There’s something mysterious about the way that fencing pool assignments happen. To uninitiated it’s can feel like a hidden secret that no one really understands. It doesn’t have to be confusing or frustrating though! Fencing competitions are not a straight line...
Fencers build up an impressive toolkit through experience and constant learning. There’s a cache of potential proactive and reactive movements that we have stored in our mental files that we pull out to try to beat our opponent. What happens when you’ve used up all of...
Fencing season 2021-2022 is roaring along, and we couldn’t be more excited about what this post-pandemic competition season will look like. This will be the first time in three years that USA Fencing has been able to hold its national competition in the regular...
The most high-profile event for fencers in the world is the Olympics. The sport itself is pretty much the same as what the novice fencer practices - fencing is fencing. However, it’s easy for people to get lost in the whole winding road of qualification and style. The...
Great news! Fencing Summer Nationals 2021 looks to be on! After losing our biggest event to the pandemic in 2020, it’s exhilarating to think that we are on the road back to our capstone national tournament! The last year has turned the entire system of fencing...
We can learn everything about right of way or priority, as it more often called, we could master every aspect of its understanding, and yet we would not be the final word on it. The referee is. Always. Some people say that right of way is subjective. It is not....
One of the most difficult concepts in all of fencing is the concept of right of way. This concept and the understanding of it are key to making sense of fencing, no matter if you are a fencer, a coach, a parent, a referee, or a fan. This post is long. It’s long enough...
The "AFM Safe Shield" Returning to Training Guidelines are based on CDC health considerations and tools for operating during COVID-19, California schools’ guidelines, CDC Considerations for Youth Sports and Summer Camps, and Santa Clara County’s Public Health...
This week, the International Olympic Committee announced that the 2020 Olympic Games will be postponed. The games will retain their name, the 2020 Olympic Games, but they will not be held until 2021. This move is unprecedented in the history of the Olympic Games....
Is there ever a time when it’s appropriate “going easy” on your fencing opponent? The knee-jerk reaction might be to say “Of course not! Always fence your best!” It’s not really that simple though. Complicated situations Fencing is a small community. Even in...
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