Tag Archive: fencing

1. How to warm up for fencing

   23rd March 2015 9:46 am 2 Comments

   “We want faster, cleverer and more independent fencers”

   an aspirational goal discussed by SW Fencing hub coaches last week. Part of my role is to teach them how to do specific fencing warm up.

   I was fortunate enough to be working on 2 great fencing camps last week: Norman Golding’s summer course at Millfield School and James and Ian Williams’ sabre camp in Grantham.

   The above quote came from many conversations I had with some great individuals over the course of the 7 days on camp.

   How to start your fencing warm-up

   I had a simple aim for the 4 days I was on Norman’s summer camp: get the fencers to walk away with 2 warm-ups that they could utilise at their home salles. 

   I have failed miserably as a coach to get my athletes to do a fencing warm up consistently and well in my absence. As soon as they get to a competition, all planned routines seem to disappear.

   I have been researching extensively latest thoughts on injury prevention in warm-ups, as well as discussing with coaches about how they work in practice. I have also added what works with the fencers I coach.

   The principle is to warm up through stages:

   General: (just got out of the car or classroom) Get the hips and T-spine moving, followed by a sideways, forwards and back gross motor pattern. Then do some work in prone to warm the shoulders up as well as coordinate arms and legs.

   Related: Introduce single leg balance and control, followed by explosive movement from there and a braking action. Jumping work: single jumps with controlled landings and then reactive jumps. Followed by acceleration starts, and then a running action using spatial awareness.

   Specific: By this stage, they are moving faster, have sweated and have been up, down, forward, back and sideways. They can then pick up their swords and start to rehearse footwork and tactics.

   Each fencer went away with a written handout on these warm-ups. It took a good 90 minutes of coaching to get each one right (or at least in the right direction).

   Here they are on video.

   Thanks to all the fencers and coaches for helping me on the course: great feedback and interaction.  

   Further reading:

   • Introducing fitness to fencers 
   • The Ultimate guide to warm ups.
   • Individual strength and conditioning coaching
   • Guide to pre-season training

2. Sabre fencing camp

   21st August 2014 10:03 am 2 Comments

   Sabre camp

   It was good to be back on the James and Ian Williams’ sabre camp in Grantham, working with very experienced coaches, Army PTIs and an excellent physiologist (Leo Faulmann). 

   The fencers were very responsive to the speed warm ups and jumping sessions I did with them. On a busy camp, where our job is to facilitate the fencing experience, our aim was to measure the fencers, but also educate and teach them about correct fitness training.

   It was interesting to see the multi bound and jump test: the lack of co-ordination and also leg strength did limit the results. This was also apparent in the multi-direction agility test. The fencers were good at lunging into the movement, but less good at getting out of it.

   Improving fencing power and agility

   My approach was to show them how to jump, land and then explode again with 2 legs, then with 1 leg. Vertically, linearly and laterally. Once the fundamentals are in place, then it is just a matter of working on co-ordination and timing to be able to apply it all.

   As the camp progressed, so did the fencers’ leg stiffness: so we did some relaxing flexibility work outside on the grass.

   On my last day I showed them the Oregon sway drill which starts with small lateral movements and progresses to big lunges and spins. This should help them with their movement into and out of the lunge.

   This takes time and patience (on my part as a coach) and perseverance (from the fencers). I have to coach to the level of the person in front of me. Sabreurers are just as apt as other fencers at watching videos on youtube of “Italian pliometrics drills“, but they would fall apart if they tried that.

   Start with correct mechanics, give them strengthening ideas, and then encourage them to practice.

   Improving my coaching

   I also had the chance to share many gymnastics ideas with Steve Chappell which was beneficial to me. Leo Faulmann was a goldmine of information and knowledge having worked with fencers for 25 years. That will prove very useful for fencers I work with at the SW fencing hub.

   James, Ian and Dmitry Lapkes were all excellent at sharing their experiences and giving me feedback on whether I was going on the right lines or not. I am currently using bullet belts to help movement on the piste, so we had a trail and error play with these top coaches.

   I spent a lot of time with individual fencers talking about their individual needs and ideas. It was very rewarding being able to help them in some small way. So thanks to everyone.

   Further reading:

   • How to warm up for fencing
   • Should fencers run to get fit? 

3. Cool Downs for Fencers- A Major Rethink?

   2nd December 2013 9:59 am 5 Comments

   

   Last week I was talking to a couple of reasonable fencers (Louise Helyer- Commonwealth silver medallist, Drew Wilsher– Army Champion) about cool downs for fencers and why they should be different from other sports.

   It was something that they had not come across, and was of interest as they both coach modern pentathletes- for whom it is perhaps even more important.

   Fencing is a one sided sport- ipsilateral– and the actions predominantly work repeatedly on this same side.

   Most actions in life are contralateral (opposite arm and leg) including running.

