Foundation Programme For Beginners - Foil
FOUNDATION PROGRAMME FOR BEGINNERS – FOIL
DESIGNED FOR NEWLY QUALIFIED LEVEL 1 COACH
Download Foundation Programme For Beginners - Foil
This programme is designed for the newly qualified Level 1 Coach working under the supervision of a more highly qualified coach or delivering taster sessions and foundation programmes on their own. The coach should have a variety of games and fencing related exercises to use as well as a range of warm-up and stretch activities so as to maintain interest and motivation. The exercise and games listed in this guide are suggestions only.
The planning assumption for these lessons is that they are about 60 to 90 minutes long and that the coach will have lesson plans for each topic on the Level 1 coach education syllabus for their weapon as listed under ‘Specific Technical Content’. Apart from Session One, the duration (timing) of each part of each session has been left out but should be added in depending on how long the session is. Apart from Session 1, as a general rule each session should comprise:
A gentle mobile warm up (static stretches not advised)
Fencing related exercises and games, including reaction games
A footwork session
Learning new blade and foot actions including drills for consolidation
Free fencing (sparring)
Warm-down (stretching out)
Salute at the end (to bring the session to a formal conclusion)
Coaches must adjust the duration of activities accordingly to fill the time allotted.
The Level 1 Foil Coach is expected to be able to teach the following topics:
- Simple fencing-related games and exercises.
- Footwork to support simple attacks and defence; distance awareness and stance.
- Hitting skills.
- Simple attacks.
- Simple defence and direct ripostes.
- Concept of priority, attack and defence.
Specific Technical Content
- Stance, on guard in sixte, the target.
- The salute and fencing etiquette.
- Steps - advance and retire.
- Lunge & recovery, step lunge and recovery.
- The grip, blade manipulation and hitting to chest from stationary position.
- Simple direct attacks to chest with lunge and step lunge.
- Simple parries quarte and sixte and their direct ripostes.
- 1st counter ripostes (direct).
NB Fencing etiquette includes:
- Saluting before and after a bout
- Shaking hands with non-sword hand at end of bout after salute
- When sparring, acknowledging hits, saying ‘Touche!’ or ‘on me!’ or ‘Off target’ and indicating with non-sword hand accordingly.
BEGINNERS’ COURSE LESSON PLANS (FOIL)
SESSION 1
(NB This session has a slightly different format to all the following sessions)
THEME – Introduction to fencing, and the programme, The Stance and Mobility
Resources required:
Course register
Sticky labels for names
Marker Pen
Foils only
1 sabre, 1 epee and kit to show
Lay out an area with sufficient chairs + table for equipment/weapons
Part 1: 30 minutes
Introductions (include self) – who, what, where, done any before/when was the last time you exercised? (Also intro club officials as appropriate)
Explain contents of session (introductions, background to fencing, introduction to standing and moving like a fencer)
History, 3 weapons, terminology, safety, rules of the salle (weapons, running, walking around the edges, ‘Halt!’), fencing kit demo
Emphasise that all sessions start at (time) with warm-up which is essential before fencing to avoid injury
Part 2: 20 minutes
warm-up – walk, reach, jog, jog backwards, side-to-side steps,
Gentle stretches with mobility
Simple reaction time game (eg, Hand tap or ‘rats and rabbits’),
Part 3: 35 minutes
stance – en garde,
advance,
retire,
thrust,
‘knee’ fencing (or some other mobility game to practice steps forward and backward),
break for a drink of water,
introduce the weapon, (coach issues it – reminding all about how to carry a weapon when not fencing with it)
the grip, (and if time, the hit)
salute
BEGINNERS’ COURSE LESSON PLANS (FOIL)
SESSION 2
THEME – The Basic Attack
Resources: all equipment
Warm-Up/Stretch
Jog in circle, swing arms (touch floor, jump, change direction) on commands 1, 2, 3.
Gentle stretches with mobility (NO STATIC STRETCHES, DEEP STRETCHES OR HYPER-EXTENSIONS at this stage)
Game/fencing-related activity
Tag or ‘Half-on-Half’: Two teams, one stops other from getting to other side, no body contact, no diving, no ganging up. Then swap (Ask: what were people’s strategies? Point out relationship to tactical use of footwork and dummy moves)
Footwork session
Revise stance, advance and retire, thrust (on coach’s timing)
Break (1 minute!)
