Two Star Foil Lesson Planner

Two Star Foil Lesson Planner

This series of one hour lessons was designed to follow-on from the B.A.F. One star Foil course, and cover the syllabus for the two star award.

Lesson 9 – Footwork Revision and the Reprise

• Warm-Up – stretching exercises. (5 mins)
• Revise the salute and stance – paying special attention the positioning of the feet, followed by ‘Statues’ game (5 mins)
• Revise the step followed by ‘stepping up and down a line’
• 1. Stepping forward
  2. Stepping backwards
  3. Faster stepping
  4. Three fast steps-pause; three fast steps-pause
  5. Small steps (10 mins)
• Revise the lunge and introduce the reprise.
  1. Fencers static, well beyond fencing distance – attacker lunges ‘short’ and reprises to body.
  2. Fencers just beyond fencing distance – defender opens and as attacker lunges, defender steps back causing attack to fall ‘short’ ; as attacker reprises defender steps back again, but hit arrives. (Importance of fencing distance.)
  3. As above, but with movement - attacker must remain at fencing distance until defender shows an opening. (20 mins)
• Free Fighting (10 mins)

Notes: This session is designed as a general footwork revision, given that a period of time may have elapsed since the end of the beginners course. The emphasis is on reinforcing good technique (and fault correction) rather than teaching new moves.

Most fencers when asked to practice stepping will pace at one step/second. Change of pace is more realistic, will increase variety in movement, and is liable to expose poor footwork or positioning.

Further lessons to follow ...