About fencing

People have always preferred to succeed on their own merits. We like to be in control of our own success or failure.

While there is a sense of teamwork during training, it is up to each scrimer to bring out the best in and for themselves. The fencer must motivate himself to train, motivate himself to perform and accept his defeats.

In team sports, it can be easy to blame team members or hide in the crowd. Not so when you're alone on the strip and all eyes are on you. That builds personality.

Fencing is a sport that families can play together. Fencers are of all ages, sizes and body types. A key component of fencing is mental agility, so you don't have to be a world-class athlete to learn.

Regardless of athletic experience, fencing is a sport that anyone can take up at any time of their life. Although starting at a young age will prove beneficial, that doesn't mean starting later is a bad thing.

While it was once common for fencing clubs not to train children until the age of ten, today it is not uncommon for fencers to start training as young as 5 or 6. Obviously, younger fencers don't do exactly the same things as their older counterparts, but they certainly get the fundamentals of the sport.

A study on injuries in Olympic competitions ranks fencing among the least dangerous sports.

At the 2008 Olympic Games, only five Summer Olympic sports had lower injury rates than fencing. These were diving, synchronised swimming, canoeing/kayaking, rowing and sailing.

Size doesn't matter between fencers - only skill. A well-trained fencer can fight any opponent, older or younger, bigger or smaller, shorter or taller.

While some sports can be limiting for people who don't fit the typical physical criteria, in fencing anyone can become a champion.

Boosts self-confidence, reduces stress, controls emotions When you're fencing, someone's coming at you with a weapon. You develop the boldness and self-confidence to face that attack, to defend yourself and not to dodge. Fencing also relies on posture and balance. We teach our students to stand tall and upright, and the instant change in demeanor in moving from a stumbling to a proud stance is palpable.
Fencers can relieve stress in a controlled environment. During training, concentration will keep your mind off everything else. And let's not forget the positive endorphins your body produces as a result of sport, which will prepare you to face whatever comes your way.
Fencing trains you to be literally and figuratively fast, you don't have time to think twice. This builds confidence and assertiveness in a fencer. Fencing also teaches you to control your emotions in different circumstances, as you need to be calm and clear-headed during the assault.

Fencing stimulates concentration, analytical ability and mental agility. Commonly referred to as physical chess, fencing improves your analytical skills as you strategize and plan your tactics during matches and implement them, often in fractions of a second, due to the fast-paced nature of the sport. To ensure a successful bout, fencers learn to be decisive and fully focused.
Fencing is a sport that relies heavily on logic. It is focused on strategy. Every match between two fencers is a show of cause and effect. A move produces a response in your opponent, and his move causes a response in you. Decisions must be made quickly and on the spur of the moment. Fencing absolutely increases concentration and attention as well as observation.
Developing these skills can improve your performance in many other aspects of everyday life. Judging and anticipating situations and developing intuition will help you both in social circles and at work.

Fencing develops strength and endurance, balance and flexibility, coordination, agility, speed and improves the cardiovascular system. Fencing is a great way to incorporate exercise into your life. The pace is fast and intense. It's a physically demanding sport, gives you aerobic exercise and will improve your cardiovascular system. A great fencer should be flexible and graceful and have top notch endurance. It improves your speed, skill and reflexes. The muscles that are used the most are the gluteals, stomach and thighs. It also requires strength and coordination.

Fencing requires constant movement during the match and therefore develops stamina and strength. Over time, the fencer's muscular endurance will improve.

The action of advancing, retreating, attacking or defending in fencing requires the whole body to work harmoniously to perform the action, and the wide range of movements required simultaneously trains coordination, balance, flexibility and agility.

One of the main attractions of sport for many people is to compete and become champions. Fencing is an Olympic sport and anyone can get there with enough hard work and determination.

There are local competitions and national competitions for fencers of all ages, and winning that first gold medal is something no person will forget. Some people choose to compete to feel that they have achieved something as an individual (as opposed to winning as part of a team), while others enjoy the equality that fencing offers.

Women can fence with men, and young aspiring fencers can find themselves paired with older, more experienced fencers who have an established reputation.

A fencing club is a great way to meet people and make friends. You'll meet people from all walks of life, and the common and unusual interest in fencing means that bonds form quickly.

Club members often become friends, and if you choose to compete, you'll meet people from all over the country and the world.

Fencing can even be a team sport! Several people can join together and compete as a single unit during team competitions.

Fencing tournaments are organised at local, regional, national and international level.

These tournaments give fencers the opportunity to visit places they might not otherwise see and experience new cultures.

Because of the low injury rate and the individual nature of the sport, fencing (competitive or not) continues long after most other sports are over.

Once you've caught the fencing bug, you're hooked forever. We've known people who started fencing at a young age, then stopped when careers, marriage and children intervened, only to return to the sport years later.

We've also seen people who took up fencing long after their "optimal" physical years had passed. This speaks to the richness of the sport, that anyone can play, have fun and get a great workout at any age.