Beginners

Learning to Fence

The Huntingdonshire Fencing Club beginners' course has been run twice a year for many years and you are guaranteed a good introduction to the sport by a qualified coach. The size of the group is limited to a maximum of twenty to ensure there is adequate equipment for all present and that everyone is given the attention they need. Generally the coach is supported by one or two of the club senior fencers to keep things lively and offer help where necessary. Please register early for the course to reserve your place by calling Ivan on (01480) 380804. Late registration for the course is usually available provided space allows, check with Ivan before turning up. If you are not sure fencing is for you why not pop along and watch for a while. The course is held at St. Neots Leisure Centre on Thursday evenings.

Course Outline

What do you learn on the course and what will you be doing?
The course lasts for 10 weeks and currently costs £60. It starts at 7.00 p.m. and finishes at 8.30 p.m. See below for further details.

First Evening

Turn up at 7:00pm, please try not to be too late, your coach and several of the club members will be there to greet you. While you register with your coach the club members will be getting the equipment ready for use. Oh, by the way don't forget to wear something suitable for fencing, the following is ideal:

* Training shoes or pumps

* T-Shirt

* Tracksuit bottoms, loose fitting jeans or trousers

* A glove (we do have a lot of gloves but sometimes we can run out)

There is no need for a tracksuit top, we will be providing protective clothing for your upper body. You do need to wear something that covers your legs, you will occasionally be hit on the leg even though it is not valid target area. A T-Shirt top is generally adequate, the protective clothing is thick and fencing will keep you warm.

The coach will explain the use of all the special items of fencing clothing and equipment, all these items are available for loan while fencing at the club:

* The under jacket or plastron, used to protect you fencing arm

* The over jacket to protect the rest of your upper body

* The face mask

* The glove

* The sword or Foil

Fencing is a very safe sport and we keep it that way at the Huntingdonshire Fencing Club. We maintain safety by:

* Always wearing suitable protective clothing while fencing

* Being mindful of where your sword is pointing at all times

* Give other fencers plenty of room when moving about the hall

Safety and etiquette will be explained to you, if you forget someone may politely remind you.

So, to the fun part.....

On your first evening you will be shown the following:

* The differences between the three weapons used in modern fencing

* The points of the Foil, the weapon you will be using

* The valid target area

* How to hold the foil

* The On Guard position, the stance taken up at the start of a fencing bout

* Basic foot work, moving forwards and backwards

At the Huntingdonshire Fencing Club you will be wearing the protective clothing and handling a foil from the very first evening, although you may not get to hit anyone on the first night - well we've got to keep something back for the second evening. Try to remember the numbers written on the club equipment you have used so you can get the correct size the following weeks.

Evenings 2 to 9

Each evening starts the same, collect your equipment and get ready for fencing. The whole club warms-up with stretching and foot work exercises, we try to do this together. If you are not sure what to do copy a club fencer!

The course is progressive and you will learn a few new techniques each week and have the chance to practice on each other. The course tries to cover all of the basic fencing technique for the Foil weapon and depending on progress you may try some of the more advanced techniques for fun. Each week you will be consolidating the techniques you have learnt so far, don't be surprised to do some things more than once they are probably very important.

On the penultimate night you will be shown the electric fencing equipment and how to use it ready for the last night and the course competition. We are limited on electric club foils and body wires so may have to share, but you will soon realise this is not actually a problem.

You will have seen the club fencers fighting while you are on your course, take a few minutes to watch them before you go home. This is what you are here to learn. You will notice it is not like the fights you see in films or on the TV, it's much faster.

The Last Evening

On the very last evening of your course you will get chance to put everything into practice, we will arrange a mini-competition between the course members. This competition will be run on the same lines as all fencing competitions and you will have priority use of the club's electric fencing equipment. This is a fun evening for the all club members as the senior fencers will be presiding over you fights and you will get your first real chance to mix with the other club members and watch the fun.

In the course so far you will have not seen how strenuous fencing can be. It is a good idea to bring a drink, you may need half a litre of water or more for an evening's fencing.

The winner of the competition will get the chance to have their photo on the web site as a prize !

After the Course

You will be invited to join the club as a full member. If you are still not sure the sport is for you, you can come along and pay a visitors fee each evening.

You will have noticed that most club members have their own equipment. Don't forget they have been fencing for sometime, you do not need to buy any equipment. The club is happy to allow its members free use of the club equipment for an evening's fencing. If you pay as a visitor and come regularly we will encourage you to become a full member, its cheaper for you and you get extra privileges - free lessons.

The first week after the course may feel like a step into the unknown and it will be a little different because there is no course going on. To give you an idea of what happens:

* Club members turn up at random times in the evening but because the course has finished you may see some new faces coming earlier in the evening. There is more space to fence.

* When you arrive you may be asked to help get the equipment out, you will know the procedure by now you should have seen it often enough.

* Collect any equipment you need to borrow from the club stock and get ready for fencing.

* At 7:15pm-ish everyone present warms-up with foot work exercises, you will know most of these you've been doing them for 10 weeks

* There is often a group lesson on one aspect of fencing technique, you will be encouraged to join in. The topic will probably be something you have already done or a variation on it. Don't be surprised if some of the other club fencers join in and you have to practice with them. (Some of them did the beginners' course before you so they may have only been fencing 3 months)

* Fencing ! It is a good idea to fence the friends you have made during the course but it is a better idea to fence the other club members. Not all club members fence foil, the club has a particularly strong epee group of fencers. Generally though, if you challenge someone to a fight they will accept, so if you are challenged why not accept ?

* Aim to fence at least five bouts in the evening with at least one of them with a senior fencer. You can learn a lot from the better fencers and they will help you to improve

* If you are a full member put your name down for a lesson with Mike our club coach. This is the way to learn with one to one tuition tailored to your own needs. All the senior fencers will be having lessons.

* Don't hesitate to ask about anything to do with fencing, the answer may take longer than you expect.

* Bring something to drink, it's thirsty work...