Fencing
7 fencing tips for beginners
Learn more about fencing tips for newcomers encompassing the right equipment, the best training drills, and how to refine your skills.
One-time Olympic medalist Miles Chamley-Watson found his calling at a young age when he was introduced to fencing. For Chamley-Watson, helping fellow outsiders find their place within this time-honored sport has been a huge motivating factor throughout his career.
Miles Chamley-Watson fencing at Red Bull En Garde 2022 in New York
© Rob Tringali / Red Bull Content Pool
"My goal has always been to push the boundaries, change my sport forever and inspire kids and let them know you can be anything you want even when society deems it 'weird or different.' I'm living proof of that,” he said.
Fencing can be a great source of both fitness and community. If you’ve never held a sword but you want to learn some basic fencing techniques for beginners, you’re in the right place. Read ahead for fencing tips for newcomers encompassing the right equipment, the best training drills, and how to refine your skills.
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Tip 1: Choosing the right fencing gear
Before you can practice your first flick attack or work on your stance, you need to get the right equipment. Fencing isn’t the cheapest sport to start, but if you shop around, it’s possible to find gear within your budget.
Olga Kharlan fencing
© Pavel Floresku / Red Bull Content Pool
Fencing gear and equipment made for recreational use, rather than competitive use, is often less expensive. You can usually find sizing guides to ensure you’re buying gear that fits properly, which is key for the best performance. You’ll need the following essential gear for fencing:
- Sword. Different types of fencing require different models of swords. Foil, sabre, or épée swords are three such models. All fencing swords are lightweight and flexible with a blunt tip.
- Mask, jacket, and gloves. Protective steel and Kevlar blends ensure your face, neck, and body stay safe during combat.
- Lamé and body cord. You must wear electrically conductive materials for scoring. Every time someone lands a hit, this conductive gear records each point.
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Tip 2: Mastering basic footwork
The key to good footwork in fencing is being nimble. You’ll need to move forward and backward with swift movement and reaction time. It’s quite different from how you walk naturally, so don’t fret if it takes practice before your footwork feels comfortable.
Getting your stance correct is the first step in mastering fencing footwork basics. With your front foot facing directly forward, lean slightly ahead and place your back foot perpendicular to your body. Strong balance is also key to moving quickly, so keep your heels centered.
What is fencing?
© Pavel Floresku / Red Bull Content Pool
Practicing the below fencing footwork exercises between matches can go a long way in improving your footwork. Better yet, once you’re comfortable with each individual drill, combine them for powerful strengthening sequences.
- En garde drills. After settling into the typical starting position, practice balancing on each leg and then bouncing forward or backward while maintaining your stance.
- Lunge drills. Fencing attacks involve lunging forward, so practice enacting this motion and then holding the position. You can also try keeping your feet stationary in a lunge while rocking forward or backward.
- Advance/retreat drills. Perform the forward and backward movement of the advance or retreat motion, but make your steps small and quick.
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Tip 3: Understanding fencing rules and scoring
Fencing matches — or, in fencing jargon, “bouts” — comprise three rounds. The goal is for a competitor to earn 15 points, which they score by landing a hit or touching a competitor’s body with their sword. Points can be deducted as a penalty for breaking rules. This includes failing to follow fencing sportsmanship and etiquette practices such as saluting your opponent and referee. Technical infractions such as incorrect footwork can also lead to penalties.
Olga Kharlan during the 2019 World Championships of Fencing in Budapest
© Spencer Gordon-Sand / Red Bull Content Pool
Each fencing style’s rules for where exactly you can strike an opponent to gain a point are different. If fencers strike outside the target area within these disciplines, penalties may apply, or the match may be temporarily halted. Target areas follow the below guidelines for each competitive fencing category.
- Foil. Fencers may only touch their competitor’s torso.
- Épée. The target area includes a player’s entire body.
- Sabre. Points can only be won in the target area above the waist, not including a fencer’s hands.
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Tip 4: Developing proper fencing techniques
Learning proper form is key to your fencing skill development. Below are the most essential fencing techniques and strategies for new fencers.
