Art of Fencing, Art of Life

Month: August 2017

9 Ways to Bring Joy Back to Your Fencing

Bring joy back to fencingHas your fencing turned into a chore?

Do you miss that spark that you used to feel when you first picked up your sword?

Do you wish that you could feel all of those fluttery, festive feelings that you once felt about your fencing?

You can! That sparkle can come back to your swordplay. Bringing the joy back to your fencing isn’t just about having fun though. The more invested in and excited about fencing that you are, the more focus you’ll have and the better you’ll train overall. Keeping your fencing on point is just as much about your enjoyment of the sport as it is about the number of hours you’re able to force yourself into grueling training.

The most accomplished athletes are those athletes who get the most pleasure out of their sport. More joy = better fencing.

USFA update about Division 1 Fencing

USFA Changes in Division 1 FencingEvery year, the USFA makes changes in national level events in an effort to make national fencing more competitive at the international level. These changes do contribute to the significant improvement of USA fencing and we love seeing them. This year one of the most dramatic changes in the national event format came to Division 1.

Actually there are two big changes that are coming to Division 1 Fencing in the 2017-2018 season, and they’re changes that we’re very excited to see!

AFM Opens a New Fencing Location in Sunnyvale!

AFM Opens a New Fencing Location in SunnyvaleFencing helps everyone! It brings people together. It keeps our bodies fit and our minds sharp. Fencing isn’t just about swordfighting – it’s about personal development. This is a transformative sport that moves us to being more than just who we are.

To that end, we are happy to announce that we are opening a new AFM location in Sunnyvale, California!

Infographic – How to Qualify for 2018 US Fencing Summer Nationals

How to Qualify for 2018 US Fencing Summer NationalsIt’s that time of year again – time to figure out the qualifying paths for US Fencing Summer Nationals! Every year there are tweaks to the rules that mean we all need to bone up on what’s going on. This year there aren’t too many changes, and really the ones that we have are pretty solid.

Not only do the actual qualification paths change every year thanks to USFA’s constant pursuit of getting things right, but kids ages change every year. Those birth years are important for fencers who want to qualify, because they don’t stay the same every year as we all get older! Age brackets change every year, so we need to update things with each passing season. Always keep in mind that fencers can qualify outside of their specific age division under certain circumstances.

You’ll find every bit of information that’s included in this infographic on the USFA website, but it’s scattered around in various places. That’s why we created this infographic to help everyone make sense of it all! It’s great for novice parents and for seasoned fencers.

This is our third year including this infographic for 2018 US Fencing Summer Nationals qualification, and it’s become a useful tool in our experience. Please dig in and learn what you need to know to qualify!

4 Simple Ways to Destroy Your Child’s Fencing Career

4 Simple Ways to Destroy Your Child’s Fencing CareerEvery parent wants their child to be successful. That’s not just in one area of life – we want our kids to be successful all the way around. As fencing parents, we want to give our young fencers the best chance possible to become a wonderful fencer, but it’s easy to fall into some negative behaviors that can be detrimental to your child’s progress.

We’ve had the great joy of watching many of our young athletes progress through to success. Along the way, we’ve learned to appreciate the broad perspective of what it takes to support a fencer from here to there in success. We’ve had the chance to work with some marvelous parents who support their child’s success in spades, perfectly getting them the things that they need to become great fencers.

Unfortunately we’ve also seen some parents who, often with the best of intentions and wholly unwittingly, end up sabotaging the future of their young fencer. You can avoid those mistakes! That’s why we’ve put together these four ways that you might be destroying your child’s fencing career, not to mention harming their quality of life in general!

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