Why do people like fencing

Too much aggression and you become your own worst enemy, throwing yourself on your opponents blade. Here is one reason a seasoned, silver-haired fox has brought many an anxious young buck to his knees: smarter and more conservative with his energy, picking the right moment to strike, working with his own impulses rather than having to fight against them.

Concentration in the Present Moment The immense concentration required of our sport is a draw unto itself. The focus, the being in the moment, the now-ness of fencing is an immense draw to many. The Thrill of Combat There is an emotional component to fencing that is shared only with the other combat sports. And that is the combat element of the game. You assess their game, adjust your own game accordingly, and defeat your opponent on the field of combat.

How to support one another and how to be happy for an opponent. How to get knocked down but then to get back up again. These things translate into life and help fencers to be successful when times are tough and to persevere. Fencing builds confidence. For a child, handing them a sword even a not sharp sword! Building confidence is one of the things that is best about the sport of fencing, and really everything else that we love about the sport comes together in this one piece.

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Like this: Like Loading Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. We are fortunate at the RFC to have world-class coaches in all three weapons. Iris : Fencing is a great mind and body workout and is often referred to as "physical chess. Fencing is an individual sport , so it is ideal for kids who prefer to be in control of their own success or failure. Fencing requires a great deal of mental focus without realizing it.

In order to be successful, you need to plan your next move and watch your opponent's moves. Fencers develop good hand-eye coordination , balance, and quick reflexes. Fencing is a great activity for all kinds of kids, even those who may have difficulty with other organized sports. Because this sport is so unique, children are required to learn how to control their body in a way different than they ever have before.

In some ways it is similar to ballet, gymnastics, or figure skating, and kids who have enjoyed these activities have transitioned well into fencing. With fencing, though, you get a weapon! The real advantage, however, is how this newness forces the child to have to pay attention and focus in class.

This, along with the individual aspect of the sport, can be quite beneficial for children with learning disabilities or ADHD. I have seen students who have these challenges be quite successful in this activity. Many fencers go on to complete even after high school and include fencing as a unique extra-curricular activity when they apply to college. There are many collegiate fencing programs , and while not everyone will make it to the NCAA level, many universities have club programs which allow fencers to continue this healthy, stress-relieving activity into adulthood.

Top fencers can be awarded generous scholarships. For example, my sister and I both received scholarships to StanfordUniversity. Finally, fencing teaches many important life lessons. In this day and age, I find that a lot of children have come to believe that everyone must be a winner all of the time. Consequently they have a hard time learning how to learn from a loss. I think fencing provides that opportunity in a safe environment so a discussion can be had and they can learn how to react appropriately and go on to set attainable goals.

KOAA : Can you tell immediately by looking at a child whether he or she will be good at fencing? Iris: Actually, no. It looked like people just jumping at each other and arbitrarily scoring.

What am I missing? Good for you for supporting your cousin, even if it was hard to tell what was going on and to enjoy the fencing tournament. Fencing is a good resource for finding a fencing club near you. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.