Fencing is a combative sport enjoyed by people of all ages. It requires fencers to score points by hitting their opponent with a foil, epee or a saber sword while pacing back and forth around an area known as a piste. Moreover, it is a relatively safe sport because face
masks, gloves, and jackets are used for extra protection. A lot of health benefits are also linked with this prestigious sport. Read on to find out more about these benefits.
Flexibility
Fencing is a sport that depends on lunging. The deeper a fencer can lunge, the farther he can stretch. This stretching enables him to better hit his opponent and also stay out his reach. Such deep lunges improve the flexibility in the upper back, lower back, shoulders, thighs, hips, and glutes. This is because, as the fencer reaches forward to tag the opponent, he leads with the same arm and leg, hence, it is crucial to perform extra stretches for his non-dominant limbs in order to maintain the balance between his left and right sides.
Leg Strength and Endurance
The fencer uses lunges and recoveries, and onwards and rearward motion in the on guard position. In this position, the legs remain active even when there is no movement. This plight of constant readiness helps build strength and stamina in the lower body. As the fencer leads with one leg more than the other, it is highly important for him to perform certain strengthening exercises for his non-dominant leg.
Anaerobic Fitness
Fencing is kind of a start-stop sport where high-intensity activities are followed by stretches of recovery. During the high activity periods, the fencer has limited oxygen consumption which helps develop his anaerobic capacity. As the anaerobic capacity increases, the buildup of lactic acid in the muscles takes time which eventually enables the fencer to work harder and for longer before the muscles get sore. The accumulation of lactic acid causes a burning sensation in the muscles during the anaerobic workout. However, with fencing, the body starts producing less lactic acid and also clears it quickly once the activity ceases.
Aerobic Fitness
Although fencing falls under the category of anaerobic sports, it does require elements of aerobic priming. The endurance of the fencer depends on his cardiovascular system’s ability to sustain through multiple sessions of anaerobic activity. Hence, the repetition of anaerobic activity is also an effective aerobic workout
Coordination
Fencing requires the fencer to move his body in a multitude of ways. His arms and legs need to coordinate harmoniously when attacking, defending or counter-attacking. Even though there are certain common positions that need to be adopted for fencing, many movements are also purely reactive. Hence, having sound coordination makes these movements much smoother and less clumsy.
Increased Mental Agility
Lastly, fencing is sometimes also referred to as physical chess. This is because it requires logical and strategic tactics for movements. These calculations enhance the analytical and strategic capabilities of the fencer. The mental agility enables the fencer to quickly observe the opponent’s skills and personality and eventually lead to a split second win.
Fencing is a sport that promotes individual strategy and discipline in addition to being a well-rounded form of mental and physical workout. If you enjoy this prestigious sport as well, you can become the owner of your very own
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