Individual: Fencer's line up
Associated sport: Fencing
Indoor-friendly: Yes
Pool-friendly: No
Game description
A player completes a course that helps them practice specific fencing footwork, spatial awareness and striking drills.
What you need (setting up)
- 10 x cones or markers to define stations.
- 1 x fit ball or beach ball.
- 1 x foam pool noodle, foam hockey stick or rolled up newspaper.
What to do
- Holding an item as a sword, a player moves through the course completing the following actions:
-
- Station 1 - Balance: Take a step and stand on 1 foot to balance for a count of 3 seconds. Repeat all the way to the next cone. Sword can be used to assist with balance.
- Station 2 - Foot work: 2 feet jumps across a line to the next cone. Hold sword parallel with the ground in front of the body with both hands.
- Station 3 - Technique: Use ‘advance’ technique to the next cone. Advance is the basic forward movement. The front foot moves first, beginning by lifting the toes. Straighten the leg at the knee, pushing the heel out in front. Land on the heel and then bring the back foot up to en garde stance (the stance that fencers assume when preparing to fence).
- Station 4 - Technique: Turn around and use the ‘retreat’ technique to the next cone. Retreat is the basic backwards movement. Rear foot reaches backwards and is firmly planted, then front leg pushes body weight backwards smoothly into en garde stance.
- Last station - Technique: Lunge at and strike a fit ball to the end zone.
Change it
- Increase or decrease the size of the course.
- Complete the entire course one activity at a time.
Safety
- Keep head up.
- Look behind when moving backwards.
Ask the players
- What position do you hands and feet have to be in for advancing, retreating and lunging?
