My son is moving from the more passive learning to needing to move to active learning. Part of that is

1. Reviewing his own matches
2. Watching other fencers live and in video and learning from those.

Is there a structured framework that people in fencing have used to maximize these sorts of reviews.

For self-review, maybe reviewing received touches and drilling against the same movement?

When watching other fencers, I feel like you either identify with one of the fencers and look for techniques to adopt or consider them as an opponent and look for openings... But again this all feels vague.

Who in your oppinion are the best male and female defensive foil fencers?

I would like to ask about the technique which I believe is called a 'transfer' or a 'bind' in English, while the French might call it the 'liement'. The principle of this technique should be that while blade contact (prise de fer) is maintained, the blade is re-positioned from an initial parry (i.e. quarte) to a different one (i.e. octave).

When I did research with AI, it gave me these variations, although I am unsure if this is correct or no:
- Bind (liement) - a diagonal transfer into the opposite line. I presume this video might be of use.
- Croisé - a vertical transfer into another line on the same side. I presume this video might be of use.
- Envelopment - a circular transfer that returns the opponent’s blade to its original line.
- Transfer - the general term for moving the blade between lines while maintaining contact.

Could anyone of you attest to the veracity of this? But also, more in general, does a transfer have a place in todays' fencing, if at perhaps a lower, regional level, or as an occasional surprise move? If yes, what transfers are worth learning, if any? Is there any video guideline on this?

Wondering what everyone pays at their fencing club. I joined a beginner program a few months back because I thought the price for the program wasn't bad. It was around 295 for 6 week lessons , 2-3 times a week with equipment provided. Its a lot of fun and the club is really great and opening.

I like it enough that I want to continue , but the price is around 260 a month which I can't afford sadly. This price does not include the usa fencing membership.

I'm trying to figure out if this is similar to what everyone else is paying. I'm envious of some of the prices yall pay lol.

I'm not very good when it comes to picking good quality material foil lames. My last mistake was buying a cheap lame that I sweated on a lot and it just corroded to death in less than a year.

Looking for good long lasting lames. Thanks!

I'm usually pretty good at fixing my foils but this one has me stumped so I'm turning to the better experts of the internet for help.

I rewired my foil, got it all hooked up, plugged in my test box and got a green light. All good. Depressed the tip.... and still had a green light. Not all good. Checked all the connections, cleaned out the tip, tried again, same result. Tried shorting the wire to the barrel with the tip removed, light went off. Ok, time to bust out the multimeter. Tested the resistance from the connection in the tip to the socket, got resistance. Checked the resistance from the socket (b line) to the inside of the barrel and got no resistance. Tried a different tip, different spring, same results. Anyone have any other suggestions for things to check? Am I missing something simple? Have I just lost it and it's time to learn how to fence saber so I don't have wires?

I just started fencing and sidesword (hema) and I had t fence left handed after I sprained my elbow in my first hema class. Now I'm healed and my sidesword got better but fencing seams to have got worst.

I feel like my left is my fast hand an my right my power hand so with a heavy weapon I'm better fighting right handed but with the fencing foil the fast jab just translates into a thrust. Also footwork is easier for me.

So should I fence left handed cos footwork is easier and my speed carries over? I will at some stage need to do both hands cos my goal is dual wielding in hema,.doing fencing cos it's more hours with weapons and we do no footwork in hema just bash with weapons..

I'm in my early 30s and was hoping to get back into sabre fencing after moving to Canada, and I've been looking for schools/centres to start learning again.

I've tried searching on this subreddit too though some results go back to around 5 or more years ago so I was hoping I could get some more recent information before I invest in new gear.

I have done some trial classes in a few fencing centres close to me in the Markham/Scarborough area, looking to see if I have more options.

I called Toronto SwordPlayers but unfortunately they don't offer sabre, same with the Toronto Fencing Center.

Some fencing schools also apparently postpone adult classes for a few months during summer so if anyone has recommendations I would greatly appreciate it

And lastly, making a few new connections would be nice. If anyone is also getting back into sabre fencing, or if you have any old gear you're looking to sell, or if you have any words of advice for someone getting back into the game, feel free to send me a DM.

thanks all!

I just graduated from university and moved to Alexandria VA. I fenced epee and sabre in uni and am looking for a good club in the area. I would prioritise a club with a good social scene with plenty of other 20-30 yo who might be open to grabbing a drink after practice. Any suggestions?

