Jason has found a lifelong hobby as well as a great form of exercise. He lost 80 pounds since we opened the club.

321

We don't require that people compete here. I'm here for the people who want to get really, really good at this and compete in it, but we're also here for the people who just want to come in and get some exercise, blow off some steam, or just come in and have a really good time.

265

How you like to style your fencing is really up to your temperament. Some people are aggressive and tend to move around a lot; some people are very passive and let their opponents make the first move. No two people fence entirely alike. It's one of the things that makes it so interesting.

202

If you watch a football game or a baseball game, you don't see sportsmanship like this. In fencing you've got to salute your opponent before every match, and you've got to shake hands. These are the rules.

201

I've actually seen kids who have bad attitudes or temper problems come into fencing and I've seen them leave with much more self-control and self-respect. I've seen them go from really lousy kids to pretty nice people, people I could respect. I think fencing can have an uplifting effect on the soul. It's very much a Western martial art.

189

In fencing, it's just you and your opponent. You don't have teammates you can blame. You usually don't have a referee to blame. You either win or you don't. Every time you go out there, it's a test of your own skill and ability and how hard you work.

153

You will find a few of them, but in fencing they are a much smaller percentage than in any other sport.

124

The best thing about this sport is that you can do it all your life. I know people who started fencing when they were 70 years old. This is a sport where using your head really counts. 'Physical chess' is a term that's been frequently applied to fencing. Really, the mind is the most important weapon you have in this sport.

106