Fencing Wear and Tear

**Conde Koma** · Posted On: 1/23/2011 9:20pm

So, I hurt my shoulders a little bit ago, and have yet to receive the thumbs up from my PT for sparring. Since grappling was what got me into this mess (a few times, really), I figured I might take a bit of a break for the next few months and try out this fencing place close to me.

Will fencing put more strain on my shoulders anyway, and thus be avoided? What sort of key areas/injuries should I worry about if I take up this training?

Thanks guys!

**Permalost** · Posted On: 1/23/2011 10:39pm

Is it the same arm you'd hold a weapon with? Fencing probably won't cause strain in that the weapon is light, but the deltoid is used to raise the arm so that it's parallel to the ground. Any variation of a fencing stance will use that dynamic at least a little, since the arm is usually extended forward.

**Conde Koma** · Posted On: 1/24/2011 2:48am

both my shoulders have been injured at least a couple times. holding my arms parallel isn't an issue though, so i guess i should be safe.

**Epeeist** · Posted On: 1/25/2011 9:24pm

No knee problems I assume? Shoulders should be fine but knees are a fragile thing and fencing, particularly the lunge, can put strain on them over time.

**MMAMickey** · Posted On: 1/26/2011 2:41am

From my experience (haven't fenced in about 6 years), if you're doing it properly your shoulder should be ok, but depending on your injury missed lunges might hurt you.

Are you going for foil? They are so damn light I can't see any problems arising from the actual contact.

**Conde Koma** · Posted On: 1/26/2011 3:19am

http://eastbayfencers.com/

they offer foil or epee. i was interested in saber, since i was hoping to apply fencing training to eskrima, but foil is a good place to start.

**MMAMickey** · Posted On: 1/26/2011 3:28am

sabre sounds awesome, I've just been giving it a read.

I like the idea of epee being able to score on the whole body as well.. Damn I need to start fencing again!!

**PointyShinyBurn** · Posted On: 1/26/2011 4:18am

Should be fine, shoulders don't really take much pressure in fencing. Also, that gym looks pretty sick, have fun!

**Permalost** · Posted On: 1/26/2011 10:45am

Originally Posted by Conde Koma

they offer foil or epee. i was interested in saber, since i was hoping to apply fencing training to eskrima, but foil is a good place to start.

I'd say the epee is as good as the saber for working towards escrima. Either way the footwork for both weapons is dissimilar in form and strategy between the two arts though.

**Epeeist** · Posted On: 1/26/2011 2:07pm

Originally Posted by Permalost

I'd say the epee is as good as the saber for working towards escrima. Either way the footwork for both weapons is dissimilar in form and strategy between the two arts though.

One notable difference is the fact that in fencing you have a bell guard to protect your hand and even then hand is only target in epee where you have a huge bell guard, this being the case one has to watch out for his hand getting the **** smacked out of it when transferring to FMA. I did epee for six months and wound up switching to sabre and have been doing it for 18 months now. I am hoping to get moniteur of saber after a couple more years so I consider it the weapon I know more about so if I say something asinine about epee or foil, correction is eagerly accepted.