There are many options available when selecting a sport or hobby, each of which offers unique pros and cons to consider. All are beneficial to fitness levels in one way or another, but picking the right one for the right individual is not always an easy process.
Fencing is an excellent choice for those wanting a challenge while learning a new sport. This option combine cardiovascular fitness and endurance with strength training and mental conditioning, as well as teaching good sportsmanship and humility due to the steep learning curve associated with it.
For those unfamiliar with the sport, fencing is a stylized, structured form of sword fighting. There are many rules and specifics of style that are enforced during play, and form is almost as important as ability in this particular arena.
It is sometimes compared to dancing, due to the grace and seemingly arbitrary selection of what is considered good form by professionals and what isn't. This grace is combined with a very physical, demanding reality that punishes those who are unprepared, because of the inherent strangeness of the muscle groups used and the duration for when they need to be exerted.
When fencing, two opponents are lined up facing each other, and must walk a narrow line of play on the ground as they attempt to score points on each other. Points are scored with the tip of the sword, and are awarded upon a hit on the chest or back.
This confines the athletes to a very thin line of play that requires deftness and tactics to overcome their opponent's defense to score a point. Getting through a skilled opponent is not an easy matter, either, due to the limited range of motion available and the small target area.
Fencing is an intense workout experience for any one of any skill level. Few sports can match it for the exercise that it provides the user.
There are several reasons why it is so intense. Firstly, endurance and explosive bursts of power are expected from the legs, which will constantly be in motion as an individual maneuvers up and down the track.
The arm holding the sword will obviously be worked as well, building physical strength as it clashes with the opposing sword and from the sheer effort involved in holding a piece of metal upright for extended periods of time. Due to the positions associated with correct posture, the abdominals and chest will be worked as well, since the match will be fought from a slightly hunched position.
Sessions can last as long as the players can fight without scoring points, which also requires endurance and conditioning to be most effective. This quickly will build the body, since it has little choice but to adapt.
Although it has a steep learning curve and is a very difficult sport to master, fencing can be quite fun. Few other options offer such an immediate and gratifying feeling of success and exhilaration as swords clash and opponents do their best to weave their way through a defense screen and thrust forward for a point.
It is also a very sociable game to play, because of the immediacy and closeness to a challenger. While this may cause feelings of resentment and vengefulness in a few, most recognize the skill in their opponent and appreciate the effort invested into becoming proficient with a sword.
Fencing is also a desirable option because of the inherent uniqueness of the sport. Few other options have such stringent guidelines and rules, not to mention that few other sports require the same degree of tactical thinking while wielding a weapon.
It allows for interesting conversations to be had when fencing is brought up in discussion, because many who are familiar with the sport will be impressed and mystified by modern sword fighters in the modern era. This allows a sense of purpose and uniqueness to permeate the individual and increase self esteem as well.
Fencing is an excellent way to improve overall fitness levels, because of the intensity of the workout it delivers, as well as how quickly a person begins sweating and losing weight when weighed down by padding. It also is a fun skill set to acquire, and is one of the rare sports that combines competition, socializing, and swashbuckling into one experience.
Author Resource:-
Ronald Pedactor is a fitness trainer. He has been coaching athletes for more then 20 years. He recommends the besthome exercise equipment to achieve your fitness goals.
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