Fencing Cheat Sheet

The key takeaways for beginners – choice of weapon, footwork and the etiquette of the piste for your first bouts.

Equipment

Item	Priority	Tip
Protective clothing	High	Never wield a weapon without complete, undamaged protective gear.
Fit	Medium	Protection yes, but without restricting mobility.
Care	Medium	Dry your kit after training, check the gear regularly for fatigue.

Weapon compass

Weapon	Character
Foil	Thrusting weapon, target area torso – the classic learning weapon with right of way.
Épée	Thrusting weapon, whole body counts – no right of way, tactically shaped.
Sabre	Cut and thrust above the waist – the fastest game.

The 3 golden technique rules

Factor 1: Arm before leg

Concept: Jump first and extend later and you give away reach and right of way. Tip: The extension of the weapon arm always precedes the footwork – only then the lunge.

Factor 2: Side-on & balanced

Concept: Standing square you present the maximum target area. Tip: Side-on stance, weight even on both legs – able to go forward AND back at any moment.

Factor 3: Fingers instead of fist

Concept: Cramped muscles and wide swings make you slow and imprecise. Tip: Guide the point with thumb and index finger, breathe consciously – small movements win.

Piste etiquette

The salute is mandatory: Before and after every bout – respect is the foundation of this sport.
Weapon only on the piste: And only against a fully protected opponent – no exceptions.
Eyes on the target: Don’t look at your own feet – your target is the opponent, not the floor.
Mask stays on: For every exercise with a weapon – no exceptions, even in easy technique work.

Fencing athletics

Explosive legs: Speed on the piste decides – train lunges and sprints.
Core stability: Protects against injury and keeps you balanced.
Intervals: Short, intense phases simulate the load of a real bout.
Footwork drills: Drill advances and retreats at distance – the piste is a running sport.

Pro tip: Fencing is won with the legs: ten minutes of footwork before every open bout pays more than any new blade – distance is the best parry.