Question 1

What do I need to bring to my first class?

Accepted Answer

No equipment is required! Beginners are expected to wear track-pants or work-out pants (no lycra, no shorts), a t-shirt, and indoor gym shoes. We recommend that you bring a glove (gardening or work glove) for your dominant (writing) hand.

Question 2

What is the OFA/CFF membership and why do I need one?

Accepted Answer

The Ontario Fencing Association (OFA) and Canadian Fencing Federation (CFF)  require that all athletes are registerd and insured through a membership. The insurance is required prior to taking classes. You can register for a recreational membership here. We have created a document to guide you through the process here.

Question 3

Do I need any prior experience?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely not. The goal of the beginner class is to introduce new people to the sport!

Question 4

Do I need to buy equipment?

Accepted Answer

No, all fencing equipment is available for use at the club. Note: Due to COVID-19, we are still assessing this situation to determine if there is still a safe way to share equipment between memebers.

Question 5

Is Fencing safe?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Fencing is one of the safest sports with one of the lowest Athletes injury rates. This article summarizes it well. Due to the high degree of safety in using protective equipment (Jacket, Pants, Mask, etc...), injuries from using Fencing equipment (eg: Foil/Sword) are very rare; if not almost 0. "Fencing injuries are typically pulled or strained muscles, bruising, or sprains. With proper training, warm-ups, and stretching, these injuries can all be prevented and minimized".

Question 6

Does Fencing hurt?

Accepted Answer

No! The fencing jacket is thick and padded and the weapon tip is covered with a plastic end.

Question 7

Is Fencing expensive?

Accepted Answer

No! That is a common misconception. Fencing can be enjoyed recreationally at a similar cost to all o ther sports including martial arts, house league soccer, basketball, and many others. At the Canadian Fencing Academy, we aim to keep Fencing accessible for all!

Question 8

What is the size of the classes? Will I (or my child) get enough attention?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! We try to limit our beginner classes to 8 people so that we are able to provide the required attention to all.

Question 9

The time of the class does not work for me, but I am still really interested! What can we do?"

Accepted Answer

We are able to offer private lessons at a convenient time for you!

Question 10

Which weapon do you teach in the Beginner Class?

Accepted Answer

The class is focused on Foil, but these fundamentals apply to Epee and Sabre. Members are able to immediately transfer to Epee or Sabre after completing the beginner class.

Question 11

I finished the beginner class, what's next?"

Accepted Answer

Visit our Intermediate and Advanced Class page for more information! We offer a wide variety of classes from Reacreational to Elite Programs.

Canadian Fencing Academy

BEGINNER CLASSES

No fencing experience? No problem! Our beginner program teaches the fundamentals of fencing including basic movement, attacks, defense, and rules.

We offer both youth (7+) and adult programs.

No equipment required!

Duration

8 Weeks

Frequency

1 hr/week

Price

$270*

*Price subject to change. Does not include OFA/CFF insurance. See FAQ for more details.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS