This is the second feature in my introduction to this “gentlemanly” sport.

Don’t be fooled and think that fencing will not give you an intensive workout! As I describe more of the technique, I am sure you will understand the huge fitness benefits of the fabulous sport of fencing.

Whilst you stand in the ‘on guard‘ position you are effectively in a squat crossed with a lunge position – which trains primarily the quads and glut’s (your thighs and buttocks). Your core and abdominal muscles are also worked as you need to keep your body upright, tort and ready for attack.

Once you see on opening to attack your opponent you step forward, extending into a lunge, and aim to make contact with your opponent. This is a very fast movement, allowing your opponent the least amount of time to defend the attacking maneuver. This is a full body action which involves a fast extend into the lunge position. Again, you are working your glut’s and quads but also your upper body through the quick ascend of the weapon.

One you have reached the extent of your arms reach, you will have either made a hit on your opponent or will have acted quick enough and retreated. To retreat you simply lunge backwards from the stationary position.

You can begin to see why fencing is a fantastic sport for all over body fitness especially a lower body and leg workout.

Once you have attempted an attacking move you must swiftly get back into the on guard position ready to either defend the next maneuver from your opponent or to make a fresh attack. This involves pushing your body back into an upright position firing up the quads and gaining stability from you hamstrings.

Trust me after a few hours of fencing you will begin to feel the leg burn and reap the rewards!

Fencing - A gentlemanly Sport

Maybe it is just me but I find that today, when you are participating or watching a contact sport, the idea of fair play ethics has been somewhat lost. Take for example a game of football. One player tackles and both end up falling down. You always see both players jumping up and down waving their hands in the air each claiming it was the opponent’s fault. One of the lovely gentlemanly things about fencing is that you acknowledge your opponents hit. As all Olympic fencing is controlled via electronic scoring, the hit is automatically noticed or recorded. When training (and this dates back from early days of fencing), even if the hit from your opponent makes contact fractions of second before you know you have hit them, you simply say touché (which is French for touched). Very polite for such an attacking sport, I think!

Where to do it

There are plenty of training centres across the country. I began my training working with Tim Gadaski, Fence Master, at the London Fencing Club, Leisure Centre, Norman Street, Finsbury, London. Here you can enroll in weekend workshops to get you introduced to the sport or have individual coaching sessions. The fencing masters are extremely approachable and normal!

Feature Sponsored by the London Fencing Club (www.londonfencingclub.co.uk)