If you’ve never tried fencing before, perhaps you’re wondering what it’s all about. Some people might think of it as violent and dangerous, or as a medieval form of combat between knights during the age of chivalry. But modern fencing is not only fun and safe, it’s also a unique way to get fit and boost mental wellbeing.
While fencing has a rich and varied history, it’s now considered to be an organised and competitive form of martial art. It requires skill, agility, balance, and flexibility – and can be picked up quickly by beginners of all ages.
Below, we’ll take a closer look at fencing – including its history, rules, and health benefits – and offer tips on how to get started.
What is fencing?
Fencing is often referred to as ‘a physical version of chess’ because of the attention to detail, focus, and technique involved.
In its simplest form, fencing is a sport where two athletes compete with swords, which are long, thin, bendy and made from maraging steel (a strong tough steel that’s often used in aircraft). The aim is to touch your opponent with your sword and prevent yourself from being touched.
Fencing is also made up of three different combat sports (which are also the names of the weapons used). These are…
The Saber
This is the fastest weapon and the target area is anywhere above the waist. The tip and blade of the saber can be used to score points against the opponent
The fencer who initiates an attack first has what’s known as right of way – which means that if both players touch each other at the same time, the initiating attacker will take the point.
Check out the video below to see an example. Although both opponents touch each other at the same time, the attacker on the left is awarded the point because he was moving forward at the time of the attack – and therefore had the initiative.
The Foil
This is also a thrusting weapon and the target area is anywhere on the opponent’s torso. The athlete moving forward when attacking has right of way, and only the tip of the foil can be used.
The history of fencing
Competitive fencing is one of only five sports to be included in every modern Olympic Games since 1896. It’s evolved into a highly tactical sport with safety precautions and regulations. But prior to the 19th century, it was used in sword fights that injured the opponent, even to the point of death.
Fencing was refined in Italy and then France to become a martial art, rather than a form of violence. If you’d like to explore other martial art forms, check out our article; 6 popular martial arts to learn later in life.
As technology has improved, so has safety equipment and gameplay in fencing. It’s now a sport based on precision and technique, and is especially popular in Europe. Currently, the top fencers are from China, Korea, Hungary, Italy, and France.’s torso.
What are the health benefits of fencing?
Fencing is a sport that engages both mind and body, meaning that it can improve physical fitness as well as mental strength and wellbeing.
So what are some of the main physical health benefits of fencing?
- Coordination – Fencing can improve hand-eye coordination and speed up reaction times. This can boost athletic ability, as well as making everyday activities easier, such as walking up the stairs or carrying heavy objects.
- Flexibility – Because fencing requires the use of a wide range of motion to attack and respond to opponents, it can increase flexibility in the core, arms, and legs. Good flexibility can reduce aches and pains, decrease the risk of injury, and make all physical activity feel easier. It can also improve balance, strength, and overall physical performance.
- Strength – Fencing requires you to make precise, powerful movements and consistently raise your sword, which can increase muscle strength, especially in your arms, back, shoulders, and core. Maintaining and/or increasing strength is particularly important as we age because it can boost your metabolism, improve brain function, and lower the risk of falls or other injuries.
- Balance – Because fencing sees continuous back and forth movements between two opponents, people who practise it regularly will typically see improvements in their balance and stability. The better our balance is, the more control we’ll have over our bodies and the less likely we are to pick up injuries or have falls.
- Agility – Fencing requires fast reactions, and the ability to think on your feet and move quickly in response to your opponent’s attacks. This can increase mind-body connection and blood flow throughout the body. Plus, the more agile we are, the easier we’ll typically find everyday activities like gardening or picking up grandkids – and your risk of injury can decrease too.
- Cardiovascular endurance – During a fencing match, attackers move at a fast pace and must engage several sets of muscles at a demanding intensity over a long period of time. The sport, therefore, is a great form of aerobic exercise that can release endorphins (happy hormones) and help to increase the length of time that your heart, lungs, and muscles can work before they become tired.
Cardiovascular endurance can strengthen the immune system, help with weight loss and maintenance, and improve overall health and quality of life.
Fencing has many benefits for our mental health too. As previously mentioned, it’s referred to as ‘the physical version of chess’ because it can teach you strategic thinking skills. Fencing is also known to promote independent thinking and discipline – due to the intuitive, quick decisions that must be made – which, in turn, can improve self-confidence and belief.
Concentration, focus, and alertness are other key elements of the sport that can be improved through regular fencing practise, as fencers are taught to keep an eye on their opponent at all times.
And finally, attending a fencing club is a great way to meet new like-minded people and become part of a community – two things which are often linked to increased happiness.
What skills are needed for fencing?
Fencing practise is based around three main skills. It’s helpful to be aware of these if you’re interested in starting your own fencing journey. These are…
Blade skills – If you want to make a move before your opponent can react, or make a deceptive move, it’s worth developing your blade work. This skill requires strength and mobility (both of which can be improved through practice), in order to both block and attack your opponent.
Tactics – Fencing is a strategic game that sees opponents trying to outwit each other. This can seem difficult at first, but becomes easier with practice, and makes use of your physical skills at the same time.