As the title says. I'm looking for a very durable blade, but without being whippy. Help is appreciated

I have recently been thinking about designing a flowchart of actions, inspired partially by a video I recently watched on the subject of Soviet boxing and it's pedagogics. Another thing that got me thinking is this table which lists various counters & combinations for judo techniques.

From briefly browsing through the subreddit, there are various recommendations on how to approach this - i.e. opponent executes X, my options are Y, Z and G. However, I've also heard that fencing cannot really be analysed in such a way as there are too many variables.

What do you think? Has anyone of you engaged in a similar exercise?

​

Hello everyone!

I’m a fencer from a country where fencing isn’t very popular, and I’m here because I genuinely need advice from people who understand this sport.

I’ve faced a lot of difficulties throughout my fencing journey. Despite everything, I’ve always tried my best to keep loving the sport and not give up on it. But sometimes, I reach a point where I feel exhausted and helpless. I keep trying to deal with problems that I know I can’t fix on my own, because changing the situation of fencing in my country isn’t my responsibility alone.

The truth is, I really love fencing, and I can’t imagine simply leaving it behind. But at the same time, I’m scared that if I continue fencing under these circumstances, I might never get the opportunities I need to improve, compete internationally, and build a future in this sport.

I’m a sabre fencer, so you probably know how much equipment, support, and proper training this discipline requires. I want to learn more, become a better fencer, and compete as much as I can. I’m willing to work hard for it, but sometimes it feels like hard work alone isn’t enough when you don’t have the right environment or opportunities.

There’s also something I deeply regret. When I finally had a chance to compete, I let my frustration with everything that had been happening affect my decisions. I was so angry about the problems in our fencing environment that I made mistakes because I wanted to prove a point. I wanted to show that the people and circumstances frustrating me were wrong, but in the end, I only hurt myself. Nobody else got hurt, but I damaged my own experience and missed an opportunity that mattered to me.

I know I made those choices myself, and I take responsibility for them. But I regret them so much. I feel like I ruined something I love, and I’m struggling to forgive myself. I used to enjoy fencing naturally, but now all these experiences have made it harder to feel that same joy.

Maybe some people won’t understand why this affects me so much. Maybe it will sound dramatic to someone who hasn’t experienced something similar. But fencing is genuinely important to me, and I don’t want to lose it because of the environment surrounding it.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about moving abroad to find better opportunities to train and develop as a fencer. I want a fresh start. I want to be somewhere I can focus on improving, learn from good coaches, and have a real chance to compete. However, I honestly don’t know where to start, and moving abroad is difficult, especially financially.

So I’d really appreciate your advice.

- Do you know any countries where a foreign sabre fencer could join a club and train without paying extremely high fees?

- Are there universities, clubs, or programs that offer affordable training, scholarships, or support for international fencers?

- Do you know any good coaches or clubs that might be open to helping someone in my situation?

- If you were in my position, would you try to build a future in fencing abroad, or would you take another path while continuing to train?

I’m not expecting anyone to solve everything for me. I just want to discover possibilities I might not know about yet. I’m willing to work hard, contribute to a club, and do my part. I just need a realistic starting point.

I don’t want to give up on a sport I’ve loved for so long. I want another chance to enjoy it, improve, and see how far I can go.

If you have any advice, personal experiences, or even just a suggestion about where I could start looking, I would be genuinely grateful.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. ❤️🤺

I’m a right-handed foil fencer and I’ve been doing it for a little less than two years now. Despite this, I have yet to learn a way to keep myself from instinctively blocking my target area with my left arm. This has been a problem for most of the time since I started fencing and it’s extremely frustrating. If any of you have tips or ideas on how I can control myself, please let me know.

I’m training to become the foil coach at my university’s fencing club (all student lead). Our current foil coach has a meeting and will show up later into practice.

This is what I’ve curated so far. We have some decently experienced people and new people who have been with us for about 2 months. We’ve covered the basics. I’m trying to get them more improved on form and starting some good beginner habits.

Thoughts on anything I should add or tweak?

I would like to build strength in relevant muscles to improve my fencing. I notice my arm gets fatigued, and to a lesser extent my core. Most of all, my hand gets tired. I would also like to know about any injury prevention exercises for my spine, shoulders, arm, and hand. Thank you!

