Fencing

Fencing is fun! You use a sword to defend and attack your opponent and score points. It’s really safe because you wear protective clothing that stops you getting hurt, including a mask, glove and tough jacket.

There are three different types of sword, the foil, epee (pronounced EPP-AY) and sabre.

The Swords:

Foil: a light, thrusting weapon, originally used for training soldiers to fight in battle. You score a point by hitting the trunk of the body, including the back, but don’t get points for the arms or head.

Epee: a heavier, thrusting weapon, originally used for duelling. Hits can be scored anywhere on the body. One-hit epee is one of the five disciplines of Modern Pentathlon.

Sabre: a cutting and thrusting weapon, originally used by cavalry soldiers. The target area is limited to everything above the hips, except for the hands and the back of the head.

The Moves:

Fencing movements are all about stepping towards and away from your opponent to keep your distance. You’re not allowed to turn your back. When you see a chance to attack, you lunge!

Did you know? Fencers always salute their opponent, the referee and the crowd before and after a bout (fight). It’s a sign of respect.

Take a look at the movements in this video.

Fast Answers

Why get into fencing?

It’s a great way to give your mind and body a workout (and best of all you get to hit people with swords!)

Who is it for?

Everyone. Fencing is a sport for all ages. All you need is enthusiasm. Over 250,000 people try fencing every year through clubs and have a go sessions!

Is it all very competitive?

There are all kinds of clubs and fencing experiences out there – fun one-off activities with plastic kit, social club environments which cater for a range of different ages and abilities, right up to the competitive performance clubs.

How do I start?

Your local club will let you hire or borrow the equipment needed. You can try fencing at home with the I Tried Fencing series or ask your school to do fencing! British Fencing offers good courses for your teacher.

What if I want a proper workout?

Fencing is unique in its need for mental and physical dedication – an intense match or training can be quite a good workout!

Can I take it to another level?

With plenty of competitions across the UK there are numerous opportunities to compete and reach the top in a sport competed at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

When you’re just starting out, you may use plastic swords at school or in your club. As you improve, you use metal swords and can take part in competitions like the British School Teams Championships. Competitions might include team or individual events so you can fight solo or in a team. If you really enjoy fencing, you could start having lessons and go on to compete all over the world! You might decide you want to be a coach or team manager one day. There is an Athlete Development Programme that helps young athletes develop their career through camps and competitions. Fencing is a great way to develop leadership skills and fitness, and you can travel the world.

I Tried Fencing

Want to try fencing? Learn the basic moves, make your own sword and start at home! You can challenge your friends and family to join in with the I Tried Fencing series on Youtube!

A GBR Fencer- Ed Scott Payne

Hi, my name is Ed Scott Payne and I am currently on the cadet men's epee squad and have been since I was 13.

As I have competed for the last 3 years on the British cadet squad, I thought I would share an insight into what it is like for a youth athlete on the British team competing internationally. For me at age 13, I was going to take my experiences on my first season and use them to carry me forwards in future years. I was not a tall boy back then, and I still am small now, but I have grown in confidence and ability from my first season which has led to great achievement in the latest season with a bronze medal at the Copenhagen Cadet EFC and 7th place at the European cadet championships in 2020.

I went to my first international in Klagenfurt, Austria, and I had never been to an event of such scale and stature before. I was very nervous as many were as it was the first international of the season and I didn't know what to expect. Low and behold little 5ft 5 me came up against a 6ft tall Bulgarian and after beating him 5-4 I gained the confidence and made it through the poules (rounds of fights to see who will get to the finals). It was during the poules I realised the standard was far higher than I had experienced before and I learnt to not underestimate any fencer. I carried this lesson through to the European Championships in Porec last February. Each international trip as a youth athlete is different as you explore different countries and their cultures as well as fencing lots of different nations and learning different tactics and techniques to take forward and help us develop.

In truth, I believe the most important thing I have experienced and learnt from being part of the squad is how beneficial and uplifting it is to have a squad surrounding you and supporting you. It is something that has stuck within the British cadet epee squad in particular whilst I have been on the team. As I have mentioned, I was 13 when I first began competing on the squad, and the older members of the team and their parents helped me whenever I needed and everyone was always there to support not only myself but everyone and it is the supportive environment amongst the British squad which sets us apart as a national team from the rest. Fast forward 3 years, and I hope now I can help the newer and younger members of the team feel as involved and as a part of the team as I did 3 years ago as I enter my last year as a cadet. International events can be daunting for many as pressure varies upon different athletes and I want the sense of camaraderie to continue within the British cadet team once I leave the cadet squad.

Q and A ELKE LALE van ACHTERBERG

Hi Elke. When did you first start Wheelchair Fencing?

I was 13 years old when I started wheelchair fencing. I have suffered from a chronic disease since the age of 11. I have always been used to participate in various sporting activities, however being in a wheelchair made it much more difficult. I was depressed as a teenager, between the ages of 12 and 13, I could not enjoy anything as I had been dealing with a terrible nerve pain and I spent most of my time in hospital for tests and check-ups. I was bullied at school. I just needed something for myself in my life. During this time I realized that I need to participate in sport again, despite my disability. The first sport I tried was fencing and I felt in love with it. I knew that I wanted to do it for the rest of my life! It helped me with my depression. Simply, it made me happy.

What appealed to you about the sport?

Fencing is never the same. Fencing is an inspiring synergy of everything you can have in sport: the technique, the movement, the fusion of force flexibility. It’s a fast sport but you need to know when to slow down. You need to predict your opponent’s next move and follow your intuition. The combination of all of these things makes the sport so great to me!

What are the most important skills you need to succeed in this sport?

It is very technical. You have to be strength and flexible. Your hand control has to be very good. You have to think very fast. Fencing is a sport that reveals a person’s inner beast, while at the same time requiring them to focus, maintain control and concentrate. You have to deal with the rollercoaster of emotions that fencing provides.

You were the u17 Youth World Champion 2017 – how much training did you do to win that title?

To win that title I trained 5 till 6 days a week. It is not only fencing, sparring and technical lessons. You can find me also almost daily in the gym and I work twice a week with a personal trainer.

Who do you train with?

I train with the best able-body fencers in the Netherlands. There are no other wheelchair fencers at my level in the Netherlands, so my goal after corona is to go more often to England to train with my GB fencing friends, Dimitri Coutya, Piers Gilliver, Oliver Lam-Watson and Gemma Collis-MCCann. They are the best fencers of the World and they are also my best friend.

You live in the Netherlands but fence for Turkey – in a normal year you must do a lot of traveling! Where’s your favourite place in the world?

I live and train in the Netherlands. So I don’t have to travel to Turkey very often. But we have around 7 competitions a year all over the World. My favourite place in the World is Kyoto in Japan. It is a total different country. A beautyful culture.