Wall Drill (range, point control, calibration)

Grab a roll of tape or a marker or the like. Find a wall on a nice flat area where you can get a good lunge. Mark a place on the wall about 4 feet off the ground, hence the tape or marker :), take your nice pretty en'gaurd and get a range wher you can hit the spot on the wall with a simple extension of the arm. Stay In En'Gaurd! not hit that spot 20times. switch hands, do it again. Remember it only counts if you hit the mark. Got it? good. Now move to lunge distance. Now move to advance-lunge distance. Wow you got all of that? boy you Are good. Now half the size of the target *grin* rinse and repeat. keep doing this untill you can consistantly hit, from advance/lunge distance, a target about the size of a 20oz soda-pop cap or a dime.

Twirl Wind (Timing, dexterity, hand speed)

Person one twirls a loop of rope (12”-14” with a large knot at one end) between themselves and person two. In the other hand lightly hold a glove so that it is ‘defended’ by the spinning rope . The object of the game is for person two to, from en guard, snatch the glove person one’s hand and then replace it without becoming entangled in the spinning rope. As the person two gets better, the rope is twirled faster, and its direction of motion reversed. Once person two has that down, person one takes a step back and person two does the same as before expect at a full lunge. Go through the process again: alternating speeds and directions. Now take another step back so that person two is using advance lunge. Go through it again. Now persons one and two switch. Rinse and repete.

Catch me if you can (Distance, Engagement, Lunge, Footwork)

The idea here is quite simple. Get ‘em! This drill requires two people with full equipment. Fencers begin at advance-lunge distance. One of the fencers will start as the ‘attacker’ the other will be the ‘defender’. The attacker’s goal is to score a touch on the defender. The defender’s goal is to avoid being hit. Simple enough, eh? Well don’t get to excited there are a few rules :)

  • Attacker’s Restraints: The attacker may only perform one of three actions: advance, lunge or advance-lunge.
  • Defender’s Restraints: The defender may NOT use parries! They may only defend themselves using footwork.
    Once the attacker has completed their attack, roles switch. And the defender immediately becomes the attacker. The (now) attacker must initiate their action from wherever their defensive footwork has put them. Continue this exchange until somebody scores a touch. That person will start as the attacker for the next round. Re-set to the initial distance and go again. There is no set number of rounds, but generally do 10.
    Twinkle Toes (footwork, lunge)

    Take your regular en'gaurd and have sombody mark the position of your feet (it helps to do these on pavement and mark with chalk). When you finish a sequence, start again from the beginning. Two minutes of each then one minute rest. When you finish each set your feet should be in the orginal starting positions.

      Set ONE
    1. Advance
    2. Advance
    3. Double retreat
    4. Cross-Over forward
    5. Cross-Over backward
    6. Retreat
    7. Retreat
    8. Double Advance
      Set TWO
    1. Lunge (recover-back)
    2. Lunge (recover-forward)
    3. Retreat
    4. Advance-Lunge (recover-back) {yes I know it's weird, just trust me okay :)}
    5. Double retreat
    6. Lunge-redouble (recover-forward)
    7. Double Retreat
    Soviet Foil Drills (Reciprical Drills) [from fencing.net]

    I. Straight attacks.
    The following drills are designed to develop the fencer's sense of distance and timing as well as the fencer's ability to maintain distance. Only straight attacks are allowed with a lunge, advance lunge, or jump lunge (ballestra). Double advances or fleche is not allowed. The attacking fencer may not run down the defender.
    A. One fencer is designated attacker, the other is the defender and does not have a weapon. The attacker will attempt to score a touch by using distance stealing footwork. The defender will attempt to avoid being touched by keeping perfect distance.
    B. Both fencers will hold a weapon but there will be a designated attacker and defender. The defender may not use the weapon to avoid being touched. Distance is the only defence that may be used.
    C. Both fencers wil hold a weapon and there is no designated attacker. Both fencers may attempt to score a touch with a straight attack. When one fencer attacks, the other must defend with distance.

    II. Circular takes and deceives.
    This drill is designed to facilitate the development of hand speed, small blade work, feeling the opponents blade, and the ever present sense of distance and timing.
    a. One fencer is the designated taker (attempts to take the opponent's blade with a circular take) and the other fencer attempts to deceive the take. There are no touches in this drill.
    b. The designated taker may attempt to score a touch if he/she is able to take the blade. The defender attempts to avoid having his/her blade taken by deceiving. If the attacker gets the blade and makes an attempt to score a touch, the defender may avoid the hit by the use of distance.
    c. Both fencers may attempt to take the blade with circular takes. No hits are attempted.
    d. Both fencers may attempt to take the blade with circular takes. As one of the fencers attempts to take the blade the other should attempt to avoid being taken. If at any time one fencer gets the blade and is in the correct distance a straight attack may be executed (with lunge, advance lunge, or jump lunge only). The defender may not parry, but may defend with distance. If a fencer successfully avoids the take and is in correct distance he/she may attempt to score a touch with a straight attack.