All about Fencing!

EASTHAMPTON, Mass. (Mass Appeal) - Fencing is an Olympic sport which is done worldwide by men, women, and children. It's a big mystery to me- and I am really looking forward to learning more about it. Sharing information about this sport are Paul Sise, Owner and Head Coach and Ken Mondschein, assistant coach at the Pioneer Valley Fencing Academy.

Back in the middle ages, you had a multi-purpose can opener called the long sword. But in the middle ages, armor fell out and it was a lot more fashionable to fight with this weapon which is often used out of armor and came into use. As time went on, it was discovered that lighter weapons are faster and a lot quicker and a lot more varied techniques. Two great schools came and you can see shares a lot in common here with the french, which maximized your finger dexterity. And from this, of course, they had international competitions competitions. In 1913, the international governing body was founded and was an Olympic sport.

The protective equipment is not just cotton and nylon but sometimes you can get them with materials similar to kevlar that are bullet-proof style, nylon and fiber.

There are multiple laser to the equipment. And then the swords themselves are not just blunt, but flexible so the impact of the hit is absorbed by the bending of the steel, rather than going into the person. Plus, since it's rather obviously dangerous to do without protective equipment, people always use the protective gear. Always wearing a mask. Always wearing a jacket. We train kids not to do this at home with sticks and things like that. It's really just to practice properly and safely.

For more information on fencing, you can contact the Pioneer Valley Fencing Academy at:

Pioneer Valley Fencing Academy
31 Union Street
Easthampton, Ma 01027
(413) 204-6387
website: PioneerFencing.com