The most challenging of qualification paths for fencing is the Cadet/Junior path. It’s incredibly confusing. Even those of us who have an intimate understanding of these two paths can find the whole thing a bit overwhelming. I know I’ve written about the...
Academy of Fencing Masters Blog
Art of Fencing, Art of Life
Month: March 2017
Bad Day at Fencing Competition? Here are 5 Stories to Make You Feel Better
If you have a bad day at the competition, do not worry - even pros have terrible days! We’ve put together a few sports stories that show that everyone can have a rough day, from fencers to golfers. 1. Master golfer struggles with a 1-foot putt Take a look at the pro...
Right Age to Start Fencing – Is my child too old?
It’s not uncommon for parents to think that their child has “aged out” of competitive fencing. Many parents think that if they’re child hasn’t started fencing when they’re very young, that they’ve somehow missed the boat for being major competitors in the arena of...
Fencing Lucky Charms – What Role Does Luck Play in Winning a Fencing Bout?
Do you believe in fencing lucky charms? Are you lucky on the strip? Lots of fencers carry around lucky bits to bouts. Special socks, a lucky coin in their pocket, that mask that always seems to help them get those points. Sports in general can be tricky in terms of...
10 Tips to help fencers be light on their feet
Quick movement is a key to good fencing. So much of this sport is about controlling the distance between you and your competitor, with those fencers who control the space winning the matches. The faster you are able to move and change direction and tempo, the lighter...
What Does it Take to Become a Great Fencer?
What kinds of people are great fencers? What does it take to become good at fencing? These are two questions that we hear again and again at AFM. Everyone wants to know what they need to do in order to become the best, what qualities they need to possess in order to...
Stepping Out of the Fencing Strip: Why You Just Lost the Bout
After a recent RYC in Santa Rosa, one of our fencers came to me and asked why she just lost the bout in priority when “nothing really happened, I just stepped sidewise out of the fencing strip and clock was still counting”. When I started to investigate what actually...
How to watch a fencing bout
When you watch a fencing bout, what exactly are you looking at? For the novice fencing fan, including parents and even new fencers, it can be confusing to watch fencing. Things move fast, and the bouts only last for a few minutes. It can be a major challenge to...