When your child starts fencing, it can be overwhelming to learn the rules of a sport you may never have watched or learned about growing up. One important part of the competition is penalties. As parents, we want to understand why our child is being penalized if it...
Parents, what would you say is your #1 job at a fencing competition? To make sure your children have everything they need? That they have nutritious food and plenty of water? I would argue that your most important job is to make sure they know that you enjoy watching...
We've discussed in previous posts that fencing is not nearly as dangerous as some might believe. In fact, if you follow that link you will see a great chart that shows how fencing was in the bottom six sports for number of injuries in the 2008 Summer Olympics....
What can be more straightforward than straightening your weapon? (Pun intended.) The basic idea is simple: Weapons should be straight and they often get bent during a bout … so you need to straighten them. The problem is that beginner fencers, especially children,...
Often times I see novice fencers fencing with the pistol grip. When I talk with their parents the typical reply is “every other kid in their class are using pistol grip so my child doesn't want to be not cool”. Kids tend to believe that once they hold a pistol grip...
It’s only February, but it’s not too early to start thinking about your plans for the summer. Children get excited when summer break rolls around for the vacation from school, but experienced parents know it doesn’t take long for them to get bored sitting around the...
Fencing is a unique sport for many reasons: one being the equipment used during competitions. Weapons, electrical cords, masks—it certainly stands out from the rest! The functionality of the equipment is so critical to the bout, both for scoring and safety reasons,...
We all know that exercise is good for us and we’re familiar with some of the most common benefits: a fitter, stronger body and mind—both mental clarity and improved mood, and lower risk of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. But did you know that a new study...
During the next two months, fencing divisions around the country are holding qualifiers for Summer Nationals 2015 in San Jose. The tournaments cover categories Y14, Division 2, Division 3, and Veterans. Are you on the fence (no pun intended) about going? Whether you...
Watching a fencing bout is exciting! I mean, come on, it’s basically a modern-day sword fight, who wouldn’t get pulled into the action? We’ve written previous posts on cheering for your fellow fencers, and of course it’s encouraged to support your children, clubmates,...
Do you want to receive timely updates from our blog and learn more about fencing? Sign up here, and you'll receive an email with the latest blog post after it's published.