Fencing parries and attacks
The two most central fencing techniques you’ll employ are attacks and parries. A parry is the maneuver you’ll use with your sword to defend yourself from a hit. It involves hitting your opponent’s blade at the foible, just under the tip, forcing their sword to bend away from you. To do this, you’ll use your own sword’s forte, which is on the blade above the handle.
An attack, on the other hand, is an offensive move to score a point. An attack made immediately following a parry is known as a riposte. Within the realm of attack techniques, you have a few tactical options.
Sang Young Park fencing
© SonStar / Red Bull Content Pool
You can make a simple direct attack, in which you move your sword straight forward at your target. You can also perform a simple indirect attack, in which your sword lands a hit after passing over or under your opponent’s weapon. Compound and feint attacks focus on misdirecting your opponent. An attack by prise de fer involves controlling your opponent’s sword by making contact with the blade. Each of these approaches gets easier the more you practice.
Drills for perfecting your fencing form
Fencing training drills are the best way to improve your form between matches. If you want to fine-tune your fencing technique, try these exercises:
- Target practice. Remain stationary or practice hitting a target that’s in motion.
- Distance control. Ask a partner to join you and use a rope to practice simulating the distance of your weapon. This drill helps you gauge how far away your weapon is from your opponent when you’re in a match and attempting to score a point.
- Restrictive exercises. Simulate a match and prohibit a major move, such as parrying or movement, to develop other skills.
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Tip 5: Focus on mental preparation and strategy
In fencing, you always want to stay one step ahead of your opponent. Fencing mindset and psychology are just as important as physical fitness. These essential fencing strategies for novices that can help you practice flexing your mental muscles.
Miles Chamley-Watson fencing during a CreativeLive workshop
© Dustin Snipes / Red Bull Content Pool
- Remember to breathe. Taking some deep breaths is vital for staying calm and collected, as focusing on your breathing can help you remain in the moment. As a result, you’re more likely to predict what your opponent is planning next. Breathing also helps loosen your muscles for better control of your sword.
- Visualize a win. Envisioning victory before it happens is a common strategy for most athletes, and fencing is no different. Picture yourself hitting the target, and you’ve got a better chance of scoring that point.
- Focus on one move at a time. The more you can stay in the present moment, the easier it is to perform at your best. Don’t worry about winning the whole match — instead, concentrate on each play, minute by minute.
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Tip 6: Prioritize training and conditioning
Fencing requires immense cardio strength, and a robust exercise routine is essential if you want to win that upcoming fencing competition. To truly train like a pro, your fencing conditioning and fitness regimen must balance strength and agility with targeted training.
Compound strength exercises such as deadlifts and squats develop back and arm strength, both key to strong attacks. Pilates, a routine key to Chamley-Watson’s regimen, can assist with both cardio improvements and increased flexibility. Plyometric exercises such as lunges can improve your reaction time in a bout. High-intensity interval training workouts such as battle ropes can build endurance.
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Tip 7: Study safety and sportsmanship
Precautions are important in any sport, but especially when that sport focuses on swordplay — even when the weapons’ tips are blunted. Following these fencing safety tips is necessary to prevent injuries.
- Wear all required protective gear. Fencing attire is made from protective materials such as Kevlar so that weapons can’t pierce it.
- Weapons up, masks on. Swords are meant to be pointed down when not in play. If your sword is raised, your mask must be on and secure to protect your face.
- Salute properly. Saluting your opponent and the match’s referee is for more than decorum and sportsmanship. Opponents must always salute from the starting line, in the en garde position, so that their weapons are a safe distance away.
A final, bonus tip: find your fencing community
Fencing is a marvelous way to build strength both physically and mentally, but it’s far from a solo sport. Finding the right fencing community and support is indispensable to building your skills. There are plenty of fencing clubs and classes to get you started, or you can seek out one-on-one fencing coaches and instructors. Whichever fencing resources for beginners you pursue, the fencing world is ready to welcome you with open arms — and, of course, swords pointed down.