Patricia Young
Tuesday, October 24, 2000

In the world of cool, few things top fencing -- the grace, the power, the explosive speed. Add to those one of the most timelessly stylish uniforms ever designed and it is a mystery that there aren't fencing clubs on every corner in Canada.

Instead, it remains one of the more obscure sports: Everyone knows about it -- even if only in its Hollywood swashbuckling form -- but it is almost more of a secret cult than a sport. And those who become entranced by fencing's elegance are hooked for life.

Kay Aoyama is a lifelong convert. At 69, she still teaches fencing classes to beginners and up at the Ryerson Polytechnic University gym in Toronto. She says anyone from children to senior citizens can take up fencing. Even after two hip-replacement operations, Aoyama plans to fence for the rest of her life, saying, "I don't know of any reason why I would stop.

"I took up fencing -- oh, about a million years ago -- when I moved to Toronto [from Brandon, Man.]," the former nursing teacher said. "I was overweight and was looking for a way to get fit. Fencing certainly did that for me."

She teamed up her new sport with a fitness program and lost 15 pounds in three weeks. Much of the credit, she says, goes to fencing.

There are deeper reasons than sheer vanity to consider adding fencing to your winter fitness program. The beauty of a sport like fencing compared with an aerobics class is that it completely engages you. Your mind can't wander. Your arms are moving at a different rhythm than your legs. The stomach is taut, but the torso relaxed. You have to project stillness and quiet, but be able to harness lightning-quick power and speed. It is a balance of contrasts.

Try the classic en garde position. Stand with your feet at right angles and step forward so they are a very comfortable shoulder-width apart. Your front foot and head are pointing forward. Now bend your knees so that the front thigh is parallel to the floor. Your upper body should be very relaxed and you should have some bounce in your knees. Stick your arm out in front and you are now in the en garde position.

It seems quite easy, say for the first 30 seconds or so, but stay in that position for awhile. Feel your thighs and buttocks starting to burn? Now try to move forward staying nice and low, keeping your upper body relaxed the whole time. That doesn't even take into consideration the strain you feel in your shoulders and biceps from holding your arm up.

There are eight basic hand positions, so co-ordinating these motions becomes a dance. Then you add an opponent to the mix and the subtleties and demands of the sport become clear. There are three different categories in which fencers compete -- foil, épée and sabre (and, no you don't get to swing from ropes like Errol Flynn).

The weapon used in competition has an electronic tip and the vests worn by the fencers are conductive. Any touch is registered -- a huge improvement on the old judging system. The face is protected by a mesh mask, which is another reason why fencers have one of the lowest profiles of any elite athlete. Not only is the sport obscure, but the public gets only a fleeting glance at what the champions look like.

In foil, the fencer scores points by making contact with the opponent's torso (front or back) with the tip of the weapon. In épée, you can use the tip to score points anywhere on the other fencer. Point-scoring in sabre is restricted to above the hips or, in a nod to history, what is exposed on a soldier on horseback.

But the demands of fencing are mental more than physical. You have to gauge your opponent's strengths and weaknesses. You judge when to attack and when to retreat, and you have to react instantly. Like a chess grand master, a brilliant fencer is always four or five moves ahead.

World sabre champion Donna Saworski calls fencing "an internal battle with perfection." That, she speculates, is why it attracts a certain type of person. Fencing seems to be the sport of choice for brainiacs. But she assured me that lesser lights (even journalists) can master the sport.

"A typical fencer is often someone from science or a computer background," Saworski said. "These are people who are used to using their heads and figuring things out. In fencing, you have to be able to do this, to be analytical and react.

"It is perfect for anyone who enjoys a challenge."

But she warns that you will get hooked. Long before she won the 1998 world championship, Saworski considered fencing "one of the top 10 things I wanted to do." The Port Hope, Ont., asbestos inspector had no idea that she would develop into one of the finest fencers in the world.

"Fencing is like a puzzle," Saworski said. "You can work at it your whole life and there is always more to learn. It's for your mind and your body. As a workout, it is incredible. Look at how toned fencers are. And -- how shall I say this? -- the men have exceptional butts."

Who needs more reasons? A great workout for your body and mind, interesting and curious people, eye candy and a sleek white outfit. Knowing all this, how can you possibly justify trudging through another aimless aerobics class this winter?

So you wanna fence. Check the Internet for your provincial fencing association. There are clubs in every province across the country. Or call the Canadian Fencing Association at 613-731-6149.
Patricia Young is The Globe and Mail's associate sports editor and can be reached via e-mail at: pyoung@globeandmail.ca