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The modern sport of fencing is rooted in the ancient art of the duel. Before modern history, swordplay was a fight to the death: Kill or be killed.
Today, fencing is an Olympic sport of competition, concentration, strength, and speed. While fencing is physically challenging, it is often called physical chess because it is a game for the mind, not just the body. While strength and conditioning are important, the winner of a fencing bout is often determined by both physical skill and strategic thinking. Because of this mental training, those who train in fencing are often top achievers in both academics and life. In fact, a recent study of college students revealed that student fencers earned the top collective GPA of any sport in the NCAA. Fencing builds brains. Fencing is also a metaphor for life. Attack, parry, respond, defeat, retreat, timing, distance—these elements of fencing are all skills of life. To learn to fence is to learn to live. Let's begin. |
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Learn more about fencing
The sport of fencing is fast, precise, and athletic, a far cry from the choreographed sword fights you see on film or on the stage. Instead of swinging from a chandelier or leaping from balconies, two fencers perform an intense dance on a 44 foot long strip.
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Foil, epee and saber are the three weapons used in the sport of fencing.
While some fencers compete in all three events, elite fencers generally choose to focus their energies on mastering one weapon. |
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Each time a fencer lands a valid hit (called a touch) on their opponent, they receive one point.
Competitors win a standard fencing bout by being the first to score 15 touches against their opponent, or by having a higher score than their opponent when the time limit expires. |