Top 10 Health Benefits of Fencing

Fencing is an elegant modern sport that has been enjoyed by people around the world since the middle ages. It’s a challenge both physically and tactically between two opponents that resembles fencing in the 18th century. Using weapons called foil, epee, and saber- fencers score points by hitting one another on designated areas on the body while moving back and forth on a long strip. It’s one of the fastest Olympic sports so keep up with these top 10 health benefits of fencing!

• Strength and Endurance: Fencing involves intense footwork to keep distance with the opponent, requiring speed and flexibility. Since fencing bouts involve many attacks and counterattacks, a fencer needs peak muscular endurance to avoid becoming fatigued before even getting a point.

• Increased Anaerobic Fitness: Fencing is an explosive start/stop sport where periods of high intensity activity are interspersed by short periods of recovery. Fencing will help develop the body’s ability to perform activity independent of oxygen consumption. As the body’s anaerobic fitness improves, it can work harder and for longer before lactic acid builds up in the muscles and forces them to slow down or stop.

• Emphasizes agility, alertness, and endurance: The art of fencing requires quick responsive movements to counter attacks from an opponent and to place the opponent on the defensive. This requires the mind and body to remain agile and alert.

• Increased Mental Agility: Fencing is often referred to as physical chess due to the logic and strategy tactics behind the movements. It enhances analytical and strategic capabilities by emphasizing a cool and calculating manner before passion and improvisation. Matches are won on split-second physical and psychological observations of an opponent’s skills and fencing personality, whether passive or aggressive.

• Increased Flexibility: Fencing requires the use of a wide range of motion to respond and deflect opposing attacks. The core, arms, and legs all develop a good deal of flexibility in fencers.

• Stress Reduction: Because it is both a physical and mental sport, it is extremely stress reducing. The mind is focused on a game, and the body is producing feel-good endorphins, resulting in a win-win situation as far as the body is concerned.

• Increased Aerobic Fitness: Fencing supports heart health and mental health by increasing oxygen in the blood and releasing endorphins that lead to a positive sense of well-being. The extra oxygen released in the blood also heighten circulation, boost the immune system and enhance the body’s ability to remove pollutants such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid.

• Cardiovascular Health: As the respiratory rate increases and deepens during a match, the oxygen levels in the blood rise. When the heart rate increases, the small blood vessels, or capillaries, widen. By doing so regularly, it makes the heart stronger, pumping blood more efficiently- even when not exercising.

• Increased Balance: Since fencing is an offensive and defensive sport, balance is key. The constant motion strengthens the core and increases balance in day to day life as well.

• Increased Coordination: Unlike cyclic sports such as running and rowing, fencing requires the body to move in full range, forcing arms and legs to work together in a harmonious fashion as they attack, defend and counter attack. Coordination makes all these moves smoother and more efficient during a match.

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