Talk to any fencing coach and they will tell that the difference between successful fencers and others lies in discipline. And that’s exactly right, but what most coaches mean is a different type of discipline than what fencers and parents typically assume. Let’s look at two typical fencers who you could see in every fencing club.
The first one arrives fifteen minutes early for practice, equipment already checked and organized. While teammates are still putting on their gear, she’s begun her warm-up routine. During lessons, she listens intently, asks clarifying questions, and takes mental notes. After practice, she stayed to work on specific movements that she felt needed additional work. At home, she completes homework before relaxing, washes her fencing uniform and goes to bed to get adequate sleep.
Another fencer shows up exactly on time—or a few minutes late. He scrambles to find his gear, grabs whatever blade is available, and needs reminding about basic preparation. During training, his attention drifts. He participates when coached closely but loses focus during independent practice time. His equipment reflects neglect, his academic performance suffers from poor time management, and he wonders why his fencing isn’t improving as quickly as others.
The difference between these two athletes isn’t talent, coaching quality, or natural ability. It’s self-discipline—the internal drive to do what needs doing without external pressure or supervision.
Two Kinds of Discipline
Every fencing club operates on external discipline. Coaches set training schedules, establish expectations, provide instruction, and create accountability. This structure is essential, particularly for developing athletes who are still learning what excellence requires.
But external discipline has inherent limitations. It only functions when the authority figure is present and actively enforcing standards. The moment the coach steps away, leaves for competition or vacation, or simply turns their attention to another athlete, externally disciplined fencers often revert to less productive behaviors.
Self-discipline, by contrast, operates independently of external supervision. The self-disciplined fencer maintains standards because they understand why those standards matter, not because someone is watching. They’ve internalized the connection between daily choices and long-term outcomes.
This distinction becomes crucial as fencers advance in age and level. I think it is relatively accurate to provide the following gradation. For young (elementary school age) fencers and regional level fencers, parents and coaches provide support and reminders. For middle school and national level fencers, that support structure becomes less effective as kids start asserting independence and questioning external authority. High schools and international competitors must function almost entirely independently. While as a parent you can convince your young fencer to do something, it will become extremely hard to do with the highschooler. The fencer who relies primarily on external discipline will struggle as they advance to higher levels where self-management becomes essential.
The Comprehensive Nature of Self-Discipline
Self-discipline in fencing extends far beyond showing up to practice on time. It encompasses every aspect of an athlete’s life that influences their development, from what happens in the club to how they manage their school and relationships:
Training commitment means arriving prepared, maintaining focus during instruction, and pushing through difficult sessions when motivation wanes. It means treating every lesson, every bout, every drill as an opportunity for improvement rather than something to endure. It means giving 100% effort and practice diligently every time. It also means doing more than scheduled in the club, like going to gym or for a run, following a set program.
Academic responsibility directly impacts fencing success. The fencer who manages schoolwork efficiently has less stress, better time management skills, and demonstrates the kind of reliability that coaches value. More practically, maintaining academic eligibility and college recruitment prospects requires consistent performance in the classroom.
Physical maintenance includes proper nutrition, adequate sleep, and injury prevention and care. The self-disciplined fencer understands that their body is their primary tool and treats it accordingly. They don’t skip meals, stay up too late before competitions, or ignore minor injuries until they become major problems.
Proper warm ups before any session – private lessons, open bouting, competitions. This is not only important for the performance, injury prevention, mental setup, etc, but also because this provides the right example for others, creating more of an overall productive environment for all.
Relationship management with coaches, teammates, and family requires emotional regulation and communication skills. Self-disciplined fencers address conflicts directly rather than letting resentments build. They support teammates even during competitive situations. They stay there for their teammates, help them to overcome their difficulties and genuinely show that they are people to rely on. They maintain respectful relationships with coaches even when receiving difficult feedback.
Gear maintenance is another important factor. Self-disciplined fencer will make sure their gear is in proper order, learn basic maintenance skills, keep their uniform clean and aired. Think of your gear like a soldier thinks of their weapons – your performance depends on it and making sure you minimize potential setbacks caused by your gear improves both your performance, mental state and efficiency in classes and lessons.
Home responsibilities might seem unrelated to fencing, but they develop the same character traits that drive athletic success. The fencer who completes chores, helps with family obligations, and manages personal responsibilities without constant reminding is building the internal accountability that transfers directly to training and competition.
The Internal Shift
The transition from external to self-discipline requires a fundamental shift in motivation. Instead of training because the coach requires it, self-disciplined fencers train because they want to improve. Instead of completing homework because parents check it, they do it because they understand education’s importance for their future goals. They also understand that if they don’t do it and their grades start to suffer, something will need to go, and fencing will be the first thing on the cut list as it is time and money consuming.
