Lockdown Session 3

News Date: 15/05/2020

Don’t worry about forgetting how to fence, that will come back quickly. In this lockdown time, we can get a good chance to keep the fencing muscles and balance in good shape and to correct bad habits. Bad habits are hard to get rid of when you are busy fencing all the time, so that’s just one positive of having some down time. Following these sessions and using a mirror or videoing yourself is designed to get a good fencing position really sorted out and to keep those fencing muscles working.

Session 3
time	description
5 mins	Warm Up Hopefully you are varying the warm up and getting used to doing this before you do any specific training or fencing.
2 sets each leg	Balance and Core stability Following on from Session 2, which you should still try to do until it’s easy and relaxed with no loss of balance. The feeling of the core working while everything else is relaxed should be coming. It is not easy to do properly and takes time to get the hang of. No timer needed, we just do 2 sets on each leg Each set is: With both feet facing forward, less than shoulder width apart, like in session 2, take a short lunge forward with left foot, (not a fencing lunge). Now, engage core, (belly button in and up) come back up keeping foot off the ground and count a slow 1, 2, - now turn your knee out to the side and slow count 1, 2. - now bring the knee back in line and count 1.2. - now extend your foot right behind you and count 1, 2. Now bring the foot back to start but keep it off the ground and repeat 3 the above another 2 times. After the 3^rd one, you can put foot down, rest, and then do the same all over with the right foot stepping forward this time. Then repeat all this so you do 2 sets. SEE VIDEO CLIP emailed out and on whatsapp group. This routine can be repeated many times until it is really comfortable to keep your balance.
repeat 3 or 5 times	Fencing routines This can be done with or without a weapon. If you have a foil, then use that, first without target and then with whatever you can rig up with a cushion / jacket etc. Relax into on guard position. If using a target, make sure distances are spot on. Extend arm to hit, - don’t ‘punch’ out shoulder. Moving hand first hit on a step Now lunge and recover Step forward then lunge, recover and step back to line Move hand and foot forward (onto heel), wait a fraction, then bring the back foot up fast, and lunge. QUESTION: Which of above is LEAST likely to get you a hit? answers please. See VIDEO CLIP
2 mins	Footwork To be done between your 2m marks Start on line, 2 steps forward than move hand forward and front foot forward a half step onto your heel. Move front foot back and step back to the line As above, but once you have done the half step forward onto your heel, bring back foot up fast and lunge Now keep repeating above for 2 mins. You should get the feeling of no. 1 being a ‘feint’ and no. 2 being your attack. The aim if this type of action is to get the opponent guessing which one to expect and not being sure.