Epee Master's Winter Camp

Warm-Up

Dynamic preparation for intensive fencing.

Dynamic Movement & Fast Footwork

Fast-paced footwork exercises designed to activate the legs, improve reaction speed, and prepare athletes for competition.

Opening Ranking Competition

High-intensity 5-touch round-robin bouts. Athletes will fence multiple short bouts under competitive conditions, emphasizing:

• Immediate tactical decision-making
• Fast starts and early scoring
• Attacking initiative
• Distance management
• Maintaining technical quality under pressure
• Competitive endurance

Review, Cool-Down & Stretching

Coaches review key observations from the opening competition and identify technical and tactical priorities for the remainder of the camp.

Warm-Up

Technical Training

• A. Point-Control Drill — 100 consecutive touches to the hand, alternating between high- and low-line targets. Focus on finger control, point accuracy, efficient blade movement, and consistency.
• B. Sixte Engagement → Low-Line Blade Action → Lunge — Control the opponent's blade in sixte, transition to the low line, and finish with a controlled lunge.
• C. Sixte Engagement → Circular Parry → Riposte — Develop smooth transitions between blade control, defense, and immediate counterattack.
• D. Quarte Engagement → Double Disengagement → Step-Lunge — Practice changing lines while maintaining proper distance and attacking preparation.
• E. Quarte Engagement → Double Disengagement → Flèche — Develop explosive finishing actions following multiple blade-line changes.

Stretching, Cool-Down & Technical Review

Coaches reinforce proper use of the fingers, hand position, timing, point control, and blade control.

Warm-Up

Fencing Footwork Training

• 1. Footwork Correction — Coaches identify and correct technical issues involving balance, posture, step length, rhythm, direction changes, and recovery after attacks.
• 2. Active/Passive Distance-Control Drills — Partner exercises designed to develop the ability to recognize, maintain, and manipulate fencing distance.
• 3. Footwork Endurance — High-intensity footwork sequences designed to maintain speed, balance, and technical quality under fatigue.

Situational Bouting

Conditioned bouts emphasizing:

• Distance control
• Timing
• Changes of rhythm
• Creating attacking opportunities through movement
• Controlling the opponent's preparation
• Recognizing when to attack, defend, or change distance

Tactical Explanation & Review

Preparation

Warm-up, coordination exercises, and fencing-specific footwork.

Group Technical Lesson

• Beat/opposition in quarte → lunge ×10
• Beat/opposition in seconde → lunge ×10
• Opposition in sixte → lunge ×10
• Double disengagement → lunge ×10
• Opposition in quarte → flèche
• Opposition in sixte → flèche
• Beat/opposition in seconde → flèche
• Double disengagement → flèche

The emphasis is on connecting individual techniques into fluid, competition-ready actions while maintaining proper distance, timing, blade control, and balance.

Fencing-Specific Physical Conditioning

Conditioning focuses on:

• Leg strength
• Explosive movement
• Core stability
• Coordination
• Speed
• Competitive endurance

Stretching, Cool-Down & Review

Competition Preparation & Strategy

Coaches will cover:

• Competition preparation
• Effective pre-bout warm-up
• 15-touch bout structure
• Tactical planning
• Managing the three periods
• Adapting to different opponents
• Tactical adjustments during a bout
• Managing physical and mental energy

Warm-Up

15-Touch Competition

Each athlete will fence five 15-touch bouts. The emphasis is on transferring the week's training into realistic competition:

• Distance and timing
• Blade control
• Attacking initiative
• Tactical adaptability
• Footwork efficiency
• Endurance
• Decision-making under pressure

Final Cool-Down & Camp Review

Coaches review the competition and summarize the major technical and tactical lessons from the five-day program.