Different approaches of Russian artistic fencing collectives to the training process
Authors:   Tomsk State Pedagogical University, Lobanov Viktor V. ,   Fencing Federation of Tomsk Oblast, Mishenev Sergey V. ,   St Petersburg University; Fencing Federation of Saint Petersburg
Published: May 2023

We have initiated a retrospective study on the training process and competitive activities of Russian collectives. It was conducted as a way to solve the problem of artistic fencing popularity decline in Russia. One of our goals is to find a basis for an effective future development of this sphere. During the analysis of theoretical and empirical material, we studied the interrelationships between the peculiarities of the appearance of artistic fencing disciplines in the All-Russian Register of Sports and the disparity of views of modern professionals on the essence and content of the training process. The study of the training process and competitive performances of various clubs (by methods of systematization and generalization) made it possible to distinguish four methodological approaches in artistic fencing: stage-technical, stage-acting, empirical, and experimental. Two of them are based on the ideas of classics of theater pedagogy. The stage-technical approach generally corresponds to the views of I.E. Koch, and the stage-acting one corresponds to ideas of A.B. Nemerovsky. Existence of these approaches is justified by the fact that originally actors and actor groups actively participated in artistic fencing tournaments. At the same time, the theoretical basis of the new disciplines, the rules of competitions, and the nature of refereeing were determined by the content and methodology of another variety of stage fencing created by D.A. Tyshler and A.D. Movshovich. Later this content and methodology were implemented in the Espada studio. This led the theatrical groups to a gradual abandonment of artistic fencing competitions. The empirical approach has developed as a result of enthusiasts’ practice in the “field” role-playing, clubs of historical fencing and reenactment. It led, in particular, to the development of the heavy weapons fencing technique and elements of the corresponding teaching methodology. Artistic fencing in such collectives, as a rule, is not a unique field of activity, it is rather one of many. Limited prospects for sports growth in artistic fencing (since 2008, no more than 10 masters of sports have been trained throughout the country) led to the fact that almost all clubs implementing an empirical approach stopped participating in the Russian National Championship by the end of the 2010s and focused on other fields. The experimental approach first manifested in the Espada studio (Moscow), in the International Academy of Fencing Arts (Saint Petersburg) and in the Saberia studio (Tomsk). These collectives’ approach is based on the existing theory, methodology and practice of competitive fencing. However, it is not possible to identify the determinism of competitive results and applied approaches in the conditions of opaque and subjective refereeing of the Russian National Championship. The uncertainty of the relationship between approaches and results also led to appearance and spread of alternative systems for evaluating performances and various scenarios of Russian artistic fencing development. Thus, the stage of the theory, methods of training and rules of artistic fencing formation in Russia cannot be considered completed.