Fencing Course

Lesson 1 • History and Evolution of Fencing

Traces fencing from medieval combat to modern Olympic sport. Establishes context for why techniques and rules developed as they did.

Lesson 2 • Fencing Etiquette and Sportsmanship

Establishes the cultural norms, salute rituals, and conduct expectations of competitive fencing. Proper behaviour on and off the strip is introduced.

Lesson 3 • Scoring Systems and Officiating

Explains electronic scoring, touch priority, and referee signals. Students gain the ability to read a bout and understand officiating decisions.

Lesson 4 • Equipment Identification and Safety

Covers all compulsory gear, its protective function, and proper fit. Safety compliance is established as a non-negotiable foundation for all training.

Lesson 1 • Cardiovascular Endurance for Bouts

Develops aerobic and anaerobic capacity to sustain performance across multiple bouts. Training mirrors the stop-start intensity of competitive fencing.

Lesson 2 • Strength and Power Development

Builds explosive leg power and upper-body control through targeted exercises. Strength gains directly transfer to faster lunges and stronger parries.

Lesson 3 • Flexibility and Mobility Training

Introduces stretching routines targeting the hips, ankles, and shoulders critical for en garde position. Reduces injury risk and improves range of motion.

Lesson 4 • Injury Prevention and Warm-Up Protocols

Establishes pre-training routines that reduce common fencing injuries to knees, wrists, and ankles. Students learn to self-assess readiness before each session.

Lesson 1 • The Lunge

Introduces the primary attacking movement, covering extension, push-off, and recovery. Students drill the lunge until it is explosive yet controlled.

Lesson 2 • Advance and Retreat

Teaches the step-together footwork pattern for moving forward and backward on the strip. Smooth, controlled movement is emphasised over speed at this stage.

Lesson 3 • The En Garde Stance

Breaks down foot placement, knee bend, weight distribution, and arm position. A correct en garde is the prerequisite for all subsequent technique.

Lesson 4 • Fleche and Running Attack

Presents the fleche as an advanced explosive attack used primarily in épée and sabre. Students learn when and how to execute it safely.

Lesson 1 • Compound Attacks and Feints

Builds multi-action offensive sequences designed to provoke and deceive parries. Students learn to read the opponent's reaction and exploit it.

Lesson 2 • Grip and Blade Control

Establishes correct French and pistol grip technique and finger sensitivity for blade manipulation. Proper grip prevents injury and enables precise point control.

Lesson 3 • Direct and Indirect Attacks

Covers the straight thrust, disengage, and counter-disengage as the core offensive toolkit. Students learn to deceive the opponent's blade to land touches.

Lesson 4 • The Riposte

Teaches the immediate offensive response following a successful parry. Students practise direct and indirect ripostes to convert defence into scoring opportunities.

Lesson 1 • Timing and Tempo

Explains fencing time as the duration of a single blade or foot action. Students exploit tempo to attack into preparation or steal initiative.

Lesson 2 • Strip Awareness and Boundary Use

Teaches students to use the strip's length and boundaries as tactical tools. Forcing an opponent off the end or side creates scoring advantages.

Lesson 3 • Preparation of Attack

Covers blade preparations such as beats, pressure, and engagements that set up the attack. Students learn to use preparation without telegraphing intent.

Lesson 4 • Understanding Fencing Measure

Defines short, medium, and long measure and their tactical implications. Students learn to feel and control distance without looking at their feet.

Lesson 1 • Adapting Tactics Across Weapons

Compares tactical priorities across all three weapons and guides students in transferring skills. Students develop versatility and a deeper understanding of fencing logic.

Lesson 2 • Foil Technique and Conventions

Covers foil-specific target area, right-of-way rules, and point-in-line actions. Students adapt their blade work to the foil's strict priority conventions.

Lesson 3 • Sabre Technique and Cutting Actions

Introduces sabre's above-the-waist target, cutting actions, and fast right-of-way conventions. Students execute molinello cuts and sabre-specific parries.

Lesson 4 • Electronic Equipment and Weapon Maintenance

Teaches students to assemble, test, and troubleshoot electronic scoring equipment for each weapon. Reliable equipment is a competitive necessity.

Lesson 1 • Building a Pre-Bout Game Plan

Guides students in constructing a tactical plan based on scouting and self-assessment. Plans include primary actions and contingency responses.

Lesson 2 • Team Bout Strategy

Introduces team relay format, order selection, and score-gap management across relay legs. Students learn how individual bout outcomes affect team totals.

Lesson 3 • Observing and Profiling Opponents

Teaches systematic observation of an opponent's habits, preferences, and weaknesses before and during a bout. Data gathered informs tactical adjustments.

Lesson 4 • Adapting Tactics Mid-Bout

Develops the ability to recognise when a plan is failing and switch tactics in real time. Students practise deliberate mid-bout adjustments during sparring.

Lesson 1 • Mental Toughness Under Pressure

Introduces focus cues, self-talk strategies, and reset routines for high-pressure moments. Students practise maintaining composure when trailing or facing strong opponents.

Lesson 2 • Pre-Competition Routine Development

Guides students in building a consistent physical and mental warm-up routine for competition day. Routine consistency reduces anxiety and primes performance.

Lesson 3 • Video Review and Self-Analysis

Teaches students to use bout footage to identify technical and tactical errors. Structured review accelerates improvement between competitions.

Lesson 4 • Tournament Formats and Structures

Explains pools, direct elimination, and team relay formats used in sanctioned competitions. Students understand how results in each phase affect overall standing.