Don't Be Foiled by Fencing

Don't be foiled by fencing

You're wearing a mask that covers your whole face and dressed in padded clothing. You dance back and forth gracefully whilst holding a flexible metal rod in one hand. Another person opposite you follows this process and repeats it. Sounds like a bizarre African dance.

The problem with fencing is its stereotype. Most people believe fencers are only people with perfect hand-eye coordination and quick reflexes and that they are born that way. I however have proved that this is not the case since I have less hand-eye coordination than a blind tennis player, and reflexes as fast as a sloth.

Last month I took a trip down to my local sport centre and inquired about fencing. I was told that there were evening classes every Monday and that all I needed to bring was a pair of trainers to start. It just happened to be Monday that day and so I went back home and picked up my trainers.

Our instructor Pierre Harper (six times British Senior Champion and three times Commonwealth Champion) briefly explained to us the history of fencing. Finishing with some inspirational words "The modern Olympic fencer trains for years, honing agility, quickness, and subtlety of movement". No hope for me then. Then he went through some basic stretching exercises to warm us up such as: A hamstring stretch (which involves sitting on the floor, pulling one leg up until your foot is next to your knee. Then stretch for your toes of the straight leg). Having pulled every muscle I thought possible during this 'easy' exercise, I began to wonder if I was up to fencing and whether my body could cope with this new strain inflicted on it. But I carried on; I was determined to at least hold a foil before the end of the evening. To my delight I was immediately given my fencing clothes which consisted of a plastron (a protective under layer), a jacket and a glove. I was then sent off to learn the basic fencing technique with my instructor.

"Perseverance is key but you only need to be committed" - Pierre Harper

Fencing is Good for You too!

There are many benefits in fencing: the sport can be continued life long. Men and women as old as 70 can still fence. It increases your reflexes due to the constant barrage of a sword onslaught and there are also signs that it stops Alzheimer's Disease, says Dr. Raymond Crawfurd, medical adviser for the British Fencing Association, "because fencing constantly needs strategy and continuous thought, it speeds up the thought and so reduces memory loss which can prevent Alzheimer's in some people.

Fencing is also available to amputees, paraplegics and athletes with cerebral palsy in Wheelchair fencing. Athletes compete in wheelchairs that are fixed to the floor, allowing Fencers freedom of movement in the upper body only. It was introduced at the 1960 Paralympic Games in Rome.

Fencing has recently become associated with a number of films. The most recent film out is the Mask of Zorro II in which Antonio Bandaras and Catherine Zeta-Jones sword fight heavily throughout the film. The latest James Bond film, Die Another Day, even has Madonna fencing. Other famous films include: Pirates of the Caribbean, Romeo and Juliet and Star Wars-The Empire Strikes Back.

How to start!

As most clubs are affiliated to the British Fencing Association (BFA), information can be obtained easily at the website: www.britishfencing.com

Contrary to popular belief it is not expensive to start fencing. Most clubs charge a membership fee (Ј20-Ј30), which normally includes the cost of tuition and hire of equipment. However if you do not want to join a club, a complete set of basic fencing equipment costs about Ј80 - Ј120. You must wear protective clothing also, which consists of a mask, glove, plastron and