Fencing Foil Tips To Do Well In Competition

A fencing competition offers a chance for fencers to test their ability outside their fencing club. The event could take place on a local, regional, or national level. However you attack it, you'll need a few preparation tips, which this article will provide.

Set goals

Set three to five specific goals for the season. Whether beginner or expert, your goals need to be measurable and specific. Vague statements are impossible to quantify.

Good goal examples: "I want to participate in three fencing competitions this season," or "I want to make it to the finals at my school's tournament."

A bad goal example: "I want to fence better."

Far too often people will set a season goal and just talk about that goal. Rather than improve their athletic skills, these people train their verbal skills.

To achieve your season goal(s), you'll need to assess your strengths and weaknesses and develop small goals with an action plan tailored to improve those weaknesses.

Example: "I want to improve my point control."

Action plan: "I'll practice 15 minutes a day for three times a week until I can hit a moving golf ball on a string."

By keeping small goals along the way, you will have checkpoints that provide feedback on whether or not you're improving. This will help you achieve your season goal.

Your goals need to be realistic. If you're a 9-to-5 desk jockey, don't expect to be an Olympic fencer training on two hours a week. In a similar fashion, goals that are too easy to achieve won't improve your fencing ability.

Finding the correct balance can be difficult, but using last season as a starting point will provide insight. For instance, last season you made it to the semifinals at your school's tournament. This year, your goal should be the finals -- perhaps even winning the finals. This is a measurable, achievable outcome.

Your training and hours spent training each week should be based on your goals, strengths, and weaknesses.

But general training for a beginner should involve aerobic conditioning and overall resistance training, both of which target overall athletic performance.

Specific fencing training should include studying videos, practicing drills -- practicing more drills -- taking lessons, and bouting.

Like fencing, priority is important in real life, but the points are scored differently.

To keep your life in balance, you need to determine fencing's priority in your life, then adjust your training and goals. That may mean missing Saturday bouting sessions to spend time at work, with family, or with friends. However, skipping out on training because you don't feel like it won't help you achieve your goal, either. Find balance.

Learn about fencing equipment or find more from the author at Timothy Mathisen.