Wall Of Fame

The first time I ever fenced was when I was 8 years old at MKFA. At the time it was called the Dubai Fencing Club. Since then I have been addicted to the sport. You often hear it being described as a fast-paced game of chess…. With swords.

While a typical fencing match does look like two people waving their blades around, trying to stab each other, there are in fact a lot of tactics, as well as very precise techniques that are involved. Small and un-telegraphed movement are what we aim for and, while this is true for most martial arts, it is particularly important in fencing, as the power behind the hit does not matter as much and we rely a lot more on the speed and precision. All of that is paired with an intense mental game where you need to set up traps for your opponents while not falling in one of theirs yourself. It is a sport that trains your logic, concentration, coordination, endurance (mentally and physically) and speed.

You also need to adapt your game plan to whatever opponent you are facing as no two people fence the same. This is a sport where you learn the techniques and perfect them, so that you can eventually change them to a style that suits you more. There is not right or wrong in fencing, there is only what works and what doesn’t. This also means that even when you are the best in the world, you will still be able to learn something.

Finally, this is a sport where respect and sportsmanship are crucial. It teaches you how to always be polite, respectful and how to control your emotions in stressful situations.

All this development that you gain from fencing is what has kept me in the sport for such a long time and will keep me addicted to it for years to come. I know that no matter how good I get there will always be something new for me to learn and someone that can push me further.