Footwork Training

Training of the enguard position

In all weapons when in enguard, the legs are placed shoulder width apart and are slightly bent. The trunk and pelvis are half-turned and the face is directed straight at the opponent.

Exercise 1: Starting position - attention, feet are placed at a right angle.

Deep knee-bends, raising heels and spreading knees sideways.

Exercise 2: Starting position - enguard. Deep knee-bends, raising heels and spreading knees sideways.

Exercise 3: Starting position - enguard. Lifting one foot after the other, lifting knees high and holding shoulders horizontal, keeping the center of gravity stable.

Exercise 4: Starting position - enguard. Jump up and return to the enguard position.

Exercise 5: Starting position - enguard. Lift one foot after the other, gradually increase frequency and amplitude of the thigh movement.

Exercise 6: Walk forward slowly. Adopt enguard position either independently or when signaled.

Exercise 7: Starting position - enguard. Serial execution of lunge, jump and lunge and return to the enguard position.

Exercise 8: Starting position - enguard. Continuously perform combinations of fencing footwork. Adopt enguard position either independently or when signaled.

Training of the step forwards and the step backwards

Proper technique of steps requires alternate movement of the feet. The original distance between the feet must be maintained at all times.

Exercise 1: Starting position - enguard, heels are slightly raised. Perform series of steps forward and steps backward of 10-15 cm.

Exercise 2: Starting position - enguard, heels are slightly raised. Perform steps with slow forward movement of the front leg and fast finishing movement of the back leg.

Exercise 3: Starting position -enguard, heels are slightly raised. Perform slow steps backwards with no lateral movement and keeping the original distance between the feet.

Exercise 4: Starting position - enguard. Perform a series of steps forwards and steps backwards lifting knees high, with no vertical movement of the fencer’s body.

Training of the lunge

The forward movement of the lunge requires the coordination of the explosive push of the back leg, the extension and landing of the front leg, together with the forward inclination of the trunk.

Exercise 1: Starting position - enguard. Perform a short fast lunge using the explosive push of the back leg.

Exercise 2: Starting position - enguard. Perform a short lunge using active forward extension of the front leg.

Exercise 3: Starting position - lunge. Bouncing downwards, increasing amplitude up to maximal.

Exercise 4: A starting position - lunge. Bouncing downwards simultaneously bending the trunk forward, keeping the shoulders up.

Exercise 5: Starting position - short lunge. Recover forward in a squat position, then execute lunge.

Exercise 6: Starting position - short lunge. Jump up and cross legs whilst in the air and land in lunge position.

Exercise 7: Starting position - enguard. Perform a series of continuous short lunges.

Exercise 8: Starting position - enguard. Perform short jumping lunge using explosive push of the back leg. In the final phase fix high position of the fencer and a slight forward inclination of the trunk.

Exercise 9: Starting position - enguard. Perform fast forward movement of the trunk with simultaneous straightening of the weapon arm, then slowly return to enguard.

Exercise 10: Starting position - enguard. Perform a lunge, bouncing downwards return to the enguard position. Combine the push of the front leg with the inertia from the muscles stretching.

Exercise 11: Starting position - lunge. Bend the back leg and straighten the front leg, the heel should remain on the floor, the toe is lifted up. Return to the lunge position.

Exercise 12: Starting position - enguard. Perform a short lunge, then without a delay lunge as long as possible.

Exercise 13: Starting position - enguard. Perform three consecutive lunges, recover forward and briefly fix the final position after each lunge.

Training of the jump forwards and jump backwards

Jumps are executed by powerful pushes of both legs. The technique is similar to that of the step as the legs move alternately, but due to being airborne jumps can cover considerably greater distances.

Exercise 1: Starting position - enguard, the front foot is slightly raised above a piste. Perform a series of jumps forward keeping the back leg bent; combine the swinging movement of the front leg with the take-off of the back leg.

Exercise 2: Starting position - enguard, back leg is slightly raised above a piste. Perform a series of jumps back keeping the front leg bent; combine the swinging movement of the back leg and the take-off of the front leg.

Exercise 3: Starting position - enguard. Perform a series of jumps forward, beginning the movement by swinging the front leg forward with the maximal amplitude.

Exercise 4: Starting position - enguard. Perform a series of jumps backward, beginning the movement by swinging the back leg backward with the maximal amplitude.

Exercise 5: Starting position - enguard. Perform a series of jumps forward and backward limiting the length to 50-70 cm. Keep the original distance between the feet, as well as the vertical and half profile position of the trunk.

Training of the step forward lunge and the jump forward lunge

The technique of the step forward lunge, as well as the jump forward lunge is based on the maximum frequency of foot movement with continuous and accelerating motion towards the opponent.

Exercise 1: Starting position - enguard. Perform a series of foot taps, using the balls of the feet, at a high frequency.

Exercise 2: Starting position - enguard. Perform a Lunge: In mid lunge briefly touch the piste with the ball of the front foot, lengthen the lunge by springing forward.

Exercise 3: Starting position – enguard. Perform a short step forward with minimal (20-30 cm) advancement of the back leg and finish with a short lunge.

Exercise 4: Starting position – enguard. Perform a short jump forward lunge. Concentrate on achieving maximum frequency of leg movement.

Exercise 5: Starting position – enguard. Perform a jump forward lunge. In the final phase fix high position of the fencer and a slight forward inclination of the trunk. For this exercise a jumping lunge should be used.

Training of the “fleche” attack

This attack is appropriate only for foil and epee fencing.

The technique of the “fleche” is based on a powerful push of the back leg while consecutively bending and taking-off with the front leg. A fast and deep attack, with significant inclination of the trunk towards the opponent, is thus created.

Exercise 1: Starting position – enguard. Perform a cross-over step forward with a slight inclination of the trunk and rapid bending of the knee in the starting phase.

Exercise 2: Starting position – squat (“on your marks“). Jump forward; landing on the back leg continue by running.

Exercise 3: Starting position - enguard. Jump forward; landing on the back leg continue by running.

Exercise 4: Perform a series of “fleches” changing into a run, returning to enguard.

Exercise 5: Starting position – enguard. Perform a “Flesh”. Concentrate on both advancing horizontally and on the inclination of the trunk.

Exercise 6: While running slowly, jump forward simulating the “fleche”

Revert to the run and repeat.

Training footwork combinations

Movement of athletes during the fencing bout mainly consists of combinations of various fencing footwork. For maneuvering, a series of steps forward, steps back, and jumps back are mainly used. In attack, various combinations of steps forward, lunges, jump lunges and “fleche attacks” are used.

Combination 1: A series of steps forward.

Combination 2: A series of steps back.

Combination 3: A series of steps forward and steps back. Combination 4. A series of steps forward ending with a step forward lunge.

Combination 5: A series of steps back, step forward, jump forward lunge.

Combination 6: A series of steps forward, step forward lunge, a series of steps forward.

Combination 7: A series of steps forward and “fleche”.

Combination 8: A series of steps back and “fleche”.

Combination 9: Lunge, jump forward lunge, a series of steps back.

Combination 10: Jump forward lunge, jump forward lunge.

Combination 11: Jump forward lunge, re-lunge and “fleche”.