretty well.

I love fencing, and I have great respect to people who work with fencing, almost all of them.
So, please meet "my" Magic people,  "my" Fencing people.. here in Sweden.. my pack!

I need to start with Pawel Mancewicz, because its actually his fault that Im here (long story!)

 

Pawel "Mancek" is coming from Poland, from same city as me, from same club as me (Budowlani Torun), Hi was already national team epee fencer when I tried to be good in foil. Not as regular epee fencer, Pawel is also dangerous in foil! Hi is also FIE referee.. in foil.

Hi is a "Mrs Fencing" on Gotland island. Working as a coach and PE teacher.

Master degree in PE and fencing coach from AWF Katowice - "produced" by famous prof. Czajkowski.

His wife is an angel, if Pawel is "quite" impulsive, Ewa is totally opposite to him.

His two soons, Bartek and Mikolaj already fence, with quite good results. It can be quite loud about Bartek, Mikolaj can be another Zlatan too.

The best with Pawel is that we can call to each other and tell everything with many "kurwa" between.

 

 

Orvar "Maestro" Jönsson. The Old Fox, actually in my opinion the last one of those "classical fencing masters", the last one in Sweden, the last Swedish who got my great respect. Great Experience. Great passion.. to golf and his dog. Live in Malmö and working there, also as a PE teacher in High School. Orvar is Swedish Fencing Federations board member. I love old stories, and Orvar knows "few".

 

 

Pierre Thulberg, champion of diplomacy. Actually hi is a general secretary in Swedish Fencing Federation now, and I have great expectations to him on this position. Pierre know fencing well as a DT on biggest competitions include Olympic Games. Many people know him, and hi knows many people. I like Pierre for many things, one of those most important is that hi understand that, we, here in Sweden, need to change a lot of things to be better. I just hope that Pierre will make it happen.

 Ivan Makkai. Most famous Swedish among Hungarians, and almost most famous Hungarian among Swedish (I think Bella Rerisch is still more famous hungarian). Epee coach from Stockholm, Djugården, educated in Budapest.

There is some kind balance in the world. Jang and Jing, if there is one impulsive coach like Pawel or me (but in this compare Im calm), there need to be another very calm. Ivan is calm. Hi likes fencing and do his jobb, quite good distans between life and work. Hi always find a time to go fishing. Hi can be world champion in fishing on fly among fencers. I heard that Ivan likes slavisk music and "burnt wine". All nice girls should notice that Ivan is still single.

 

Martin "Rektor" Roth Kronwall, the guy who beat Salvatore Sanzo when they were juniors. Working in Gothenburg with Henrik (about him later). Hi is like sport menager and help coach in club. Hi was a principal in High School, but love to fencing (and to us) was stronger than good sallary. So hi is teaching som wired subject like culture history in part time and rest of his time spend on fencing gym. Hi can be record holder if you count all nights hi slept in fencing club. Martin is also autor of book about "cold swimming houses in Sweden"... I have this book, even with autograph, but Im not ready yet to start reading it. I will tell you about it when it will be done.

 

 Henrik Lundegard is this guy you se always with Martin, and believe they are not togehter!. Henrik became a coach few years ago, try learn everything from everyone by himself and create his own fencing phylosophy. Great motivation and very good results so far. Hi is a head coach working with foil in Gothenburg. Actually Gothenburg is a only one fencing club in sweden with 3 coaches! Yes, I know its quite funny, but this is how it is in Sweden.. in my situation 100 kids.. 1 coach - part time paid, and its not a club foult, this is "swedish model" its quite interesting so I will write about it some day.

Henrik is a "made in sweden" product. Involved to his jobb, with own instinkt and not always good teoretical base. Unfortunatelly Sweden hasnt any national education for fencing coaches, there are just very simple instructor courses, so Henriks "by himself" way is correct. Who told us that coach need to have a master degree in sport since? Yes, I know all coaches from post comunistics countries have it. But Henrik is from Sweden. On other side Henrik is try to beat Pawel on "go carts" as I remember, so long without results.

 













Mariusz Zimmerman is another Coach coming from Poland and working here, in far, far away Sweden. We are almost like mafia here :)  Hi is the "silent" one. Hi never gets yellow or black cards, not like Pawel or me. Representing Muszkieter Gliwice and educate as Pawel on AWF Katowice produced by famous professor Czajkowski. Mariusz like Ivan has a great distans between work and life. I dont have, fencing - my work, my passion.. is my life. Its make me dangerous.

Mariusz is like catalyst you can talk with him like with Pawel, but without so many "kurwa, ja pierdole" I have a feeling that Mariusz can produce great fencers, questions is only if there are any candidates out there.. in Örebro?

 

Alexandr Siniak, the newest one in the pack. Hi came to Sweden two years ago from Minsk, and hi replaced me in Ängby Fencing Club. Because of my moving with quite big group of fencers and starting En Garde Fencing Club, hi started almost from begining in Ängby and his small ninjas are already on top in youngest category. I can speak polish with Pawel and Mariusz, and with Sasha I can still practice my russian, which is great, unfortunatelly Sasha want to practice swedish more often.

Sasha like go carts to!  We like to talk about fencing, similar ideas, similar fascination. All nice girls should note that as I know Alexandr is already taken, but you can always try.

 

I think that Im quite magic too.

 

 
As you can read in my profile, coming from Poland, Torun, educated on AWF Warszawa. Walking always his own ways. Always something to say, and say always what hi thinks. Quite active in Students Union during studies, if I cannot succe in fencing, I will be a politican, the orthodox one.

Black and white.. there is no grey.