This shift often begins with understanding consequences and connections. When fencers recognize that skipping warm-ups leads to injuries, that poor sleep affects reaction time, that maintaining relationships with teammates creates better training environments and pushes everybody up, including them, they begin making better choices from internal motivation rather than external pressure.
Self-discipline developed through fencing creates capabilities that extend far beyond sport. The fencer who learns to push through difficult training sessions builds resilience for academic challenges. Time management skills developed while balancing school and fencing transfer to career demands. The ability to set goals, create plans, and execute consistently serves athletes throughout their lives.
The self-discipline developed through competitive fencing is more valuable to adult success than the sport-specific skills the young fencers learned. Many former fencers credit their athletic experience with teaching them work ethic, personal accountability, and the ability to pursue long-term goals despite short-term obstacles. I can confidently confirm it based on my own experience – my self-discipline developed through fencing.
The most effective coaches facilitate this transition by gradually transferring responsibility to the athlete. Rather than micromanaging every aspect of preparation, they teach fencers to self-assess, set personal goals, and monitor their own progress. They explain the reasoning behind training methods, competition strategies, and lifestyle recommendations so fencers understand the logic rather than just following orders. But most importantly, they create a trustful relationship with a fencer to make these things happen naturally. The best coaches don’t create dependent athletes who need constant supervision—they develop self-directed individuals who carry the principles of excellence with them long after their competitive careers end.
Building Self-Discipline
For most people, self-discipline isn’t innate—it develops through consistent practice and gradual increases in responsibility. And the thing is that you don’t need revolutionary changes in your approach or life, but rather a set of firm and attainable steps. The key is not how big these steps are, but how firm you are in following them.
Start with small commitments. Rather than attempting dramatic lifestyle changes, begin with minor improvements that can be maintained consistently. Remember that any marathon starts with the first steps. Make yours – arrive ten minutes early to your private lessons to warm up, check equipment the day before competitions, complete your homework before you take your phone to scroll Instagram reels.
Establish your own standards. Move beyond just following external rules by developing personal expectations. What does thorough preparation mean to you? What kind of teammate do you want to be? What daily habits support your goals? When you create your own standards rather than just following others’, you’re more likely to maintain them consistently. Again, do not set bombastic expectations, focus on attainable goals, even if they feel too small to mention to your coach or parents.
Take ownership of decisions. Gradually increase the choices you make about your own training. Choose between different warm-up routines, select which skills to emphasize during independent practice, or decide how to manage competition schedules around academic obligations. Each decision you make independently builds your capacity for self-management. Learn to advocate for yourself. If your parents want you to attend this important competition, either seek out how to properly address your schoolwork, or have courage to say no if you will not be able to.
Recognize cause and effect. Pay attention to the relationship between your daily decisions and long-term results. When your performance improves after consistent preparation, notice that connection. When poor choices lead to setbacks, acknowledge them honestly without making excuses. This awareness helps you make better choices from internal understanding rather than external pressure.
Celebrate your own progress. Acknowledge when you demonstrate self-discipline, especially in areas where you previously needed external reminders. This builds internal satisfaction from self-directed behavior rather than depending solely on external approval for motivation.
The Patient Path Forward
Self-discipline development requires patience from both fencers and their families. Parents are often tempted to revert to control when progress seems slow or inconsistent. But like physical conditioning, self-discipline builds gradually through consistent practice. It never improves from dramatic parental intervention.
Fencers who develop genuine self-discipline often don’t show immediate competitive advantages. They might advance more slowly initially than peers who receive intensive external management. But over time, their sustainable approach to development typically produces superior long-term results.
These athletes continue improving long after others plateau because their motivation comes from internal drives rather than external pressure. They adapt more successfully to new environments, handle setbacks more effectively, and maintain enthusiasm for the sport longer. Parents often notice that self-disciplined fencers require fewer reminders, create less family stress around fencing commitments, and seem more genuinely engaged with their development.
The ultimate goal of your fencing journey should be becoming a self-directed individual who no longer needs external structure to maintain excellence. The habits, mindset, and capabilities you develop through sport will serve you in whatever paths you choose.
Whether you continue competitive fencing or move toward other pursuits, the self-discipline developed through athletic training serves you throughout life. You become an adult who sets meaningful goals, creates effective plans, and executes consistently despite obstacles and distractions.
This is perhaps the greatest gift competitive fencing can provide—not just the ability to score touches or win tournaments, but to develop internal capabilities necessary for success in any area of life.
Eventually, your coach’s voice will fade and your parents’ reminders will become distant memories. But as a self-disciplined fencer, you carry forward an internal compass that guides you toward excellence in whatever you choose to pursue. That internal voice, developed through years of athletic training, becomes your most valuable and lasting competitive advantage.
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