Issue jacket, plastron, glove, mask. Ensure all worn and fitted correctly, especially left/right handed
Coach must issue weapons (having checked them for serviceability)
Revise grip and introduce blade manipulation exercises
Teach the target and distinguish between on and off target
Teach Hit, thrust and lunge, emphasising correct distance for each
Drills for practicing basic attack, at thrusting distance then at lunging distance
Free-Fence – introduce rules of etiquette (saluting before bout, acknowledging hits on and off target, saluting and shaking hands after bout)
Warm down and salute
BEGINNERS’ COURSE LESSON PLANS (FOIL)
SESSION 3
THEME – Basic Defence
Resources: all equipment
Mark out game area with cones if no other markings available
Warm-Up/Stretch
Circle Jog, loosen arms and hands arms, ‘Greek Dance', then touch floor, jump, change direction on commands 1, 2, 3 and add ‘en garde!’ on Command ‘4’ they check foot position.
Isometric, resistance training in pairs
Game/fencing-related activity
Mass tag with glove
Kit-up. Coach must issue weapons
Footwork/arm session
Revise stance, advance and retire, thrust, lunge (on coach’s timing)
Introduce the concept of defending with distance
Pairs distance exercise
Break (1 minute!)
Introduce the concept of priority
Teach simple Parry 4, 6, and the direct riposte
Drills to practice
Free fence – remind class of rules of etiquette
Warm down and salute
BEGINNERS’ COURSE LESSON PLANS (FOIL)
SESSION 4
THEME – Basic Phrasing (1st Counter Riposte)
Resources: all equipment
Warm-Up/Stretch
Pass-the-Mask in teams
Gentle stretches
Game/fencing-related activity
Circle Ball (two groups)
Footwork/arm session
Revise stance, advance and retire, thrust, lunge (on coach’s timing)
Break (1 minute!)
Kit-up. Coach must issue weapons
Free Fence as revision (practicing thrust, lunge and parries 6 & 4 + direct riposte)
Teach 1st Counter-riposte
Warm down and salute
BEGINNERS’ COURSE LESSON PLANS (FOIL)
SESSION 5
THEME – Revision/Consolidation
Resources: all equipment
Warm-Up/Stretch
With a partner side-step facing each other and high five on coach command. Also change direction and ‘en-garde’
With a partner, jumping and toe-tapping alternate feet, opposite feet
Game/fencing-related activity
Glove-on-mask (two groups)
Footwork/arm session
Revise stance, advance and retire, thrust, lunge, (on coach’s timing)
Slow/fast/varying speed
Changes of direction
Break (1 minute!)
Kit-up. Coach must issue weapons
Free Fence (best of 3 hits, when all bouts done, swap partners and repeat) Coach observes and gives feedback on performance as necessary, praising, encouraging, correcting.
After observation, revise technicalities of attack/hitting/parrying/basic phrasing to correct errors
Free fence
Warm down and salute
BEGINNERS’ COURSE LESSON PLANS (FOIL)
SESSION 6
Resources: all equipment
Large sheet of squared paper for Poule Unique
Warm-Up/Stretch
Team Shuttles competition – fencing steps forward backward
Emphasis on balance
Break (1 minute!)
Kit-up. Coach must issue weapons
Poule Unique
Depends on time available and numbers in class. Decide how many hits will be fought for in each bout (3?) and set a finish time when the competition will end. All fencers fence as many others in the class as possible, reporting outcome of each bout to coach to mark on poule sheet. They will ‘referee’ themselves, ie acknowledging hits received on and off target. Winner is fencer with greatest number of victories. Might have best men’s fencer, best women’s fencer, prizes for style, effort (most bouts fought in time allowed) etc
Warm down and salute
ADDITIONAL SESSIONS
Though the Level 1 Coach Education syllabus does not include the following topics, the coach, with guidance, support and supervision from a more experienced or higher qualified coach, may wish to develop session plans to develop the foundation class further.
Consider introducing the class to:
An extended range of footwork (reprise, balestra, jump and fleche)
High line and low line simple attacks.
Engagements
Simple indirect attacks by disengage and counter-disengage to chest with lunge and step lunge
Circular & semi circular parries of simple attacks with direct and indirect ripostes
Beat attack