Frequently Asked Questions

+ Can adults learn to fence?

Yes, of course! About 10% of our fencers are adults with jobs, families, lives, etc. Most are beginners. We put most new adults into our saber program because the other students there tend to be taller (randomly, not by intention). This sport will get you into great shape fast!

+ Why choose fencing?

Fencing is intuitive and super fun to start. Who among us hasn't thought about wielding a sword in battle at some point of our lives? Sounds simple, but it's not, of course.

Fencing does not require exceptional size, strength or athleticism to be successful. Being tall and fast may seem advantageous, but certainly not necessary to be a top national fencer. Fencing is a high-speed chess game, therefore it is very cerebral. Fencing athletes are the ones who like to be involved in individual sports yet it has a team aspect to it. The sport involves incredibly quick problem-solving situations that are usually transferred over into everyday life. This confidence is one of the by-products of the sport due to its nature of you being able to handle tough situations quickly. Fencing is accessible to men and women of all ages with the youngest, at age 5, to veterans well into their 80s.

We offer a variety of classes suitable for all levels of skill ranging from beginners to experts. Private lessons can also be easily accommodated. Our facility is open 7 days a week.
For those of us with children who are college-bound, fencing is an Olympic and an NCAA sport. It is the best sport in the United States for girls to obtain a college scholarship, and the second best for boys. The colleges with Division 1 Scholarship programs include Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Princeton, UPenn, UNC at Chapel Hill, Duke and Northwestern among many others. Division 2 and 3 Programs include UC San Diego, Cal Tech, Johns Hopkins, MIT, NYU, Tufts and Wellesley.

+ Why choose Las Vegas Fencing Academy (LVFA)?

LVFA is the only fencing club in Nevada that welcomes fencers in all three weapons. It is the newest facility and has state of art fencing equipment. It is often praised as a “professional club with a family feel.” Every member is treated like a family.

All coaches are dedicated to providing a rewarding experience that builds confidence, reinforce teamwork and inspire the personal growth necessary for each fencer to take the next step in life. At this academy, we believe every member is important.

+ Which weapons does Las Vegas Fencing Academy utilize?

There are 3 weapons in fencing: epee, foil and saber. All 3 have unique rules, equipment and strategy. We are primarily an epee club, but we have classes in saber and foil as well. Private lessons and open fencing are open in all 3 weapons.

+ What are the differences between the three disciplines?

Epee fencing is taken from the duel. If you were to have a duel, this is the weapon you would be using. The rules in a fight are the same rules in epee. There are none. Whoever hits who first anywhere on the body, from foot to head, wins. Hits are registered by a computer. If the touches are within 1/24th of a second, they are considered simultaneous and both fencers receive points.

Saber and foil use a "right of way" system. Whoever attacks first has the right of way to make the touch. If you dont have the right of way, your touch does not count.

Saber is likened to pirates slashing about. It is the fastest of the three blades. Target area is from the waist to the head. Below the waist is off target.

Foil is the toughest of the three blades because its target is the smallest of the three. Its target is only the torso.

+ Is fencing safe?

Of the top 100 sports with injuries in the US, boxing being number 1, fencing rankes below badmitten around 80'th place. It is by far the safest martial art.

Compared with other competitive sports, fencing is extremely safe and serious injuries are quite rare. The weapons utilized in the sport are blunted, the uniforms are well protected and there is a minimum of contact, jumping, twisting or high impact moves. At the same time, this sport provides important benefits that will help your child grow with confidence, discipline, quick-thinking and respect.

At Las Vegas Fencing Academy, we are very strict about enforcing the best safety habits and technique, so that it becomes automatic. We also mandate use of full equipment during sparring matches including plastic chest plates, arm protectors, gloves, protective socks and masks.

+ Does it hurt?

Most scores hurt as much as a finger flick. It is possible to get bruised on your arms or legs if you dont block (parry) your opponents attack.

+ How long does it take to get good?

Fencing is one of the easiest sports to start out in. After all, it's intuitive. You have a sword and you attack your opponent. However, mastery is challenging and can take years.

The good news is that four to five hours of training per week would be sufficient to progress quickly in the sport. That happens to be the amount of hours per week that are available to each level of fencer.

This is a sport that people like due to its individual nature. You won't lose a bout because of another teammate messing up. It also has an added benefit that it is an indoor sport year-round. Therefore you don’t have to deal with being rained on or the heavy heat you would have to deal with if it’s an outside sport.

The basics can be grasped in 3 months, and someone can be ready for a tournament in 6 months to a year. Early on, tournaments are mostly for training purposes. To have a chance at winning a tournament, two years of steady training and private lessons would be reasonable.

+ What characteristics does a good fencer need to have?

The good news is that if you are athletically inclined, or transferring over from another sport, you will have an initial advantage over other novices. Being smart, fast-thinking and calm under pressure are certainly good attributes to start.

Most competitors in fencing are of average height but quick on their feet. The actual skill and mental makeup of the fencer are the more important.

Mental and emotional discipline is an extremely important aspect of the sport. After scoring, or being scored on, you might have five seconds as you walk back to the on-guard line before you need to re-engage with your opponent. This is the time when you problem solve and you figure out what you’re doing right or what you’re doing wrong and what you need to change in order to become victorious. Obviously, this is a very useful skill to develop outside of the sport.

Ultimately, if any fencer has the desire to compete and are willing to put the hours in with our coaches they will be successful. This is a quickly growing sport, so you will have the best chance at being the best if you spend the time in this sport.

+ What equipment is required for fencing and how much does it cost?

Basic starter kit including a jacket ($50), arm protector ($25), 2 body cords ($25) chest guard ($25), glove ($25), weapon ($100) and mask ($100) will cost about $350. If you intend to compete, you'll probably need a better mask ($150), and blade ($150). For more inforation, refer to our epee equipment guide!

Court or cross training or similar grippy, low profile shoes with minimum padding are recommended. Running shoes do not work. Top end fencing gear is called FIE-spec. They are not needed unless you want to compete in international competitions.

You may try on equipment to get properly sized. We will assist you with your order and will allow you to borrow equipment until your order arrives.

+ What should I wear to classes?

Warm-up or long gym pants, t-shirt and sneakers/court shoes will work for your first couple of visits and LVFA will provide the rental jacket, face mask, weapon and gloves with a deposit.

+ How can my child compete?

There are many levels of tournaments depending on the level that your child competes in. Youth categories include Y-10, Y-12, Y-14 as well as Cadet (15-16 yrs old), Junior (17-19 yrs old) and Senior (20 on up). There is also Veteran catagories of Vet-40, Vet-50, Vet-60 and Vet-70 on up. More advanced fencers can compete in national events in the classification of Division 1.

Competitions are held nearly every weekend across the country. Nevada hosts at least one a month and we compete in California, Utah, and Arizona. For the most part, we compete on a regional level and the larger national tournaments such as the Junior Olympics, North American Cup and the Summer Nationals.

The competitive fencers do anywhere between 12 to 20 tournaments a year. National tournaments are much larger and have a higher level of competition than the regional tournaments. For more information, click the link below.

Visit: usfencing.org/us-fencing-membership Visit: usfencing.org/about-tournaments