One of the most common misconceptions I encounter when working with new fencing families is the belief that athletic development follows the same rules as academic preparation. Parents and young fencers often approach training with a mindset carried over from their school experiences – the idea that you can achieve success through intense, last-minute preparation.

We’ve all been there. The night before a big exam, fueled by coffee and determination, cramming every formula, date, and concept into our heads. And surprisingly often, it works! You walk into the test the next morning, brain bursting with freshly memorized information, and somehow pull off that A grade. It’s a tried-and-true strategy that many of us have relied on throughout our academic careers.

Even in the professional world, we see this pattern. Who hasn’t pulled those legendary all-nighters before a big project deadline? Those intense 15-hour days in the final week before launch, somehow pulling everything together at the last moment. I’ll admit – I’ve done it myself more times than I can count and wish to remember.

So it’s natural to wonder: why can’t we apply this same approach to fencing? If cramming works for math tests and work projects, why not for sports?

The answer lies in the fundamental nature of athletic development, particularly in a sport as complex as fencing. Unlike academic knowledge, which can sometimes be temporarily memorized and recalled, physical skills and athletic capabilities develop through a process that simply cannot be rushed or compressed.

Consider what happens when you’re learning a new fencing move in a private lesson. Your brain needs to form new neural pathways, your muscles need to develop specific memory patterns, and your body needs to adapt to new movement patterns. And then you need to use this new technique in your fencing bouts. First you need to do the drills, then real bouts in the class or open fencing. You need to be comfortable to perform this newly learned skill against different opponents – lefties, righties, tall, short, fast, slow, offensive, defensive, time killers and rushers, people you are comfortable to fence against and people you absolutely hate to meet on the strip, you need to do it in 5 touch bout and in 15 touch one, in the middle, beginning or end of the bout, in priority minute and regulation time, and thousands of more combinations. And then there is an additional element of stress in competition, when something is at stake.

This biological process takes time – there’s no way around it. You can’t force your nervous system to speed up its natural rate of adaptation, no matter how many hours you practice in a single day.

This is why we often see fencers, young and, yes!, Olympians, hit plateaus or experience periods of apparent stagnation. These aren’t signs of failure – they’re natural parts of the development process. During these times, their bodies and minds are consolidating skills, building foundations, and preparing for the next leap forward. It’s like building a house – you can’t skip the foundation and frame just because you’re excited to put on the roof or start decorating.

The temptation to accelerate this process is understandable, especially in our fast-paced world where we’re used to instant results and instant gratification. Parents sometimes ask me if their child could just do intensive training camps or double up on lessons to “catch up” with peers who started earlier. While additional training can certainly be beneficial when introduced appropriately, it’s not a substitute for the steady, consistent development that comes with time. Even if you take ten times more private lessons, classes, camps and clinics than others, it still takes time! 

Time!

This long-term approach might seem frustrating at first, but it actually offers some beautiful advantages. When we embrace the gradual nature of fencing development, we:

1. Build stronger foundations that support advanced skills later
2. Develop deeper understanding and tactical awareness
3. Allow time for physical and mental maturity to align with skill development
4. Reduce the risk of burnout and injury
5. Create space for the joy of learning and discovery

Success in fencing isn’t about finding shortcuts or cramming skills into intensive periods. It’s about embracing the journey, understanding that each practice, each lesson, and each bout contributes to a larger process of growth and development.

So what’s the alternative to cramming? The answer is simple, though not always easy: consistency and patience. Regular, focused practice over time will always yield better results than sporadic intense bursts. It’s about showing up day after day, working on fundamentals, gradually building complexity, and trusting in the process.

Yes, sometimes you need to put effort into more intensive practice prior to big events, like camps or more private lessons in some short period of time – everyone does this, including national teams. But this is NOT INSTEAD of consistent practice but in addition to it.

Remember, every champion you see on the fencing strip got there through years of steady development. There are no overnight successes in fencing – only years of dedication finally bearing fruit.

As a coach, my message to fencers and parents is this: embrace the long game. Trust in the process of gradual development. Celebrate the small improvements along the way. And most importantly, remember that true mastery in fencing, like any worthwhile pursuit, cannot be rushed – it must be earned through time, patience, and dedication.

The next time you’re tempted to approach fencing development like a last-minute exam cram session, remember: this is one test you can’t ace through an all-nighter. The path to fencing excellence is a marathon, not a sprint, and that’s exactly what makes it so rewarding.