New to Fencing? Start Here

Fencing is a sport in which two people score points against each other with a light blade, in one of three weapons: foil, sabre or épée. You need no experience to begin, and a first session starts with the en garde stance, footwork and the lunge. This guide puts our beginner articles in the order most people need them.

Start here

What Is Fencing? Fencing is a modern Olympic sport where two athletes duel with a light sword to score points. Here's a clear, simple explanation of how it works.
What to Expect at Your First Fencing Lesson Nervous about trying fencing? Here is what happens at a trial in Singapore: a half hour with a coach, then the class. No gear needed.
Which Fencing Weapon Should a Beginner Start With? Foil, sabre or epee? Here is how to think about choosing your first fencing weapon in Singapore, and why the choice matters less than you think.
What to Wear to Your First Fencing Lesson Not sure what to wear to your first fencing lesson in Singapore? Here is a simple, practical guide, no special gear to buy.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Fencing? An honest guide to the fencing learning curve: fun in your first lesson, competent in months, competitive in years.

The basics

What fencing is, what your first lesson looks like, and how quickly it clicks.

Guides What Is Fencing? Fencing is a modern Olympic sport where two athletes duel with a light sword to score points. Here's a clear, simple explanation of how it works. Guides A Complete Beginner's Guide to Fencing in Singapore New to fencing? Here's everything a beginner needs to know: the weapons, how a bout works, safety, cost factors, and how to start in Singapore. Guides What to Expect at Your First Fencing Lesson Nervous about trying fencing? Here is what happens at a trial in Singapore: a half hour with a coach, then the class. No gear needed. Guides How Long Does It Take to Learn Fencing? An honest guide to the fencing learning curve: fun in your first lesson, competent in months, competitive in years. Guides Is Fencing Hard to Learn? Is fencing hard to learn? Honest answer for beginners on fitness, age, coordination and how coaching makes the basics easy. Guides Does Body Type Matter in Fencing? Am I too short, too tall or not athletic enough to fence? Here is how different body types each bring an advantage to foil, épée and sabre.

Choosing your weapon

Foil, sabre or épée? How the three weapons differ and where a beginner should begin.

Guides Foil vs Sabre vs Épée: Which Fencing Weapon to Choose? A clear beginner's guide to the three fencing weapons, foil, sabre and épée, how they differ, and how to find the one that suits your style. Guides Fencing Swords: Are They Sharp? Blades Compared Fencing swords are blunt, flexible steel, not sharp. See how foil, épée and sabre blades, guards and grips differ, and what electric and dry blades are. Guides Which Fencing Weapon Should a Beginner Start With? Foil, sabre or epee? Here is how to think about choosing your first fencing weapon in Singapore, and why the choice matters less than you think. Guides How Does Fencing Scoring Work? A clear guide to fencing scoring: target areas, electronic touches and right of way in foil, sabre and epee, explained for beginners. Guides Right of Way in Fencing, Explained A plain-English guide to right of way in foil and sabre fencing: how priority is decided, why epee differs, and why points get disallowed.

Kit, cost and common worries

What to wear, what it costs, whether it hurts, and the myths worth clearing up first.

Guides What to Wear to Your First Fencing Lesson Not sure what to wear to your first fencing lesson in Singapore? Here is a simple, practical guide, no special gear to buy. Guides Fencing Equipment: What You Need to Start A plain guide to fencing gear, mask, jacket, weapon and more, and why beginners in Singapore don't need to buy anything to try the sport. Guides How Much Do Fencing Lessons Cost in Singapore? What actually shapes the price of fencing lessons in Singapore, what is included, and how to get an accurate quote for your child or yourself. Guides Is Fencing an Expensive Sport? Fencing has a reputation for being expensive, but starting out isn't. Here's the honest breakdown of what fencing actually costs and why. Guides Does It Hurt to Get Hit in Fencing? Rarely, and not much. A beginner's hit is a light touch, not a strike. Here is what it feels like, when bruises happen and how the kit absorbs it. Guides Common Beginner Fencing Mistakes (and How to Fix Them) New to fencing? Here are the most common beginner mistakes in Singapore fencing classes, from stance to tension, and simple ways coaches help you fix them. Guides Fencing Myths, Debunked Think fencing is dangerous, expensive, or only for kids? We break down the biggest myths about the sport and share what a trial lesson actually looks like. Guides Is Fencing Worth It? Is fencing worth it? An honest look at the time, cost, effort and rewards of learning foil, sabre or épée in Singapore.

Before your first session

How lessons are arranged, what the room expects of you, and the words you will hear on day one.

Guides Group Classes vs Private Fencing Lessons Trying to choose between group fencing classes and private lessons in Singapore? Here is how to decide, and why many fencers use both. For Parents What to Expect When You Join Fencing Masters A practical guide for new families and adult fencers on gear, drop-off and the first weeks of joining Fencing Masters in Singapore. Guides Fencing Etiquette: The Code of the Piste The salutes, sportsmanship and unwritten rules of fencing etiquette in Singapore, and why this code shapes character on and off the piste. Guides A Glossary of Fencing Terms for Beginners New to fencing? This plain English glossary explains piste, riposte, en garde, right of way, and more, so you can follow your first lesson with confidence.

New to fencing: common questions

Request a trial on our trial class page. No experience is needed and no protective gear is needed for the trial, only sports clothes, loose long trousers and closed sports shoes. A coach takes you through the basics and then suggests which class suits you.

No. The articles help if you like to know what is coming, but nothing here is required reading. A coach teaches the basics from the start, so you can arrive knowing nothing about the sport.

A touch is a hit on the valid target area for your weapon. The electric scoring equipment registers it and a light comes on, and the fencer who reaches the target score first wins the bout.

The best way to learn is to try

Reading only takes you so far. Request a trial, with no experience or protective gear needed, and feel it for yourself. The fencing trial class page explains what happens.

Request a trial