5 Fantastic Tips to Prepare for Your First Fencing Class

• Foil: The foil is a light weapon for thrusting. In this type of fencing, the valid "target area" only includes the torso. This is an excellent type of fencing for beginners, so all other tips here are for foil fencing.
  
  
• Epee: This is a heavy weapon for thrusting. Epee fencing's target area includes the whole body of the opponent.
  
  
• Sabre: This is a light weapon for cutting and thrusting. Every area above the waist (minus the hands and back of the head) is included in the target area.
  

• chest protector (females)
  
• glove
  
• jacket
  
• mask
  
• pants
  
• shoes
  
• socks
  
• under-arm protector
  

While gripping the foil, your forearm should be perpendicular to your body, with your elbow situated at a few inches from your ribcage. Make sure to angle the foil slightly inward, to defend yourself sufficiently. Meanwhile, the back arm's biceps should be perpendicular to your body, with the forearm pointed upwards.

Meanwhile, when you lunge, your front arm should extend as you attack, while the back arm should drop downwards (~225° angle), in order to counterbalance the thrusting of the front arm.

Before practicing the lunge, it is important to stretch your hamstrings. First, squat towards the front foot, and then towards the back foot.

To do a lunge, follow some basic steps. Your front foot should extend as far as possible, with your thighs forming a right angle with your calf. Meanwhile, your back leg should extend as far backwards as possible, with the back foot becoming perpendicular to the front foot. Make sure to practice a combination of advances and retreats, to make your lunges more fluid.

To perform a parry, move your hand to block the open line with your bellguard, keeping the foil pointed towards the opponent. Using this method will help to defend a particular region of your target area, without making you vulnerable to an attack on a different portion of it!