The Olympic Games: Olympic Level Fencing

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Olympic Level Fencing: Men’s Foil Individual

Scientific Principles of Strength and Conditioning

Fencing

The Olympic Games bring together individuals that are exceptional and impeccably dominant within their particular concentration of training and athletics. Olympic Games have an array of events and/or sports that range from individual to team competitions, and are either sport related activities or are combat related, such as fencing. Fencing is the sport of sword fighting, which was first known to be organized in 14th century Germany with heavier and larger swords, but fencing has evolved into utilizing a lighter sword for fencers to move much quicker in combat, competition and now a recreational sport (Slade, 2009). The sport of fencing is a combat sport that requires skillfulness that is primarily done in an indoors setting, where two athletes skirmish indirectly through the use of sword, and physical interaction is prohibited (Rio & Bianchedi, 2008). The swords used in fencing are the Sabre, Epee, and Foil, and the weapon in which the fencer is expected to use is centered on what they were interested in at the beginning of training or what the local club deals within, or maybe be due to what the coach specializes in (Turner et al., 2013). This sport prominently demands anaerobic drive within the fencers to produce high velocity action that are dynamic in nature and require a vast amount of articulation of joints and muscle force generation. Mental acuity factors are also crucial within fencing from mental preparation to tactical action conducted within the event to gain the upper hand (Chang, Regatte, & Schweitzer, 2009). Fencing is a mental and physical game; competitors must constantly anticipate their opponent’s mov...

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Tsolakis, C., Kostaki, E., & Vagenas, G. (2010) Anthropometric, flexibility, strength-power, and sport-specific correlates in elite fencing. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 110 (3): 1015-1028.

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