Fencing
An eight-class beginner course at a fencing club, mask and weapon lent. The first weeks are footwork, the rules of one weapon and the first bouts.
What it is like
Most fencers start in a club beginner course: a set number of evenings, kit lent by the club, and a coach who teaches footwork, the rules and the first bouts. Vivo Fencing Club’s course for teens and adults, for example, runs eight classes and includes rental kit.
The sport splits into three weapons. Foil and sabre use right of way, a rule that decides who scores when both fencers hit; epee does not, so whoever hits first scores, and hits at the same time count for both. The target differs too: the torso in foil, everything above the waist in sabre, the whole body in epee.
Bouts are short. In a pool round each bout runs to 5 hits or 3 minutes; in the knockout stage, to 15 hits. Each one begins and ends with a salute.
The kit is what makes it safe: mask, jacket, underarm protector and glove every time. Clubs lend it at first; a starter set of your own costs about $250 to $300 once you know you will stay.
- A session
- An hour-long class; Vivo's course runs two evenings a week.
- A week
- Two classes a week during a course.
- Season
- All year, indoors.
Indoors · A club, For two, With kids
Kinds and styles
A light thrusting weapon; the target is the torso, with right of way.
A heavier thrusting weapon; the whole body is target and double hits count.
Cuts and thrusts to the body above the waist, with right of way.
Fencing for athletes with disabilities; chair fencing is a similar form for the able-bodied.
Recreational fencing with practice weapons and no electric scoring.
Is it for you?
You will probably love it if
- You want a fast one-on-one sport that rewards thinking as much as speed
- There is a fencing club near you with a beginner course
- You are happy to train in a club rather than alone
Maybe not, if
- You want a sport you can practise alone at home
- The nearest club is too far to reach twice a week
What to buy first
- 01An eight-class beginner courseVivo Fencing Club charges $20 for the first class and $180 more to continue, with rental kit and the USA Fencing fee for three months included$200
- Everything you need to beginAbout $200 a month after that$200
Typical US prices for entry-level gear, rounded. Last checked October 2026. How we get the numbers
What to buy next
- 01A fencing gloveFencing.net calls it usually the first or second purchase: cheap, and a glove that fits beats a shared club oneFind it on Amazon Often the first piece you buy
- 02A starter setJacket, mask, glove, underarm protector and weapon; about $250 to $300 (fencing.net, July 2026)Find it on Amazon After the beginner course
- 03A chest protectorFencing.net advises budgeting for oneFind it on Amazon For women, from the start
- 04A fencing bagKeeps mask, jacket and blades togetherFind it on Amazon Once you own the kit
These are later buys, and what to spend depends on how far the hobby has taken you; where a line names a price, it is that shop's or maker's listing when we checked, not Amazon's price. The Amazon links work like the ones above: a search for the type of item, and a possible commission for us at no extra cost to you.
From the first class to the first bout, step by step
Fencing has been on every modern Olympic programme since 1896, and beginners usually start in a club course with lent kit. This guide goes from choosing a club and a weapon through the salute, footwork and the rules of right of way to the first pool bouts, with the safety kit at every step.
Warning: Before you start Fence only in a club, under a coach, and only in full kit: mask, jacket, underarm protector and glove. Clubs lend this kit during beginner courses. Fencing.net notes that Europe requires a 350 N (CE Level 1) standard while the US sets no minimum, and that 350 N kit is enough for beginners; FIE tournament wear must resist 800 newtons, and the mask bib twice that. Standards were raised after the death of the fencer Vladimir Smirnov at the 1982 World Championships, which is why top-level kit uses Kevlar or similar fabrics. Women should budget for a chest protector. We do not give medical advice.
Vivo Fencing Club's teen and adult course starts with a $20 first class, all equipment provided.
Jacket, underarm protector, glove and mask, all lent by the club.
The course covers warming up, footwork, using the equipment and the basic rules.
Each bout begins and ends with a salute.
In a pool bout the first to 5 hits wins, or the leader when 3 minutes run out.
What each weapon can hit
Three fencers seen from the front, left to right foil, sabre and epee, with the valid target in pale steel: the torso only for foil, everything above the waist including the arms and head for sabre, with a dashed line at the waist, and the whole body for epee.
- A Foil The torso Tip only. Step 2 →
- B Sabre Above the waist Cuts and thrusts. Step 2 →
- C Epee The whole body Double hits count. Step 2 →
Steps 1-3Before the strip
- Step 1 of 8 · Before the strip
Find a beginner course
Look for a club course with lent kit; Vivo Fencing Club's eight-class course costs $200 in all, rental kit included.
Most people: a club beginner course (most beginners).
Start here A club beginner courseBest forMost beginners
A set course, kit lent, a group of beginners.
Private lessonsBest forFitting around work
One-to-one with a coach.
- Step 2 of 8 · Before the strip
Know the three weapons
Foil and sabre score with right of way; epee does not. The target differs too, from the torso in foil to the whole body in epee.
- Step 3 of 8 · Before the strip
Kit up fully
Warning: WARNING Never fence without a mask and jacket. FIE tournament kit must resist 800 newtons and the mask bib twice that.