   When looking at warm ups and cool downs, coaches have looked at things from a physiological perspective – heart rate, blood flow, core temperature and so on. In the warm ups technical drills and mental preparation will take place to prepare the fencer for competition.

   But what about the motor control system and the reflexes associated with this?

   The crossed extensor reflex (where one limb extends the other flexes) is a key part of walking and running, but has been interfered with whilst fencing. The fencing cool down should include some exercises that return the motor control system aback to its resting state ready for daily activity.

   Examples might be:

   • Walking- (fencers walk funny) emphasising swinging of the arms.
   • Walking and lifting knee up high- touch with opposite elbow.
   • Kneeling on the floor extending opposite arm and leg, then alternating sides.
   • Press up position- bring left  hand and right foot together undeneath the body, keeping your back flat. Repeat on the opposite side.

   More of these and video clips can be found in the SportsTraining System

   In the Modern Pentathlon World, after fencing for three hours, the athletes have a short break before starting on their combined run\shoot event. This is normally spent eating and drinking to aid recovery. But what about doing a few cool down drills that work contralaterally and restore the motor system to normality.

   This will then help the athlete when they are warming up for their combined event.

   Whilst it is very common to talk about “sport specific” training, these athletes don’t exist in a vacuum. They have to walk from A to B at the every least. So some thought should be given to adjusting back normal motor patterns as well as mental and physical recovery.

   (The same could be said for weightlifting exercises that only operate bipedally in a sagittal plane- think about doing exercises afterwards that work contralaterally and involve movement. Heaven forbid that it might resemble some athletic movements!)

   Further reading:

   • Where to start getting fit for fencing
   • Should fencers run to get fit? 

4. Introducing fitness to fencers.

   9:56 am 8 Comments

   Fencers physical development should stay one step ahead of skill development.

   That was the theme behind the “Fit for fencing” sessions I ran at the South West Fencing Hub.

   My experience of current fencers is that they specialise in fencing early, with little or no background in other sporting activity.

   Part of Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) is the acquisition of a breadth of physical skills at an early age. Without that physical development, skill development is hampered later on.

   An example being that fencers are constantly being told to “sit in your stance” or “relax your shoulders”. The fencers I worked with at the hub had very tight Thoracic spines (T-spine, or T-Bone as they insisted on calling it) as well as stiff hips on the non-dominant side.

   The tight T-spine meant that when trying to lunge and reach (see video below), they were compensating with extra shoulder work, the opposite of what the coach wanted.

   The stiff hip meant that they found it difficult to keep their hips level when moving along the piste and tended to stand up, or tilt forward, thus exposing their head to their opponent.

   Posture, balance, control, mobility.

   These are the cornerstones of agility and most athletic movement. I showed the fencers 5 different exercises and got them to assess each other using a 5 point marker for each.

   The idea was to give them an eye as to what to look for, how it feels and the key coaching points. They have to be able to take it away and practice at home. I also benchmarked a 5/5 (if we had any!) and a 2/5 too, looking for ways to help that person improve.

   One of the examples was the Wall Angels that you can see in this video:

   However, all of this is worthless if the fencers continue to stand with poor posture on one leg throughout the day.

   Warm-ups and cool-downs for fencing.

   I used the warm-up to assess their movement and get them ready to acquire a skill. It took the first 20 minutes to get them to walk correctly, then we introduced silly walks,  skipping, prone series, 6-way lunges and jackknives.

   Due to the sport’s ipsilateral nature, the cooldown for fencers has to be specific. We have to return them to a resting state where they can move normally.

   Further reading

   • How to warm-up for fencing
   • Leg strength and power for fencing 
   • Should fencers run to get fit?
   • How to cool down after fencing

   Thanks to all the coaches who answered my questions about the sabre and foil, the weapons I am least familiar with.

5. Fit for fencing; part 3.

   2nd July 2013 9:53 am Leave a Comment

   Summer training for fencers

   Sunday saw our 3rd training day of the South West Fencing Hub. The first half saw me working with the fencers in getting them ready for the summer, the second half was on coach education.

   Traditionally, fencers take the summer off training because there are no competitions, then return to a week long camp in 6-8 weeks time, get beasted on day one and break.

   Tristan Parris wants to change this, and the theme of the day was “What am I going to do this summer?” The fencers had to come up with one physical, one technical and one tactical aspect they were going to work on over the next 8 weeks.

   My session was based on showing the fencers some of the exercise contained within the Sports Training System building on what they had done previously. For the first time I introduced more work capacity work based on a lateral movement circuit. I needed the fencers to know what “work” feels like.

   Dynamic Posture

   Despite my best efforts, the fencers kept returning to their horrible standing postures. We have worked hard on educating them on this, and my message to the coaches was to keep reminding them about standing on two feet.

   Posture is dynamic too, and I showed them exercises in 3 different planes, working on lunging, bracing, rotating and then increasing the complexity of the movements. This included the “lunge n’ weep” series (thanks Joe P) which helps mobilise their T-spines (watch the fencing lunge n weep video). 

