Home training:  EPEE ASSEMBLY & REPAIR

Learn how to take care of your electric epee. National armorer Michael Mergens teaches electric epee assembly, maintenance, and repair in amazing detail. 

Home training:  learn how to referee 

Become a referee! Check out the USA Fencing Referee page on their web site. In addition, The Fencing Referee channel on YouTube features excellent instruction and advice for those looking to learn how to referee or improve their refereeing skills. 

HOME TRAINING:  TOSS AND CATCH, HULA HOOP LUNGE

Using a bean bag, fencing glove, or a tennis ball, you can practice at home eye hand and foot coordination in your footwork. Toss and catch while standing on guard, with a reaching extension, with a lunge, and with an advance lunge.

For this exercise you need a long, level space. Prop up a hula hoop about a 6 to 12 inches off the ground, facing upward. Fencer runs to the hula hoop, jumps in with both feet, out with both feet, lands in an on guard, then lunges or advance lunges.

HOME TRAINING: LUNGE SPEED

'Catch the Stick' is a good exercise for developing speed in the lunge. You need a partner and some kind of stick that is 3 to 5 feet high (e.g. broom handle). Fencer stands on guard, loose arms, knees bent, waiting. Partner props a stick up on one end, at a distance where fencer can grab it at the end of a lunge, then Partner lets go and steps back, Fencer lunges and grabs the stick before it falls to the ground. A common mistake is to shove one's shoulders forward, diving with the upper body, so I recommend adding, "look up" after catching the stick. This will help you keep the torso perpendicular to the ground when you lunge. Arms should be loose when catch the stick. The hand should grip well but have no excess tightness in the fingers and forearm. 

HOME TRAINING:  Leg Strength

The Squat, 'On Guard' Squat, and Lunge are exercises we do frequently at the club in our group workouts. I think they are good at-home exercises because they don't require much room and they can be done on just about any non-slip surface (carpet, wood, etc.). It helps if you can do these where you can see yourself in a mirror to check if you're doing them correctly. The exercises can be done in a circuit (time intervals for each) or in sets (certain number of each exercise). Here we demonstrate doing the exercises slowly, which is good for technique, balance, and strength, but you can also do them at a faster pace for quickness and more aerobic training. A sample circuit workout might be 20 seconds of squats, 10 second rest, 20 seconds of 'on guard' squats, 10 seconds of rest, and 20 seconds of lunges with 10 seconds of rest, then repeat that circuit as many times as you see fit. A sample of sets might be 5 repetitions of squat, 5 reps of 'on guard' squat, and 10 lunges, repeating those sets as much as you see fit. Feel free to vary it to your needs. 

Disclaimer: As always, be careful working out at home, make sure you're medically able to do so, and that the area in your home you are working out in is safe. Fencers under age 18 please make sure working out at home is OK with your parents. If you experience pain or excessive fatigue while doing an exercise, stop and rest.