Fencing for fitness

Grab a foil and step into the art of fencing

By Elaine Paoloni, amNewYork Features Editor | epaoloni@am-ny.com

March 7, 2007

You're so beyond the bike and the treadmill. You've tried spinning, Pilates, even strip class and pole-dancing.

Still bored? How about picking up a foil and plunging your way into the world of fencing?

"Fencing encourages certain values," says Sharone Huey, a competitive fencer and personal trainer at The Sports Center at Chelsea Piers. "It is an individual accomplishment that builds confidence and reinforces sportsmanship."

Don't think the sport is all about slashing around like a drunken pirate though. It requires precision and agility and takes time and dedication to master.

But the benefits are great. You'll get a great cardio workout that hones your flexibility, strength and balance and really works your butt. In fact, a 150-pound person can expect to burn about 300 calories in an hour of fencing.

Here, Huey lays out a few of the basics involved in the fine art of fencing.

Note: The dominant arm is the right arm for a right-handed person. The steps written below refer to the right arm as the dominant arm.

1. Salute your opponent
The first thing you must do is salute your opponent, or, in a learning situation, your instructor.

To do this, get into first position. Place your feet together so that your left heel touches your right heel at a 90-degree angle. Point your right leg (if you are right handed) toward your opponent.

Hold a foil in your dominant hand, with your arm outstretched and the foil pointed down toward the floor. Bend your dominant elbow toward your face so that the foil is parallel to your face.

2. En garde position
Once you complete your salute, don your mask and assume the en garde position. Fencers advance and retreat in this position.

Bend your legs slightly, maintaining the perpendicular foot placement, however, your feet should be separated approximately hip width apart. Your body weight should be evenly distributed.

Bend your dominant arm slightly more than 90 degrees, and extend your forearm toward your opponent.

Raise your left arm to about shoulder height, forming an angle slightly greater than 90 degrees. Extend your forearm toward the ceiling and keep your wrist relaxed.

3. Surprise attack
Lunge forward with your right leg and extend your foil arm completely toward your opponent. Simultaneously extend your left arm in the opposite direction, away from your opponent.

Recover from the lunge by using the strength of your rear leg to push back while bending your front leg.

4. Conclude the segment
At the conclusion of a fencing segment, place your mask under your foil arm and shake your opponent's hand.