Footwork – Arguably the most physically demanding aspect of fencing, footwork is a skill that combines agility and physical coordination. Fencers have to use their judgement (or ‘tactics’) to decide whether to move away from their opponent or make a surprise move forwards.
To see a fencing match in action and get a feel for how these skills are applied, have a watch of the video below from the 2019 World Championships in Budapest…
What are the rules of fencing?
Fencing may seem like a confusing sport with many different elements, but once you’ve learned the basics, it becomes easier to make progress. Here, we’ll outline some of the basic rules of gameplay so that you can visualise these in practise.
The court
Fencing matches are played on a fencing piste, which is a sort of small court. It’s 14m long and 1.5 to 2m metres wide. There’s a centre line down the middle, two en- garde lines, two warning lines, and two limit lines.
If you’d like to learn more about a fencing piste or you’re curious about what they look like, check out the YouTube video below…
Timing and scoring
In a traditional individual fencing match, there’s no time limit and the game only ends when one player has scored 15 hits against their opponent.
But, to make sure that matches don’t go on for hours, the Olympic fencing rules limit each individual set to nine minutes. This is split into three minute intervals, and fencers can rest for one minute in between sets.
If neither opponent has scored 15 hits, the fencer with the greatest number of hits will win the match. Saber is an exception to this rule, as the matches are played in two halves, with a one minute break after the first fencer gets eight points.
When it comes to scoring, there’s a slightly different system for each of the three types of fencing – saber, foil, and epee. We’ll cover these below…
Saber scoring – A red or green light will flash when a fencer strikes their opponent above the waist, and the match will stop to award the point to the attacker. Often the lights both flash at the same time, as it’s easy for both opponents to cut (make a hit by striking with the edge of the blade) each other. But whoever has the right of way will be awarded the point.
Foil scoring – The same rules apply as with the saber, though if the fencers hit each other off-target then the match will stop, a white light will flash, and no points are awarded.
Epee scoring – By touching the opponent anywhere on the body with the tip of the weapon, the attacker will be awarded a point and their light will go off. If both opponents hit each other and both lights flash, each fencer is awarded a point.
Additional fencing rules
Other key rules to get familiar with include…
- Right of way rules – These apply to both the saber and foil. As with driving, ‘right of way’ in fencing essentially means ‘priority’, so opponents will not receive points if they touch each other at the same time.
- Yellow card – Much like in football, a yellow card in fencing is given for a minor rule break. For example, a fencer is not allowed to turn their back to their opponent and will be given a yellow card for doing so.
- Red card – If a fencer receives a second yellow card, they’ll be given a red card. A red card is also given if a more serious rule has been broken, such as if a fencer has shown violent or offensive behaviour. When a red card is raised, a point is awarded to the other opponent.
- Black card – This is much rarer to receive in fencing than other penalties. It’s given to a player who’s breached the rules, for example, by cheating. This means that the player is out of the tournament or competition.
- Exiting the strip on one of the sides – The fencer who stepped outside of the court must stop, and move back one metre from where they initially exited.
- Exiting the strip beyond the end line – If the fencer who exits has both feet behind the last line, a point is awarded to their opponent.
Note: To get familiar with other fencing terminology like ‘cut’, you might want to check out this glossary of terms from British Fencing.
Who can learn to fence?
Fencing clubs welcome beginners so there’s no need to be put off if you’ve never done it before. And much like other martial arts or golf, fencing is a low impact sport that can be played by almost anybody.
For example, there are wheelchair fencing groups, and fencing groups for all ages – with some people in their 80s and 90s still fencing competitively. For those aged 40+ who’d like to compete or learn more, the British Veterans fencing homepage has plenty of news updates and information on classes and events.
When it comes to physical ability, there also isn’t a specific body type that’ll have an overall greater advantage or better fencing ability. For example, shorter people make a smaller and trickier target in foil, whereas height and long reach is an advantage in epee.
How can I get started with fencing?
If you’re interested in learning how to fence, it’s generally recommended that you have lessons at a club, where you can make sure you’re being safe and get tips on your technique.
There are plenty of fencing clubs throughout the UK that offer classes for beginners. You can find your nearest class on the British Fencing website using the button below.
And if you want to reinforce your learning at home, there are lots of YouTube videos you can use to help you practise basic moves and understand more about the sport.
Fencing equipment
Most clubs will provide you with all the equipment you need to get started – so you can just turn up in some comfy clothes (for example tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt) and trainers.
Equipment provided includes things such as a mask, foil, jacket, glove and plastron (inside chest protector).
Note: Protective safety protection equipment is provided because of the nature of the sport (poking each other with weapons), but rest assured that, as long as you’re suited up properly, it shouldn’t hurt – players will typically feel a light tap!
Final thoughts…
Similar to other martial arts, fencing is a great way to improve your mind-body connection, as well as your general fitness.
If you’re looking for a different kind of sport that’s suitable for all ages and has clubs all over the UK, then fencing might be for you. Not only is fencing a social hobby that welcomes beginners of all ages, but you also don’t need to buy lots of expensive equipment to get started – as clubs will often provide this for you.
Another bonus is that fencing is constantly evolving and even the most advanced fencers are still learning, so you’ll always have opportunities to improve your skills.
If you like the sound of fencing and want to explore other martial arts, why not check out our beginner’s guide to Tai Chi?