   I finished the day with a new fencing warm up sequence and a new cool down sequence. I gave co -ordination exercises, forward/ back movements and also crawling/ skipping exercises. There is more to life than two jogs around the Salle followed by some high knees/ heel flicks.

   Putting the AD into LTAD

   My coach education session with eight fencing coaches from around the South West was based on putting the Athletic Development into Long Term Athlete Development (available on Prezi here).

   Fencing has an LTAD document which is quite weighty and dry in tone. There is a lot of good information in there, but it is hard to walk away after reading it knowing what to do in the Salle tonight.  I showed the good bits and bad bits, showing where the obstacles are likely to occur.

   I then showed 10 key tenets of Athletic Development that Vern Gambetta has highlighted. I gave practical examples of what this would like in the Salle. I got challenged on the late specialisation, but showed the coaches research (cf anecdotal pseudoscience by Syed, England Netball et al) that explains what it takes to get to true elite levels.

   It is very important that the coaches understand the underlying principles of the work I am doing with their fencers. This is different from showing them some sexy new exercises. If they understand the principles, they are then able to implement the best routine for their fencers in their location in their circumstances.

   I mixed research, practice and my own anecdotal evidence: the coaches were good at asking questions and challenging my assumptions.

   Hopefully the coaches and fencers will be able to get started on the Sports Training System over the next eight weeks and start the competition season robust, efficient and fit to fence.

   Further reading:

   • How to begin fencing fitness 
   • Should fencers run to get fit?

6. Fit for fencing: part 2

   8th May 2013 8:32 am 2 Comments

   Getting young fencers fit

   We are currently working with the South West Junior Fencing Hub introducing and developing fitness protocols. The first session was an introduction to fitness by me, Matt took the second session. 

   Part of the Hub’s remit is coach development, and self-reflection is an important part of that. Here are Matt’s thoughts on how he managed the day.

   Fifty fencers in a room and no kit!

   As James mentioned here, we are often given large numbers of people to train at one go.

   This day saw 50 fencers from across the South West region come to take part. It included sessions in psychology, technical skills and athletic development.

   The task of coaching athletes from a new (from my perspective) sport was undaunting , as the first step is to look at the individual, rather than the specific sport. The prospect of taking 50 young athletes for a warm up however was a different story!

   After a warm up involving some interesting interpretations of the core pillars exercises, the fencers went through a self-assessment in pairs. As well as making this more manageable for myself (only needing to asses half the group at one time), the process of coaching each other helps the athletes remember the main points more easily.

   We talked about the importance of regularly practising the exercises in order to improve technique and reduce likelihood of injuries.

   “We do a lot of strength training; we are lifting really heavy now”

   When asked about the conditioning that they were currently doing, the answers ranged from none at all to 3-4 times a week. However those that were regularly completing conditioning training seemed to describe most sessions as heavy load strength training.

   Although strength is an important factor in both performance and injury prevention, it is the application of strength which is more important. Therefore it is just as important for athletes (and especially fencers) to work on spatial and temporal overload rather than just resisitive overload.

   Working with other coaches

   As a novice with regards to fencing, all the coaches on the day were very generous and took a lot of time to explain the differences between the different disciplines (was quite a lot to take in).

   Spending time with the coaches during the technical parts of the training was also useful as I was able to pick up coaching points relating to footwork and posture. With more experience, I may have been able to apply these points during the day, but I will learn from them and apply them next time round.

   On the other hand, I also hope I was able to offer the coaches some useful insights. Many of them explained that lack of time with athletes meant that they did no conditioning work at all as part of coaching sessions. I suggested taking a few exercises from the session I had delivered and using them as a warm up, as for some fencers, this would be the only time they may work on those skills.

   It was great to be around so many athletes and coaches working hard to improve themselves and each other, and I look forward to the next opportunity of working with them. 

   Matt Durber 

   Read more on fencing fitness

7. Peaking for fencing competitions

   7th December 2010 3:19 pm Leave a Comment

   At the H&W competition last weekend, one current Excelsior athlete (Chris Hay) came first, and one alumni (Louise Helyer) came 2nd in their respective categories. 

   Well done to both. Other athletes remarked on their own inability to produce results on the day, despite just coming back from a winter training camp in Hungary.

   This is a common phenomena, known as peaking for after the championships. If you train for 8 hours a day for 5 days, then spend the 6th day negotiating travel chaos, don’t expect to perform well on the 7th.

   Your central nervous system will have been massively overworked, and it will not have been able to recover with disrupted sleep and food patterns.

   The best idea would be to do the competition the week after the camp, once your body and CNS has had a chance to recover.

   Even better a month afterwards once you have had time to absorb, process and refine the new techniques and tactics you have learnt on the training camp.

   • Introducing fitness to fencers
   • Winning with your B game