The advantage drill

Best for épée fencers, but also good for foil and sabre fencers.

There’s nothing more exciting than watching a fencer comeback from a huge deficit to win the match. However, these are few and far between because the reality is that it’s really really difficult to do. It requires a certain type of mental focus and fortitude to get oneself out of tricky situations. However, Jason Pryor practices for this very situation with a drill that helps get more accustomed to coming from behind.

Who is this drill for?

This drill is for you if you struggle with comebacks. While it would be great to always be up, it’s frankly not that realistic. If you find yourself often struggling when you’re in this position, this drill can be a great help to practice stringing points together.

It is particularly helpful for épée fencers who must overcome a different kind of burden when they are down. Not only must they pick the right action and score, but they must also avoid double touches which does not help them overcome their deficit.

However, it also useful to for sabre and foil fencers because it can help practice a certain type of mentality when coming from behind.

The basics

The drill requires two fencers, however, a touch can only be scored by the fencer who has the “advantage.”

Rules of the drill (épée)

Neither fencer has the “advantage” when the drill begins.

The “advantage” is earned by the first fencer to score a touch. Then, once this fencer has the “advantage” they are able to score a touch which is added to their score.

However, if the opponent who does not have the “advantage” scores a point, they steal back the advantage, thus allowing them to get a point on the next touch.

A double touch resets the drill so no one has "advantage".

For example, if one fencer scored the first three touches (single) in the match they would have both the advantage and a point total of two (one touch earns the advantage and the other count towards their score). But then, if a double touch was scored, neither fencer would have the advantage, and thus neither could score on the next action. But then if the other fencer scored two touches in a row, then that fencer would have the advantage and a point total of one (one touch earning the advantage and one counting towards their score).

This drill forces you to score multiple touches in a row to score points and get to five. It also rewards long strings of touches - 4 points consecutively in this drill is worth more than 4 points in two or more separate instances.

The first fencer with five points wins.

Saber/Foil Variation:

The drill remains the same, however, a simultaneous action resets advantage (instead of a double touch).

Summary

As a quick note here: we didn’t ask Eli and Jason to give us their favorite “mental” or “situational” drills. We asked them to give us their favorite drills, period. They both picked drills that focus on getting you out of a disadvantaged position. In Eli’s drill, a defender must be able to stay strong and perform a defense even at the end of the strip. Jason’s drill encourages getting multiple points in a row, which helps immeasurably for comebacks.

It is clear that both fencers love the challenge of putting themselves at a disadvantage and seeing how they can get out of it. This constant challenging of themselves drives them to become better. It speaks to the mindset of them as fencers and competitors. It offers the statement: if you want to be truly good at something, ensure that you’re not only training for when things are good, but also prepare for when things start going south.

Bonus: Foot speed drills

Here’s a bonus series of drills that Jason Pryor does to improve his foot speed. Each drill should be done for 20 seconds, and your goal is to move your feet as quickly as possible without breaking good technique. Then take a 10 second break between exercises.

Shuffle:

One foot in front of the en garde line, one foot behind (both feet should pointed forward)

Switch their positions by moving one foot at a time (rather than by hopping)

You should feel like you are stepping forwards and backwards over the line

Repeat 3 sets

Jumps:

Feet together behind the en garde line

Jump forward and back over the line

Repeat 3 sets

Jumps (lateral):

Feet together on side of en garde line

Jump side to side across the line

Repeat 3 sets

Jump single leg:

Foot behind en garde line

Jump forward and back over the line on one leg

Do 1 set for each leg

Jump single leg (lateral):