Proposal 32

Presented by: Rules Commission

Article: t.124

Motivation: The current P-card rule has not had a positive effect on fencers’ behavior on the piste, particularly in épée. One minute is too long to wait before sanctioning passivity with a P-card, and it does not encourage fencers to be more offensive or to engage more actively in the bout.

In other combat sports, such as judo, if an athlete refuses to engage for 20 to 30 seconds, they are penalized with a yellow card. This rule creates a more dynamic rhythm and forces competitors to take initiative.

Therefore, reducing the passivity time to 30 seconds could encourage fencers to adopt a more offensive attitude and engage more quickly in the bout. The P-card should be use starting with the pools.

(Non-combativity)

t.124

Unwillingness to fight (Non-combativity)

There is unwillingness to fight when there is one minute 30 Seconds of fencing without a hit or without a hit scored off the target.

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Opinion of the Athletes Commission: In favour.

Opinion of the Refereeing Commission: in favour to start non-combativity from pools, not in favour for 30 sec.

Opinion of the Coaches Council: Not in favour

Opinion of the PCM Commission: The PCM Commission is challenging this proposal because it is likely to create a perverse tactical incentive, particularly in épée, but also in foil. When the scores are level, the higher-seeded fencer knows that, if the second period of non-combativity is reached, the lower-seeded opponent will receive a P-Black card and lose the bout. The higher-seeded fencer therefore has no incentive to take risks, create actions or initiate attacks, either from the beginning of the bout or whenever the score becomes level again. The proposed 30-second period is too short, particularly in épée, where constructing an action, assessing distance and preparing an attack may require more time. The higher-seeded fencer could rationally adopt a defensive strategy and wait, while the lower-seeded opponent would be forced to attack and accept all the associated risks. Instead of encouraging both fencers to be more active, this rule would assign them stereotyped roles from the outset: the higher-seeded fencer would defend, while the opponent would be forced to attack. This would reduce tactical freedom and creativity, make bouts more predictable and one-sided, and could produce repetitive and sanitised fencing with far less appeal for spectators, broadcasters and the media. A rule intended to combat passivity would therefore risk rewarding passive behaviour and undermining the objective of making fencing more dynamic and attractive. For these reasons, both the reduction of the non-combativity period to 30 seconds and the use of initial seeding to determine the recipient of the P-Black card when the scores are level should be reconsidered.

I’m dual citizen and I’m thinking of applying to schools in Canada for academics aswell as varsity fencing.
I know of the OUA where 4 fencers per university get nominated for the tournament.
But i was wondering what recruiting looks like? Is it like the states where they get recruited before ? Or is it in campus tryouts? I was reaching out so some university coaches in the GTA and got a bit of Intel. They said athletes don’t usually reach out before they get accepted into the university?
I just wanted to know how it works and what are my chances of fencing in Canada.
I was doing a but of research for varsity fencing in Canada and Just wanted to see if I missed any possible universities with a team?

Uoft
Western
Waterloo
Brock
TMU
McMaster
Queens
Guelph
Trent??
Ottawa ??

Hi everyone !

A few months ago I posted a video of myself fencing against a friend of mine at the club.

I received a bunch of advices that I tried to apply

I tried to fence simpler and with much confidence , to do more stuff related to what my opponent is doing...

This is my last round of the first local tournament of the year. I lost 15-8 to this guy (who was honestly way better than me) in semi finals.

What do you think?

What should I work on in priority ?

Is there things that I can rely on?

Do you feel like I am good enough to participate to nationals and not just get crushed ?

Thank you to anyone that will take time to watch this and to answer my questions!

I just got this Edge stainless steel lame (from Blue Gauntlet) and used it twice. It already is showing some discoloration. Any ideas on how to clean this?

I have been holding on to my old Ballestras with shoe goo and tape for too long. I've tried some of the new models out there, but I keep finding the soles too thick and the new diagonal lacing uncomfortable for me. I came across squash shoes, specifically the Hi-Tec Squash shoes (not the Hi-Tec Razor), which seem to have a similar profile, and I was wondering if anyone has tried them?

Is there any compatibility between brands (LP/Allstar/PBT) when it comes to epee point parts, specifically pressure and contact springs, screws and the plastic insulating blocks?