

Richard Kruse’s Pre-competition Routine

Yet don’t let that surface appearance fool you into thinking there isn’t rigid structure underneath his serene demeanor. He believes deeply in the power of routine, as do many of the best athletes in the world. Before every competition he (and the British Fencing team) arrives a few hours early, and he does things the same way every time.

Richard describes the way he approaches competitions as being “as regular as clockwork with each minute of the two hours before the competition planned out ahead of time.”

Step One: 2 hrs to Competition

Fix the tips of foils and sort out other equipment issues

Step Two: 1hr 40min to Competition

Work with the physical therapist (if needed)

Step Three: 1hr 25min to Competition

Warm up the body with a specific sequence of exercises (without fencing equipment)

Step Four: 45 min to competition

Put on fencing equipment, perform fencing exercises and spar with teammates

Step Five: 30 min to Competition

Put on tracksuit, prepare equipment and to head to the strip

Step Six: 15min to Competition

Arrive at strip 15 min before competition/bout begins



The Physical and Mental Benefits of Routines in Fencing

Why, you might ask? What if his equipment isn’t broken? What if he doesn’t feel like doing all of his warm-up exercises? What if he feels like he needs a little extra sleep that day?

“It may sound boring but if you follow the routine, you're less likely to get injured because you've done a proper warm-up. It won't guarantee that you will never get injured. It won't guarantee that you will score, but all those good habits add to the professionalism of being an athlete.” - Richard Kruse



Routines reduce the risk of fencing injuries

Richard mentions two very important aspects of routines. The first is the physical benefit of injury prevention, a topic we have written extensively about.

Imagine your body as a finely tuned racecar. When the driver and his team prepare for a race, they go through an extensive check of the car’s operating systems: monitoring the tire pressure, ensuring the oil levels are optimal, testing the brakes, etc.

Your warm-up routine is that check up, as all your muscles and tendons need to move and stretch before you put them to the test. A great warm-up routine is comprehensive, spending just the right amount of focus on each part of the body, especially if you have problem areas that are a result of past injuries.

If you slack on your warm-up or suddenly launch into an aggressive warm-up that you have never done before, it’s unlikely that your body will be running on all cylinders, and therefore, ready to take on the tough fight ahead.

Fencing routines prepare your mind for competition

The other important aspect of routines that Richard touches upon is the mental benefit of preparing your mind for performance. Warming up for competition is as much an exercise for the mind as it is for the body.

Mason Curry, an expert on routines, describes them as “fostering a well-worn groove for one’s mental energies and helping to stave off the tyranny of moods.”

Basically, he means that no matter whether you feel good or bad, a routine gives you the best chance of finding and bringing your A-game. The fact of the matter is that there are many things that you cannot control in competition. You cannot control what the opponent will do. You cannot control how the referee will call an action. But you can control your routine and preparation for the day.

For many great fencers this is a very private time during which the athlete begins to look inward, asking his or her body and spirit to rise to the upcoming challenge. It’s an important shift away from the nattering demands of everyday life to the more primal instincts required for competition.



Every Fencing Routine Is Unique

Your own routine need not be as long as Richard’s. Everyone has different needs which should be factored into how you design each step. For example, Ivan Lee, my Olympic teammate from the 2004 Athens Olympics, never seemed to need more than 30 minutes for his physical warm-up. His body type allowed him to minimize the time spent on this step because he was naturally quite flexible. It was always clear, however, that he took ample time to compose himself for competition as he spent a lot of time alone listening to music and thinking through various scenarios to prepare for the challenges to come.

Like Richard, I preferred to take my time, despite the merciless teasing I received from fellow teammates. Two hours was optimal for me allowing enough time to methodically work through each of the steps I had laid out in my head. The specific activities of my routine changed over time as I figured out what worked best for me. It always incorporated an extensive physical warm-up, focused stretching, a lesson (if my coach was there), and brief, but intense, practice bouting. The last thing I liked to do before heading off to the strip was to watch a personal motivational video that I made for myself to get my confidence and competitive juices flowing.