Maybe black sheep, but I dont care. No others hobby than fencing, have no time. Actuall focused on En Garde Fencing Club - the dream which comes true. But there are few dreams more to come true.

 

 

So here we are. No girls this time.. because fencing is a sport for real man!

There are few more in Sweden working with fencing, but not so many, unfortunatelly. Hope it will change some day.

I need to apologize all my friends in other countries! You are great too, but I will write about you all next time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

to be or not to be

Since 2006 I work as fencing coach, actually I’m fencing coach.

Not really complete, still learning, still collecting experience.

It’s not so easy to be fencing coach, but I’m trying to do my best. Already with great self-confidence, already ambitious, still want more, often more than my own students and this leads to moment that I’m very disappointed. But I’m still learning, I start understand that everything I do need a time.

I need a time to understand my students.
My students need time to understand fencing… sometimes I need more time to understand fencing better too.

What I have learned as a Coach already is that my students are not as me 10-20 years ago.

They wannabe good, but their good is like half good when I try to compare it with “my times” and believe me I wasn’t best.
They say they practice hard, but it’s like a half hard in my opinion. It seems like they want it... But as one of my favorite YouTube video says... They don’t want it bad, really bad.

I wanted it bad. I tried practice hard, and I’ve make a lot of mistakes, everything was “clear” when I was 25… it was a moment that I could jump in on the piste and just fence… like Neo in matrix… but it was “little” too late.

As a small recompense I won 8 gold in Sweden, didn’t practice, but my head was ready… and I didn’t say my last word yet,..

I dreamed to be a champion, and I decide to do everything is needed to make it happen. I didn’t achieve all I dreamed about, but it was really worth it to try.

My love to fencing, my passion makes me a fencing coach, which can be good. Time, will show.

My motivation was those few moments on podium, doesn’t matter which competitions.

My motivation was stipendium which give me possibilities to buy shoes or jeans, I never could afford without it, because I grow up without father, so all incomes we had was my mother salary, not so high, believe me.

I could go to Academy of Physical Education without exams.

I never paid for any world cup or my equipment.
I could travel, I could meet many people, I could learn languages.
I know, it was post communistic Poland, at 90’s … but it was great for me!

 It was like 2+2,

I will practice = I will be good.
I will be good enough = I will come to national team
National team = World Cups, Stipendium, equipment

First time flying by fencing

First time outside Europe by fencing
Start learning Russian by fencing
Go study by fencing
“First time” … by fencing (summer camp)
Nice…

Then you will be a fencing coach J

Nice…
Really, as my friend Henrik wrote few weeks ago... he has best work in the world, and Henrik is a coach, fencing coach to.

 Let ask your friends or parents, who want to do what he/she likes and take salary for it.

Yes, I know Bank director can be also cool job, and cool salary… but with all respect to Bank directors (especially those who want to be a sponsor to fencing or fencers) how cool is to be bank director?

 I was thinking about it. I even asked my wife

(Those who know my wife, knows that I have best wife that fencing coach can get, she simply understand that I love her more than football and basketball… but fencing was my “first one”, and I hate football, but I like pretty much basketball)
So I asked my wife, did I go to work.. She answered: you always say I’m going to the club…
I never said I’m going to work!
I’m not working J

 You cannot work like 50 hours per week, sometimes few weeks in a row without day off and get 75% salary for it and call it work..

I know, it calls… madness
But this is not madness, this is fencing. (Not Sparta!)

It seems that my students live in totally different world today.

They thinking about be a champion,
You can be a champion, Swedish champion, is propably what you get when you are practicing 2-3 times per week, but it will be champion in cross-orientation…
(Actually I heard that Sweden is quite good on it, so maybe is not so easy as I think)

Is it possible to be a champion in “call of duty” if you are practicing 2-3 times per week?

Lance Armstrong won 7 times Tour de France and 2 Olympic gold if I remember correct, and hi practiced around 12 hours per DAY and even this wasn’t enough, as we know today hi get help by other methods too.

(hi is still one of my heroes!)

As I see my students want too much,

Be good in school, be good in fencing, meet friends, watch tv, visit shopping center, play PlayStation, sleep a lot, don’t miss any family holidays trip, be always on grandma B-day party...

 

Sorry, it’s not working like this.
You always hear Life is the art of choice
You can choose to have fun in fencing; it will be really nice for sure
You can choose to do your best to be the best, without any guarantee that you will achieve it, I think this is really fun.. Sweat, pain and tears

If you want to be good in fencing you need to choose that since today for next 10 or 15 years you forget about everything what is not fencing connected, at least 11 month per year.

Yes, you can do something more, you can find even time to visit your grandmother but this demand a great self-discipline, no excuses just work, just step by step to achieve you goals, goal after goal, day by day, week after week.

I couldn’t find any of those “Greatest” who achieve “greatness” without offer their life for it.

And what is quite funny, in fencing you do this all just for yourself. You cannot expect money, sponsors or nice cars for it.
It’s just for you.

 So I’m thinking is it worth it?

I can help you work hard, I can show you how.

If you come to me and tell my “I want it bad, and I’m ready to do anything for it” I will do my best, I take responsibility for you, I will spend with you 20hours on the piste per week, but I need to know that you are crazy enough to be not afraid, that you are ready to give 100% of you every time I ask, and I will ask for it every day.

If you come to me and tell my “I want to have fun” I will show you fun with fencing  too.

But please you need to be honest with me, and what is more important with yourself.

 I know that be a coach is more to serve, than conquer but I demand great motivation and hard work before you deserve my serve

This is kind of coach I’m.
It’s not me who work, I just tell you and show you how, and you decide how much of it you will take.