Welcome! We're glad you're checking out fencing. Fencing is most often compared to physical chess, and we've put together this guide to help you understand some of the pieces and moves — and why kids and families love fencing.
If you have questions, just ask a fencer! We're a friendly, welcoming community. And when you're ready to give fencing a try yourself, find a club near you at this link.
With more than 40,000 members and hundreds of clubs throughout the country, fencing builds character and athleticism to create champions on and off the strip.
A unique sport that challenges kids both physically and mentally, fencing builds character and athleticism to create champions on and off the strip.
With more than 40,000 members and hundreds to clubs across the country, now is the time to join the fun and try fencing!
If you need help at any time, contact our team at information@usafencing.org!
Why Kids and Families Love Fencing
- It's fun for kids in an active and social setting
- All sizes, body types, backgrounds, abilities and skill levels are welcome
- It's considered one of the safest sports around — safer than basketball, football, soccer, baseball and cheerleading
- Fencing develops important physical skills such as speed, strategy, coordination and agility
- Fencers learn from professional coaches
- The sport offers both recreational and competitive opportunities, with some of our best athletes getting to travel to tournaments around the world
- Fencers join a community of more than 40,000 members with hundreds of clubs throughout the country
- Fencing builds character and develops life lessons such as discipline, respect, maturity and sportsmanship
- Fencing provides both individual and team competition opportunities
- It's a lifelong sport, with competitors ranging from age eight to 80-plus
- Fencing continues in college, with fencing a proven way for many young people to a leg up in the application process
- Fencing is a sport with a long history of inclusion and belonging
The Objective of Fencing #
The goal of a fencing bout (that's what an individual “game” is called) is to score 15 points (in direct elimination play) or five points (in preliminary pool play) before your opponent can do the same or time expires.
Each time a fencer scores a touch, they receive a point. Points are earned by making a touch in the opponent’s target area. Direct elimination matches in epee and foil consist of three 3‐minute periods with a 1‐minute break between each. In saber, the first period lasts for eight touches, and the second period ends when the first fencer scores 15 points.
Weapons#
Epee, foil and saber are the three weapons used in fencing. While fencers may compete in more than one event, most modern fencers choose to sharpen their skills in one weapon. See the look of each weapon below. The valid target area for each weapon is indicated in orange. The white areas are off target.
Epee
The epee (pronounced "EPP‐pay"), the descendant of the dueling sword, is similar in length to the foil, but is heavier, weighing approximately 27 ounces, with a larger guard (to protect the hand from a valid hit) and a much stiffer blade. Touches are scored only with the point of the blade, and the entire body, head‐to‐toe, is the valid target area, imitating an actual duel.
A full‐body target makes epee a competition of careful strategy and patience — wild, rash attacks are quickly punished with solid counter‐attacks. Be smart and be strong!
Foil
The foil is a descendant of the light court sword used by nobility to train for duels. The foil has a flexible rectangular blade, approximately 35 inches in length and weighs less than one pound. Points are scored with the tip of the blade and must land within the torso of the body. The valid target area in foil is the torso and does not include the arms, neck, head and legs.
The flexible nature of the foil blade permits the modern elite foil fencer to attack an opponent from seemingly impossible angles. Watch out for back flicks!
Saber
The saber is the modern version of the slashing cavalry sword, and it's similar in length and weight to the foil. The major difference is the use of the blade. Saberists can score with the edge of their blade as well as their point. The target area is from the bend of the hips (both
front and back), to the top of the head. This simulates the cavalry rider on a horse.
Saber is a fast, aggressive game, with fencers rushing their opponent from the moment the referee gives the instruction to fence. Don't blink!
Following the Action
Fencers seek to maintain a safe distance from each other — that is, they try to stay out of the range of the opponent’s attack. Then, one will try to break this distance to gain the advantage for an attack. At times, a fencer will make a false attack to gauge the types of reactions of their opponent. When a hit is made, the referee stops the bout, describes the action, and decides whether to award a touch.
The referee always clearly raises their hand on the side of the fencer for whom they have awarded a point. Watching these signals can make it easier for newcomers to follow the momentum of a fencing bout without understanding every rule.
Fencing Fast Facts
- Fencing is one of just five sports contested at every Olympics since 1896. (The others are athletics, cycling, swimming and gymnastics.)
- The metal fencing strip, or piste, is about 46 feet long. That's about a foot shorter than the distance from the baseline to the half-court line on a basketball court.
- Action begins when the referee says "En garde! Prêts? Allez!" — or "On guard! Ready? Fence!"