Jacket, underarm protector, glove and mask for every bout.
Steps 4-7On the strip
- Step 4 of 8 · On the strip
Salute
Each bout begins and ends with a salute.
- Step 5 of 8 · On the strip
Footwork
Advance and retreat on the strip; Vivo's course starts with warming up and footwork.
- Step 6 of 8 · On the strip
Learn your weapon's rules
In foil and sabre, right of way decides who scores when both hit; in epee, hits at the same time count for both.
- Step 7 of 8 · On the strip
Pool bouts
Fence to 5 hits or 3 minutes against the others in your group.
Step 8Keep going
- Step 8 of 8 · Keep going
Keep going
Bout at the club twice a week and buy your own kit once the course ends.
Most people: a starter set (staying with it).
Start here A starter setBest forStaying with it
About $250 to $300 (fencing.net).
Keep rentingBest forNot sure yet
Ask the club how long it lends kit.
How you get better
- First courseFootwork and rules
Eight classes with lent kit, one weapon, first bouts.
- After the courseYour own basic kit
A starter set with jacket, mask, glove, underarm protector and weapon.
- First monthsClub bouts
Regular bouting at the club, with a coach's feedback.
- LaterElectric kit and tournaments
Knickers, a lame and an electric weapon for scored competition.
- The salute
- Footwork: advancing and retreating
- Attacking with the tip
- Parrying
- Right of way (foil and sabre)
- Reading an opponent's distance
- Fencing a pool bout
Small things that help
- Ask your coach which weapon to fence before you buy one.
- Check that lent kit fits: the mask must sit firmly.
- Salute before and after every bout.
- In epee, do not count on right of way: hit first.
- Wash the jacket after training; Kevlar kit needs care, as chlorine and sunlight degrade it.
Beginner mistakes
- 01Buying a full kit too earlyClubs lend kit in beginner courses; buy after the course.
- 02Buying the wrong weaponFoil, epee and sabre differ; fence one with your coach first.
- 03Fencing without full kitMask, jacket, underarm protector and glove every time.
- 04Treating epee like foilEpee has no right of way; double hits score for both.
The three weapons
From Wikipedia's article on fencing.
| Weapon | Maximum weight | Target | Right of way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foil | 500 g | The torso, not the arms or legs; touches with the tip | Yes |
| Epee | 775 g | The whole body; touches with the tip | No: hits at the same time score for both |
| Sabre | 500 g | The body above the waist; cuts and thrusts | Yes |
Why people quit
- 01The rules of right of way feel confusingEpee has no right of way: whoever hits first scores, and hits at the same time count for both.
- 02Losing every boutPool bouts are short, 5 hits or 3 minutes; every bout is a lesson, and coaches expect beginners to lose.
- 03The cost of kitClubs lend kit during a beginner course; fencing.net puts starter sets at about $250 to $300 when you buy.
Words you will meet
- Piste
- The fencing strip.
- Touch
- A valid hit.
- Right of way
- In foil and sabre, the rule that decides who scores when both hit.
- Plastron
- The underarm protector worn under the jacket.
- Lame
- The conductive vest for electric foil and sabre.
- Pool
- A round where everyone fences everyone, to 5 hits.
Questions people ask
What does it cost to start?
Vivo Fencing Club's eight-class course for teens and adults costs $200 in all ($20 for the first class, $180 to continue), with rental kit and the USA Fencing fee for three months included.
Which weapon should I start with?
The one your club teaches beginners; Vivo starts teens and adults on epee. Foil and sabre add right of way.
Is it dangerous?
Fencing is done in a mask, jacket, glove and underarm protector; FIE tournament kit must resist 800 newtons. Fence only under a coach in full kit.
How long is a bout?
Pool bouts run to 5 hits or 3 minutes; knockout bouts to 15 hits or three periods of 3 minutes.
When should I buy my own kit?
After the beginner course; fencing.net puts starter sets at about $250 to $300.
Where to go next
- 01Table tennisAnother fast one-on-one game of reactions. $47 to start
- 02Traditional archeryFocus and precision with a different kind of weapon. $231 to start
How it compares
| Fencing | Table tennis | Badminton | Traditional archery | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start cost | $200 | $47 | $105 | $231 |
| Each month | $200 | $40 | $30 | $15 |
| Space | A club with fencing strips | A club or a room with a table | A gym court | A club range |
| Noise | Medium | Medium | Medium | Quiet |
| First result | Footwork in the first class, bouts within the course | 1 drop-in session | 1 drop-in session | 1 afternoon |
| Mess | A sweaty jacket to wash | Nothing to clean | Nothing to clean | None |
Where to learn more
- 01USA Fencing: Find a clubClubs near you, many with beginner courses.
- 02fencing.net: Beginner equipment guideWhat to buy first and what it costs.
Sources: Vivo Fencing Club: Beginner Fencing, Teens and Adults · fencing.net: Beginner Fencing Equipment Buyers Guide · Wikipedia: Fencing · USA Fencing: Clubs
Researched and written by the Fjords Team.