Compete with Control: Energy + Focus
Tournaments reward fencers who manage themselves between touches as well as they manage actions on strip.
The goal is simple: keep your body steady, your mind clear, and your choices deliberate—so each bout starts clean and finishes on your terms.
Master this energy loop and you’ll fence the last DE with the same pop you had in the first pool bout—while everyone else is fading.
Energy (how to stay fast all day)
-
Do a single primary warm-up before pools (8–12 min): pulse → mobility → footwork ramps → 3–5 blade reps → 2–3 first-action rehearsals.
Before each bout, run a 90–150 sec top-up: 20–30 sec bounce, 2–3 short footwork bursts, 2–3 dry blade actions. Enough to feel springy, not sweaty.
Before DEs, add one micro-sprint (3–4 explosive steps or a quick lunge sequence) to wake fast-twitch fibers.
-
Aim for 100–200 kcal easy carbs every 45–60 min: banana, applesauce pouch, pretzels, gummies, half a bar.
Hydration: small sips regularly; target ~250–500 ml per hour, more if hot. Use electrolytes if you’re a salty sweater or cramping risk.
Avoid big meals till you’re done; large fat/protein loads slow legs and decision speed.
-
If you feel flat/heavy → 20 sec quick-feet burst + 3 fast nasal inhales / 1 strong exhale + one crisp advance-lunge.
If you feel wired/jittery → inhale 4, exhale 6–8 for 4–6 cycles, then one slow preparatory step before your first action.
If legs tighten → 15–20 sec of relaxed bouncing, shake arms, one long exhale. Then a single, smooth lunge to re-groove length.
-
Sit or lean when you can; jacket on to keep warmth.
Don’t burn energy on casual sparring. Two clean rehearsals beat ten messy touches.
Change socks if they’re damp; moisture = blisters and wasted focus.
-
Hot venue: rotate cool water on wrists/neck, stay shaded, add electrolytes earlier.
Cramp early warning: twitching in calves/forearm? Take salt/electrolyte + gentle stretch, not deep static holds.
Have a mini kit in the bag top: electrolytes, tape, band-aids, a spare shirt.
-
If you use it, keep it low and early (e.g., 50–100 mg ~45–60 min before pools).
Skip “panic doses” later; they spike heart rate and tighten timing. Use breathing + top-ups instead.
-
Breathing: smooth and quiet? If not, lengthen exhale.
Feet: bouncy or stuck? If stuck, 20 sec quick-feet.
Mind: scattered or sleepy? If scattered, one slow breath + single cue; if sleepy, activation burst.
Focus (how to see clearly and act decisively)
-
Pick one first action before the salute (e.g., prep–lunge to six or invite + counter-parry).
Pair it with a cue word (e.g., “feet first”, “point leads”) to anchor attention in the present task.
Why it works: a pre-chosen first move reduces overthinking and tightens reaction time.
-
Use the first two exchanges as reconnaissance: start distance, retreat speed, parry habit, hand height.
After every 3 points, make a micro-call: keep Plan A, swap to B, or go to close-out C.
Keep cues external and simple: “shorten distance”, “attack second step”, “close high line.”
-
A: your default pattern that fits most opponents.
B: your pressure answer when A stalls (e.g., feint–disengage, counter-time).
C: your close-out pattern when up 13–11 (e.g., space control + single light).
Drill switching A→B→C in practice so it’s automatic under stress.
-
One slow breath (inhale 4, exhale 6–8).
Repeat cue word.
Visualize the first exchange once.
Bounce to bout tempo and salute.
Same steps every time = less cognitive load.
-
Between touches, glance at your bell guard or the strip line for one second.
That tiny anchor erases the last touch and resets the attentional spotlight.
-
Favor external focus (“point through target,” “hit floor line, then go”) over internal mechanics (“move wrist”).
External cues speed motor execution and cut paralysis-by-analysis.
-
Step back → one slow breath → repeat cue word → one trusted action (e.g., clean preparation with a stop-hit look).
No analysis during the reset. Save the debrief for between bouts.
-
Name it: “frustrated,” “rushed,” then breathe once.
Narrow it: next touch = one action only (not your whole system).
Time it: if you lose two in a row, take a referee-allowed pause to towel or adjust gear and re-center.
-
Write/think 1 success + 1 fix + 1 adjustment for the next opponent.
Close the loop—don’t relive the bout. Carry forward only the plan.
-
Open focus cue (scan space, blade, feet): “see space.”
Narrow focus cue (tip through target): “point first.”
Practice toggling open↔narrow during footwork so it’s reflexive.
-
Keep gaze at opponent’s chest/shoulder triangle to read whole-body tells; shift to guard/forearm right before action.
Avoid staring at the tip—causes flinches and late parries.
-
Up late: space control + single light; no doubles in épée unless strategic.
Down late: change one variable (distance, timing, or line)—not all three.
14–14 script prepared in advance (e.g., invite low line → counter-parry four riposte).
-
If mind races: exhale longer than inhale for 3–4 cycles.
If mind drifts: one quick activation breath (3 short inhales, 1 strong exhale) before your top-up.
-
Pre-bout (45s): breath → cue → visualize first exchange.
Touches 1–2: scout; note start distance & first intention.
At 3 points: decide A/B/C; set one external cue.
After a mistake: 10s reset; re-enter with one trusted action.
Finish: quick note (success/fix/adjust) and clear.
-
Seeing too much? Narrow: “point first.”
Tunnel vision? Open: “see space.”
Overthinking? External cue + act in under 3 seconds.
Jitters? Lengthen exhale. Sluggish? One activation breath + 20s quick-feet.
CMRF: Certified Mental Resilience for Fencers
Want the full guidebook to applying each of these strategies today? Enroll in the self-paced CMRF course for lifetime access to step-by-step training, tools, and templates you can use at your very next tournament.
Reset Fast Protocols — 10-second reset, anti-tilt rules, anchor gestures, and breathing drills for calm/steady/activation.
Visualization & Routine Pack — guided audios for first exchanges and close-outs, plus pre-bout, morning, and evening mental routines.
Practice Converters & Day Flows — 10-minute solo/partner drills, a 90-minute pre-pool timeline, and DE-day flow prompts.
Performance Tracking & Checklists — bout review sheets (1 success • 1 fix • 1 adjustment), printable one-pagers, more.
Staying Tactical
Tactical fencing is disciplined decision-making under pressure. Instead of guessing or “fencing whatever shows up,” you’ll read the first exchanges for distance, tempo, and habits—then shape the bout with simple, repeatable choices. The goal is clarity: know what you’re trying to do, why it fits this opponent, and when you’ll change it.
This page turns that idea into a working system. You’ll use an A–B–C plan (default, pressure breaker, close-out), score-state rules to manage risk when you’re up or down, and If–Then triggers that convert opponent patterns into points. When stuck, you’ll change exactly one variable—distance, tempo, or line—so adjustments are controlled, not chaotic.
By the end, “staying tactical” means running clean loops: scout quickly, decide on schedule, switch with purpose, and finish with a rehearsed endgame at 13–11 or 14–14. Fewer guesses. Faster reads. Touches earned on your terms.