If you’re an athlete, you've been there before. The big match is starting in just a few minutes. Your mind is racing. You see your opponent practicing and begin to worry. Is he better than I am? Am I going to lose? I haven’t been practicing as hard I should have been....
Academy of Fencing Masters Blog
Art of Fencing, Art of Life
Month: October 2014
Fencing Strip Coaching: Maximizing your coach’s time and input
In a previous post, we covered the philosophy behind strip coaching and how to manage your expectations as to whether or not you will have strip coaching at any given bout. When you do have your coach at your bout, you want to be able to take full advantage of the...
Fencing Strip Coaching: Insight into the coach’s philosophy
In the top ranks of competitive fencing, the distinction between the best and the greatest is slight. Often the highest rated fencing bouts are determined by two or fewer points and a small change in momentum can make all the difference. At these high levels, the role...
Keeping Kids Active after Summer Sports: Soccer season is ending, now what?
Young children often participate in a summer sport. Parents want to keep their children busy and active while school is out, so it’s a great time to try new things, go to camps, or pick up a new activity. I know that many young athletes in the San Francisco Bay Area...
Checklist for Fencing Competition “Base Camp” from Experienced Parents
Fencing competitions can be great fun for the fencer and the family. As with many things in life, the way to get the most enjoyment is to be prepared. Put in the work ahead of time and you can enjoy the day. We’ve written previous posts on what to bring, what to eat,...
Physical Education (PE) Credits for Fencing
To be competitive in fencing or any other sport you need to train and train hard. Sports are not only physically challenging, but also mentally challenging. So imagine you are a competitive fencing student in high school. You stay up late studying for a test, wake up...
Fencer Ratings Made Simple: What they are and how to earn them
If you’re new to fencing, you’ve probably heard about fencer ratings from coaches, other parents, or even on Facebook pages—and now you’re wondering how they apply to your child. Well, in short, if you’re brand new, they probably don’t apply just yet. If your child is...
AFM Fencers Fall into October with Impressive Results
What a fantastic weekend for our AFM fencers! The Bay Cup Women’s Epee tournament at TFC consisted of three events: Cadet Women’s Epee, Junior Women’s Epee, and Senior Women’s Epee. Nancy Zhang and Jade Welder represented AFM in the Cadet event. Nancy won Gold and...
Why Keeping a Fencing Journal Will Make You a Better Fencer
The best and most successful athletes usually have a keen self-awareness of their skills and areas for improvement. You can best utilize your strengths when you can clearly identify them, and you can best improve by understanding where you’re weakest. Every athlete...