Fencing Principles

Most fencing schools have a set of principles by which they abide and I'm no different! My particular philosophy has been influenced by my experience and also by reading some of the works of other Sensei (I use the Japanses term for "one who shows the way") from both the Western and Eastern fencing worlds. One of my particular influences, Miyamoto Musashi (more on him later) first wrote down his principles in the 17th century so I'm really just catching up. So, here are the principles of the 'School of Dave'....

Purpose – Everything you do on a fencing piste must have a purpose. Whether it is to deliver an attack, defend yourself or confuse your opponent everything should be moving toward a goal. Action without purpose is wasted effort

Economy – Do not expend energy un-necessarily. Movement should be controlled and economical and should not waste effort. The point should move toward the target in the most efficient manner

Do not lose – If you fight to win at all costs your energy will be hurried, frantic and un-focussed. If you fight with the intention of not losing you will find the time to be calculating, balanced and focussed

Be calm – Emotions whilst fencing will only cloud your judgement. Enjoy the victory, analyse the defeat then move on

Attention – Pay attention to your own strengths and weaknesses. It is equally important to observe the same in your opponent and act upon it

Flexibility – Do not allow your approach to become rigid. You must be able to change your approach and attitude as the circumstances of the situation dictate. Do not dwell on only one aspect of your opponent or your attention will become fixed

Rationale – The basic principle of foil fencing is to hit without being hit. Make this the cornerstone of your understanding

Firm Foundation – The basics of fencing must be practiced constantly. There is no such thing as mastery when it comes to footwork, distance and timing

Respect – It is imperative that your fencing career includes respect for your opponent, the rules and traditions of the sport, your coach, the presiding official and above all yourself. You should behave in a way you can look back on with pride

Winning – Victory should be your goal but should not be at the cost of your integrity

Take the initiative – Make your opponent work hard; do not let them dictate the fight

Be positive – a defeat is only total if you learn nothing from it

It is quite likely that I will develop new principles as I get older but these refelct where I am at present. I try and structure my teaching and lessons around these principles and I will return to that topic in a later post.