Fencing can provide a fun way to stay fit or get in shape
Improves speed, agility, flexibility and reflexes
Enhances integrity, sportsmanship and the desire to excel
Brings opportunities for competition in sports
Offers a dynamic circle of peers and mentors
Leads to scholarships, Olympic and international opportunities
Increases focus and concentration
Hones strategic thinking and decision making skills
Everyone who fences regularly can expect to experience physical benefits. As a fitness boost, the fast, intense pace of fencing provides an excellent aerobic workout. Its fast pace, including intense footwork, exercises the cardiovascular system. The pace is also a good way of burning calories. It is estimated that a 180-pound man will burn about 380 calories per hour fencing. It is a solid workout - working the buttocks, stomach and thigh muscles in particular, while increasing the fencer's stamina and coordination. All types of fencing develop strength, suppleness, agility in the legs and improves overall flexibility. Over a period of time fencers become swift and agile, develop balance and learn to concentrate and make snap decisions in the heat of the moment. Bear in mind that if you are to reap the maximum benefit from fencing, it is a sport that requires a certain amount of dedication. Fencing shares some basic foundations with some of the martial arts (or even dance and music for that matter!). Some examples of these: measure, tempo change, timing, velocity, and proper execution and simplification of technique. Therefore, students can associate the learning from one subject or skill set to another, linking the common ground in order to help hasten the learning, and broaden their life perspective.
Fencing is an excellent mental exercise, often link to chess. It helps relieve stress, which can have health benefits such as lowering blood pressure. It is also a great way of countering stress. Anyone who's ever wanted to let off steam and frustration will know that an act of controlled aggression is often the best way of releasing pent-up tension. Fencing provides that outlet as it allows aggression to be taken out in a safe, controlled environment. Any fencer who makes a serious effort to learn the art cannot help but develop greater powers of observation and a greater understanding of strategy. This development of strategic thinking can be applied not only to fencing and other forms of combat, but to any situation of conflict or competitive interaction with other people, even in business and politics! A fencer, to become a good fencer, must learn to develop a complete understanding of a system, and learn how to judge and determine their opponent’s thoughts and character so as to anticipate their actions. This ability is essential in life, and the fencer must learn not only this skill of prediction, but also how to take advantage of the knowledge it produces and move into what fencers call ‘second intention’. The fencer must learn to use this ability to yield to the opponent, letting them think they are in control of the bout, meanwhile the fencer already knows everything that the opponent will do, and is in fact setting them up, controlling all their actions without appearing to.
Fencing offers the opportunity to travel both domestically and abroad to those who become proficient and seek competition. Very skilled fencers may have the opportunity to compete in prestigious tournaments including the Olympic Games. The social rewards should not be overlooked. Club members often become friends and competitors find themselves meeting hundreds of people over the years as they travel to competitions locally, nationally, and internationally. The sport of fencing has a long tradition with the universities across The United States, some of them offering scholarships for skilled fencers.
Fencing can benefit people in many different ways, depending primarily on how seriously the student commits to its study, and what they are trying to learn from it. Many people who are reluctant to take part in team games enjoy the individuality of fencing. Just as there are countless personal characteristics that contribute to becoming a good fencer, so are there countless aspects of fencing that appeal to nearly every individual. Some individuals may seek to compete, and success in competition will be due solely to their own efforts: matching their own skill, speed and intellect against those of an opponent; female competing equally with male. Other individuals enjoy the pleasure of perfecting and performing disciplined movements correctly and studying the theory and language of fencing as pure recreation.
Finally, should all of the above fall to the wayside, fencing is always FUN! Fantastic in bridging gaps between sexes, sizes, ethnicity and personality (as is seen when both young girls and boys defeat an opponent with technique and timing when confronted with brawn and bulk!). Fencing is a great solution to balancing a student's mind, body and spirit in order to temper a successful adult!
Fencing, a match of mind and body It's a game! It's a sport! It's a challenge!
