Talk:Weiss Schnee/@comment-35455126-20180511153446/@comment-26397825-20180511203225

The rustiness also holds weight; the most fighting she would have done in the time she was in Atlas would be practising by herself, and she spent a good chunk of it trying to summon the Knight instead of actually practising combat. Fighting is one of those things where you can't just walk away and come back almost a year later expecting to be as good as you were. You have to practise at least somewhat regularly to stay in fighting form.

Plus exactly what Final said; Weiss is used to tournament fighting and duels. The most we've seen her do otherwise is against Grimm - who have been shown to be dumb - and the White Fang Lieutenant - who is much slower than Vernal and even then he managed to win their fight.