Sport Fencing Stuff - What Items Do You Really Need?
Tuesday, May 19th, 2009
Fencing Shoes: The Nike Ballestra
A successful fencer must possess a rather large variety of different items such as, an outstanding positive attitude and a whole lot of extreme patience. For the beginner, they will need a fencing mask, jacket, glove, and a practice weapon or fencing gear or a practice weapon, which is less involved than the obvious requirements of competition preparation. The main fencing swords used are the foil, the sabre, and the epee.
Many organizations will let you borrow their fencing equipment when you're a novice and taking a starter course. Once you're finished with the course and have become hooked, you'll be urged to purchase gear of your own. These are the two choices for a beginner.
The initial way to go is to acquire separate items one by one until you have a full set. Another way achieve this is to purchase a starter kit. These kits come with all the fundamental necessities already put together and sold as a package. You have your inventory of the necessary equipment, so what's next? Before you purchase anything or begin to use your new tools, it's wise to have the basic knowledge of their function and how they work.
The is made with the intent of protecting the fencer. It is important to select a jacket which is both well made and provides adequate protective coverage. There is no standard minimum constraint in the US, there is a particular standard of protection in Europe, though. For tournaments which are international in scope, such as Olympic fencing, there are greater requirements.
When you are just beginning the basic equipment will more than suffice. The main choices you will be making in this regard are whether to go with cotton or synthetic materials. Cotton is heavier and hotter in use, but is also cheaper. The synthetic materials are of a lighter weight, but they are more expensive.
The selection of the protective mask is an important factor to consider. You will want to be completely confident that the mask does not push on the very top of the head or chin, and that it has plenty of interior padding that allows it to fit perfectly. There are non-electric gloves available, but it is generally suggested that purchasing a cuffed glove that is suitable for electric fencing is a much better choice.
The cuff allows you to easily attach the body cord that's under your sleeve to an electric weapon. Cuffs come in small, medium and large or are sized in standard glove sizes. Getting gloves that are separately sized will normally fit better but they will be more expensive. The foil is used for thrusting. It has a very slender blade with a rounded or foiled tip. Foil blades bend when they come in contact with a foe so that injuries are avoided.
