If you are weighing up martial arts for your child, you are already asking a good question: which activity will they actually want to return to? Fencing sometimes sits in the same shortlist, because both are one against one, and both ask for focus. They are not the same sport, and one is not a replacement trophy for the other.
Martial arts are an excellent choice for many Brisbane families. Fencing may suit a child who wants an Olympic bout sport with a sword, a mask and a score, rather than a class built around personal defence, belts or a particular traditional style.
The lowest pressure way to test fencing is a free first session at The Fencing Club in Camp Hill. Email paul@thefencingclub.com.au. No obligation. Your call.
You do not have to pick a winner tonight
It is reasonable to try more than one activity, especially if your child has not yet found a sport that sticks. A trial class at a martial arts school, and a free fencing session, will tell you more than any article. This page exists to make that comparison clearer, not to talk you out of a dojo or gym that already feels right.
What martial arts often offer
“Martial arts” covers a wide range of styles, including karate, taekwondo, judo, Brazilian jiu jitsu and others. Classes differ a lot, so it is the individual school that matters.
In general, families are often drawn to:
- a clear class ritual, and in many styles a belt or grade to mark progress
- striking, grappling, throws or forms, depending on the art
- a focus on respect, self control and, in many schools, personal defence
- a large number of venues across Brisbane, often with classes that start at a young age
If personal defence is the main goal, a martial art is usually the more direct fit. Fencing will not do that job.
What Olympic fencing offers
Fencing is an Olympic sport. At The Fencing Club, fencers train in all three weapons: foil, epee and sabre. The bout is one against one. The aim is to score a touch with the weapon, under rules that depend on the weapon.
A short version, from the international federation’s weapons sheet:
- Foil and epee score with the point only. Sabre can score with the cutting edge and the point.
- Foil uses the torso as the target, and a right of way rule. Epee uses the whole body and has no right of way. Sabre uses the body above the waist, including the head and arms, and also has right of way.
(The Three Weapons, International Fencing Federation.)
Fencers wear a mask, a jacket and a glove. The kit and the rules lower the risk. They do not remove it. Fencing is still a physical sport.
The Fencing Club has offered these three weapons in Brisbane since 1997, welcomes beginners of any age, and advertises a free first session. You can read a fuller explanation of what fencing is, including Australia’s Olympic fencing story, on the club site.
Where they overlap, and where they do not
Both can suit a child who likes a one against one contest, and both can build coordination, timing and the habit of paying attention. Both are usually trained indoors, so a wet Brisbane afternoon does not have to cancel the week.
The differences that matter for a parent are more practical:
- Purpose. Many martial arts include personal defence. Fencing is a sport. It is not a defence class.
- The object in the hand. Fencing is built around a weapon and a scored touch. That is the whole appeal for some children, and a poor fit for others.
- Progress markers. Martial arts often use belts or grades. Fencing progress shows up in footwork, timing, and the result of a bout.
- How easy it is to find a class. Brisbane has many martial arts schools. Olympic fencing clubs are fewer. The Fencing Club is in Camp Hill, in Brisbane’s east, which is useful if you already live or school nearby, and less useful if a closer martial arts class is the deciding factor.
This page does not compare injury rates. Different sports count injuries in different ways, and a slogan about which one is safer would not be honest.
Martial arts already train distance, timing, feints and the calm of a one against one contest, which is the heart of a fencing bout. The usual adjustments are stance width, the position of the hands, and, for grappling arts, the fact that fencing has no clinch or ground work and is not a personal defence class. A fuller account of those transferable skills is in your head start in fencing.
A simple way to decide
Ask your child what sounds interesting: a sword and a score, or a particular martial art they have already pictured. Watch a class if you can. Then let them try one session of each, if that is practical, and see which one they talk about on the way home.
If they want to punch, kick, wrestle or learn to defend themselves, start with martial arts. If they want a timed, scored Olympic bout, and the idea of the mask and blade lights them up, try fencing.
Try a free first session in Camp Hill
Email paul@thefencingclub.com.au to ask about a free first session. The club trains at the School Hall, Gate 4 Samuel St, Camp Hill. Say that you have been comparing fencing with martial arts, if that helps the coach set the right expectations.
You are not signing up for a year. You are coming to see whether the sport suits your child. No obligation. Your call.
FAQ
Is fencing a martial art?
It is an Olympic combat sport, with its own weapons, kit and rules. People sometimes group it with martial arts because it is one against one and formal, but it is not a traditional martial art, and it is not taught here as personal defence.
Is fencing used for self defence?
No. If that is your main goal, a martial arts school is the more honest place to start.
Which one starts younger?
Many martial arts schools accept younger children than a typical fencing club. The Fencing Club welcomes beginners of any age, and the coach can advise whether a junior session is suitable when you get in touch.
Will they get hit?
Touches are made with the weapon, and fencers wear a mask, a jacket and a glove. It can still sting, and it is still a physical sport. The kit and the rules lower the risk. They do not remove it.
How do we try fencing in Brisbane?
Email paul@thefencingclub.com.au, or use the beginners page. The first session at The Fencing Club is free.
If you are still choosing, you do not have to settle it from a screen. Email paul@thefencingclub.com.au to try a free fencing session in Camp Hill, and keep the martial arts trial on your list too if that still appeals. No obligation. Your call.