Fencing is a sport played by two people, each dressed in protective gear and holding swords. There are many different types of fencing, including foil, epee and sabre. Foil is the most popular type of fencing, although all three types are used in the summer Olympic games. Knowing how to train correctly can help increase your fencing skills, techniques and probability of winning your matches.
Mental Preparation
One of the biggest training tips for any sport, specifically fencing, is to make sure that you are mentally prepared for matches. You should spend time strategizing based on your strengths and weaknesses, developing emotional self-control, in addition to simple logic and reasoning skills. All of these skills can help you to be in better shape when you are in battle with your opponent. You also must make sure that you are motivated. The best tool to motivate yourself is to close your eyes and imagine the result that you desire. Figure out how to achieve that result, then envision yourself doing it over and over again.
Physical Preparation
Fencing is a sport that involves using most of the muscles in the body, specifically the arms and legs. You must have great agility, speed and reflexes. Being physically prepared for matches will go a long way in performing in an efficient manner. Stretching constantly, working out at the gym, in addition to performing cardiovascular activity, will all help in your desire to succeed in fencing. Being in the best shape you can be will greatly increase your chances of winning.
Eight Defenses
Understanding and practicing the eight defenses in fencing will help you perform.
The first defense is putting your arm up, bending your elbow, the putting your forearm across your head. Your hand should be aimed at the ground, while the blade of your weapon should be facing away from your body. Your wrist should be straight.
The second defense or “parry” in fencing involves moving straight from parry one across your body. Your hand should be aimed down, while the blade should be at the same angle as parry one. However, your arm must be further away from your body and should not be crossing your head.
For parry three, you should move straight down from the second parry, with your hand pointed at the ground, but your blade straight up. Your hand should be closer to your waist, while your fencing arm must be closer to your body. This position puts a lot of stress on your wrist, so ensuring that your wrists are in the best shape can help you with this parry.
In the fourth parry, you move across your body from the third parry, turning your hand so it points up. The blade should be in the same position, but should be further away from your body. The tip of the sword should be at your shoulders.
The fifth parry is often known as the “holding parry.” In this defense, you flip your hand to the opposite way it was in parry four, keeping your hand down and your arm perpendicular to your body. Your blade should be on its side, facing the opposite direction of your opponent. Your hand should rest around your waist. This is often used to force your opponent to move his blade away from you and get into a defensive position.
Parry six is an exact flip from parry five. It is the same idea of forcing your opponent to retreat, but simply holding it the opposite way you did in the last defense.
To perform the seventh parry, lift your arm a little bit from its position in parry six. Your blade should be aimed towards the ground, while your arm should be perpendicular to your body. The tip of the blade should rest around your knee.
The final parry, number eight, involves moving your swords across your body from where it was in parry seven. The blade should be aimed down, while your arm should be in towards your body.
Knowing how to perform every parry efficiently and practicing them often will help you in your training.
About this Author
Alan Bass is currently attending Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pa. He is majoring in psychology and minoring in business. He is also a member of the Muhlenberg College ice hockey team and is a writer for Hockey54.com, Insidehockey.com and Prohockeynews.com.
