What tips would you give a beginner to fencing?

Ok, I'm going to a foil fencing class pretty soon. Never been before or done anything even remotely similar. What kind of things will I learn on the first lesson? Have you any tips to help me get the most out of it?|||The first lessons should introduce you to the basic position (standing), on guard, extension, and the basic footwork of advance, retreat and lunge. There should be a period of warm-up and physical conditioning. You will get instruction on safety and protocols such as saluting your opponent. Depending on the club and coach, you may or may not actually hold a weapon for one or more lessons. Some coaches want to drill students on the fundamentals of footwork for a while before introducing them to the weapon. Others take the approach that students, especially young beginning fencers, need more immediate gratification and will have you holding a blade pretty soon.





To get the most out of your first lesson, be prepared to listen, watch, and follow the example of your coach. Your coach or an assistant will demonstrate things for you. Watch and follow their lead. Many of the positions and moves are not intuitive, so you can expect to make mistakes and get corrected. In fact, if you don't get corrected, I would question the competence of the coach.





In subsequent lessons, you will learn how to hold a blade, how to extend your arm and hit the target, how to lunge and hit the target, how to perform a direct and indirect attack, and how to parry an attack. Once you have some of the technical details down, expect to get tactical directions on *when* to attack, how to judge distance between yourself and your opponent, and how to read an attack.|||I don't know the coach or the club you plan on going to but this is my fifth year fencing. I started in my freshman year of high school so it was a very athletic program and the first two months I didn't do much other than push-ups, sit-ups, running and other strength building and conditioning workouts. You will learn the parts of the equipment (jacket, mask, body cord, etc..), what an advance, retreat and the basic extend and lunge. Nothing too complicated but it is a lot of footwork so discipline becomes a factor as does patience. Fencing is just as much an art as it is a sport and it will take time to perfect any part of your fencing style so have fun, but also give it the dedication it deserves.|||Assuming you're not going to a really good club you'll probably learn about the equipment and safety rules to start and then they'll teach you footwork. You won't actually fence for at least a week. But once you do it's great.


If you go to a good club you'll be doing what Fox jr. said.|||Dr. Epee gave a good answer regarding what to expect. It's very accurate. The only thing I have to add is under the category of "tips." That being, don't get frustrated if you do not master skills quickly. Fencing is a unique sport in that it is as much mental (strategy) as physical. High level fencers are often in their late twenties and early thirties. That's just about the time where physical prowess just begins to decrease but mental mastery of the game is still increasing. Its a life long sport that takes years to "master." If you follow the typical path, your learning curve will have many plateaus.





good luck and enjoy.