Lean Awareness

Lean on or lean off?

Most fencers can't answer how much they lean during footwork. And it could be costing you points.

At the October NAC, our computer vision app, CounterIntel, measured how much fencers leaned during a 30-second footwork challenge: how many degrees they moved off vertical, and for how long.

It was the part of the challenge people talked about most. Reactions ranged from “I had no idea” to “I do that on purpose” to “So what does that mean?”

Lean touches several parts of your game: how fluidly your extension goes, how far it reaches, and how easily you recover to on guard after a lunge. Coaches disagree about what's ideal. Some prefer a more forward position. Personally, I favor staying close to vertical. I think it offers advantages for both performance and injury prevention, though the argument deserves its own post.

The bigger point is awareness of how much you lean when you fence. You can't make a conscious choice about a movement you don't recognize, whether you ultimately decide to change it or keep it.

And it's easy to start paying attention. At your next practice, try fencing a bout with minimal sway through your direction changes. Notice what changes in your balance, extension, and recovery.

One action this week: Fence a few bouts focused on keeping your torso completely perpendicular from the ground through every direction change. Then ask yourself what felt easier and what felt harder.