For Beginners

So you've decided to start fencing, or at least are considering it. There are many great reasons to take up fencing. Some people fence for the exercise: fencing can be a great workout. Others fence because of the mental component (fencing has been called "physical chess" on more than one occasion). Whatever the reason somebody starts fencing, they stay because it's fun! For many people fencing starts out as a "I'd like to try that out" activity and becomes a life-long passion. If you're thinking about fencing, we highly recommend you give it a shot.

When/Where
During the school year the club meets in Romney gym (3rd floor of the Romney building) at 6pm to 8pm on Mondays and Wednesdays. We will be offering lessons for beginners and there will be open fencing as well. Beginners, after you have a few lessons under your belt, you're more than welcome to join in open fencing.

Cost
Currently the club charges $50 per semester in fees for students, and $100 per semester for non-students. This price includes equipment check-out, saving you from having to make a costly initial investment into a sport, in case you decide it isn't for you. Club dues also covers electronic scoring equipment and helps cover traveling costs to tournaments. These dues are not required to be paid immediately. We like the try-before-you-buy model, so you've lost nothing if you show up and decide it isn't for you.

Teaching
The MSU fencing club supports fencers of all levels. Currently, our club fosters new fencers by having more experienced fencers take them under their wing. This allows us to be more flexible with scheduling and tailor lessons to the individual fencer. Organized (for a loose definition of "organized") lessons will be offered during the week for beginners. Also, many of our advanced fencers are available for private lessons at any time. The costs of these are dependent upon the whims of the instructor.

Equipment
Fencing gear can be an expensive initial investment, due to the sheer number of pieces of gear required for the sport. The MSU fencing club has a large collection of fencing gear (in a wide variety of sizes) that is available for check-out. The club does not currently have any knickers available for check-out, so please wear a pair of comfortable pants you can move around in. The cost of using this gear is already included in club dues.

If you borrow gear from the club, all you need to bring is a comfortable pair of pants and a pair of indoor shoes with non-marking soles. The janitor of the gym is stickler, so quite seriously bring a pair of indoor shoes. Do not wear shorts! Your *ehem* body parts will thank you.

Unfortunately, fencing is a somewhat specialized sport and the employees of the local sporting goods stores will give you odd looks if you ask them where they keep their swords, so almost all purchases of our club are done online. If you decide to purchase your own gear, there are a number of quality establishments that will be more than happy to help you find the right gear for you. You can find links to some of these places on the left, under the "links" section of our site. If you do decide to purchase gear, it should be mentioned that we absolutely require all of our fencers to wear a plastron (under-arm protector).

Other Questions
Have other questions? If you have a question that wasn't answered above, check out our FAQ or Contact Us.