When it comes to fencing, it is more important to defend yourself and stay alive than to kill your opponent. Therefore, a strong understanding of how to block an incoming attack will serve you well. In the Order of the Rose, we focus on eight (8) basic blocks and suggest that every fencer dedicate their … Read More
Whether you are using loaner equipment or have your own kit, taking care of the gear you use is your responsibility. Fencing equipment is designed to endure the hardships of combat, but we can extend its overall life span by doing little things to care for and maintain the equipment we use. Additionally, everyone should … Read More
Fencing is a combat sport and you will be using metal weapons, but we aren’t trying to kill each other. It’s like playing tag with big metal sticks. Unfortunately, there is always the potential to hit someone harder than you intend and really hurt them. This highlights the importance of training how to gauge and … Read More
Going into the Four Levels of Importance lesson, remember that it’s a conversation. A discussion and exploration of the four principles we hold most dear in the Order of the Rose. At first glance, you may feel disappointed about discussing fencing instead of going out and fighting, but fencing is steeped in philosophy and mentality … Read More
An exciting part of Period Fencing that you don’t find in the Olympics is Melees or group battles. The Basics of Melee lesson discusses what you need to know in order to jump in, safely, and get involved in the fight. You’ll want to take what you learned in Basics of Dueling and apply that … Read More
The Basics of Dueling goes over the bare necessities of safety and the process needed to start dueling with other fencers. There is nothing like getting a sword into your hand and facing off with an opponent, but we want to make sure that everyone can do it safely and feel comfortable trying things out. … Read More