Common Beginner Fencing Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

Every new fencer makes mistakes in the first few lessons, and that is completely normal. If you are wondering why your lunge feels wobbly or your arm tires out fast, chances are you are making one of a handful of very common beginner errors, all of which are easy to fix with a bit of guided practice.

The good news is that none of these mistakes mean you are “not built for it.” Fencing is a technical sport that rewards patience, and every fencer who has ever competed started exactly where you are now. If you are still weighing whether the sport is for you at all, our piece on fencing myths, debunked tackles some of the misconceptions that put beginners off before they even start. Here is what tends to trip up beginners, and how a coach helps sort it out.

Standing Too Upright or Too Stiff

A common instinct for beginners is to stand tall and square, the way you might in everyday life. But fencing calls for a bent-knee, side-on stance that keeps you balanced and ready to move in any direction at any moment.

Without this base, footwork becomes shaky and lunges lose their power. A coach will usually spend real time on stance early on because everything else, from advancing to attacking, is built on top of it. If you feel like your legs are working harder than expected in your first few sessions, that is often a sign your stance is doing its job. For a deeper breakdown, see our fencing footwork and stance guide.

Rushing Before the Basics Are Solid

New fencers are often eager to attack, parry, and score points right away, which is understandable. But rushing past the fundamentals, footwork, distance, and blade control, tends to create habits that are harder to undo later.

Coaches structure beginner lessons so that technique comes before speed. Slowing down in the early weeks is not a setback, it is what makes faster, cleaner fencing possible down the line.

Neglecting Footwork in Favour of the Blade

It is tempting to focus entirely on the weapon, since that is the part that looks exciting. But in fencing, footwork usually decides the point long before the blades meet. Poor footwork means poor distance control, which leads to attacks that fall short or defences that arrive too late.

Good footwork is what lets everything else in fencing work. Fix the feet, and the rest starts falling into place.

This is why coaches drill advances, retreats, and lunges so consistently. It may feel repetitive at first, but it pays off quickly once you start sparring.

Over-Extending on the Lunge or Attack

Many beginners lunge as far as their body allows, thinking bigger means better. In reality, an over-extended lunge is slow to recover from and leaves you off balance and open to a counter-attack.

A coach will help you find a lunge length that is powerful but recoverable, so you can return to your stance quickly and stay in the exchange. This balance between reach and recovery is one of the small adjustments that makes a noticeable difference within a few sessions.

Gripping the Weapon Too Hard

Nerves and excitement often lead new fencers to squeeze the grip tightly, thinking it gives them more control. It actually does the opposite. A tense grip slows down blade movements, tires the forearm quickly, and makes subtle actions like parries and disengages harder to execute.

Coaches often remind beginners to hold the weapon the way you might hold a bird, firm enough not to drop it, gentle enough not to hurt it. Relaxing the grip is one of the simplest fixes with one of the biggest payoffs.

Forgetting About Defence

It is natural to focus on scoring, but fencing is as much about not being scored on. Beginners sometimes charge forward without a plan for the parry or retreat, leaving themselves exposed.

Coaches introduce defensive footwork and parries early precisely so that offence and defence develop together, not one after the other. Learning to retreat with control is just as valuable as learning to advance with intent.

Carrying Tension Through the Whole Body

These are all signs of tension that beginners often do not notice in themselves:

• Tight shoulders
• A clenched jaw
• Held breath

Tension slows reactions and makes movements less fluid, which matters in a sport built on split-second decisions.

A good coach will spot this early and cue you to breathe, relax the shoulders, and stay loose between actions. Over time, this becomes second nature.

Why These Mistakes Are Nothing to Worry About

None of the above should be discouraging. They are part of the normal learning curve, and one of the biggest benefits of learning with NROC-registered coaches is that these small corrections happen in real time, before habits set in. At Fencing Masters, founded in 1995 by head coach Jeffrey Lopez, our instructors have guided fencers from age 7 through to seniors, so they know exactly what beginners need to hear and when.

There is no better time to start than now. All equipment is provided for your first session, no experience is needed, and it is genuinely never too late to pick up the foil, sabre, or épée. If you want the full picture of what a first class looks like, our complete beginner’s guide to fencing is a good place to start.

Ready to work through these basics with a coach who can guide you step by step? Book a trial lesson at Fencing Masters and see how quickly good habits take hold.