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Exercises

Exercises for fencing: lunge, footwork and weapon arm

Published October 24, 2026

The best exercises for fencing are the forward lunge and Bulgarian split squat for lunge strength and recovery, the Nordic hamstring curl and Copenhagen plank for the hamstrings and inner thighs, single-leg calf raises, jump squats and ladder drills for footwork, face pulls and external rotations for the weapon shoulder, and side planks for the trunk. Train them twice a week, a few reps short of failure, and give the back leg and off arm the same work as the lead side, because fencing itself trains one side far more than the other.

  1. Dumbbell Forward Lunge Quads, Glutes
  2. Bulgarian Split Squat Quads, Glutes
  3. Nordic Hamstring Curl Hamstrings
  4. Copenhagen Plank Adductors, Abs
  5. Single-Leg Calf Raise Calves
  6. Jump Squat Quads, Glutes
  7. Face Pull Shoulders, Upper Back
  8. Side Plank Abs

Lunge and recovery strength

Your front leg lands every attack and pushes you back to guard. Train it with a forward lunge and the Bulgarian split squat, and give the back leg the same work.

Front-leg strength and deceleration, forward lunge

Dumbbell Forward Lunge

Quads, Glutes

The fencing lunge is a long step forward that the front leg has to stop and then push back from. A loaded forward lunge trains that exact job: absorb the landing on the front leg and drive back to the start, which is the recovery you do after every attack.

How to do it

  1. Hold one dumbbell upright at your chest and stand with your feet under your hips.
  2. Take a long step forward and lower until both knees are bent near 90 degrees.
  3. Keep the front knee over the ankle and your torso tall.
  4. Push hard off the front foot to step back to standing. Alternate legs, or match your fencing stance and do all reps on your lead leg first.

Cues

  • Land heel first, then the whole foot
  • Push back, do not step back
  • Tall chest

Common mistakes

  • Letting the front knee shoot past the toes on landing: take a longer step.
  • Tipping forward to get back up: drive through the front heel instead.

Swap for: Dumbbell Reverse Lunge, Barbell Forward Lunge, Bulgarian Split Squat

Build a session with Dumbbell Forward Lunge

Single-leg strength, rear-foot elevated

Bulgarian Split Squat

Quads, Glutes

Fencers spend hours in a bent-knee stance with one leg leading, and that leg does far more work than the other. The Bulgarian split squat builds single-leg strength and lets you train the back leg just as hard, which evens out a very one-sided sport.

How to do it

  1. Rest your back foot on a bench behind you, holding dumbbells by your hips.
  2. Bend the front knee and lower the back knee toward the floor until the front thigh is about level.
  3. Keep your weight centered over the front foot.
  4. Stand back up through the front foot. Do both legs, starting with the weaker one.

Cues

  • Start with the weaker leg
  • Front foot flat
  • Control the bottom

Common mistakes

  • Pushing off the back foot: let it rest lightly on the bench.
  • Standing so close the heel lifts: step farther away.

Swap for: Dumbbell Split Squat, Reverse Lunge, Step-Up

Build a session with Bulgarian Split Squat

Hamstrings and inner thighs

The muscles that launch and brake the lunge, and the ones that hold the stance together.

Eccentric hamstrings, partner-held lowering

Nordic Hamstring Curl

Hamstrings

The back leg straightens violently to launch a lunge, and the front hamstring helps brake it at the end. Nordic curls train the hamstrings to produce force while lengthening, which is the hardest part of their job in fencing.

How to do it

  1. Kneel with a partner pinning your ankles to the floor.
  2. Keep your hips straight and lean forward slowly.
  3. Resist the fall with your hamstrings for as long as you can.
  4. Catch yourself with your hands, push lightly back up, and repeat.

Cues

  • Straight line from knee to head
  • Slow the whole way
  • Push back up gently

Common mistakes

  • Folding at the hips: keep them extended.
  • Dropping fast after a few inches: control what you can and stop when you cannot.

Swap for: Glute Ham Raise, Lying Leg Curl, Single-Leg RDL

Build a session with Nordic Hamstring Curl

Adductors, side plank on a bench

Copenhagen Plank

Adductors, Abs

The inner thighs control the knees in the en garde stance and work hard in fast footwork and long lunges. The Copenhagen plank trains them in a hold, which is how they mostly work in fencing.

How to do it

  1. Lie on your side next to a bench and place your top leg on it, the inside of the knee or ankle on the pad.
  2. Set your bottom forearm on the floor beneath your shoulder.
  3. Raise the hips until your body is straight, with the bottom leg hanging or lifted to meet the bench.
  4. Hold for the target time, lower, and switch sides.

Cues

  • Top leg presses down into the bench
  • Hips high
  • Start with the knee on the bench

Common mistakes

  • Starting with the ankle on the bench before you are ready: the knee version is much easier.
  • Hips sinking back: keep them in line with your shoulders.

Swap for: Side Plank, Hip Adduction Machine, Band Hip Adduction

Build a session with Copenhagen Plank

Footwork speed and explosive legs

Calves, jumps and quick feet for fast advances, retreats and fleches.

Calves and ankle spring, one-leg raise

Single-Leg Calf Raise

Calves

Fencing footwork lives on the balls of the feet: quick advances, retreats and the push of the back foot in a lunge. Single-leg raises build each calf through a full range and make the bouncing in footwork less tiring.

How to do it

  1. Stand on one foot on the edge of a step, a hand on a wall for balance.
  2. Lower your heel below the step for a full stretch.
  3. Rise as high as you can and hold one second.
  4. Lower slowly. Finish the side, then switch.

Cues

  • High finish
  • Slow lowering
  • Both feet, same reps

Common mistakes

  • Bouncing out of the bottom: pause in the stretch.
  • Doing only the back foot: train both calves, then add a set on the weaker one.

Swap for: Standing Calf Raise, Dumbbell Standing Calf Raise, Seated Calf Raise

Build a session with Single-Leg Calf Raise

Leg power, bodyweight jump

Jump Squat

Quads, Glutes

A fleche or a long lunge starts with an explosive leg drive. Jump squats train that quick extension of hips, knees and ankles with bodyweight, which keeps them fast and low risk.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet about shoulder width.
  2. Drop into a quarter squat while swinging your arms back.
  3. Jump as high as you can, driving the arms up.
  4. Land softly with bent knees and go straight into the next rep, or reset each rep at first.

Cues

  • Land soft
  • Quarter squat, not a deep one
  • Every rep fast

Common mistakes

  • Landing stiff-legged: absorb with the hips and knees.
  • Doing so many reps they slow down: stop when height drops.

Swap for: Box Jump, Frog Jump, Jumping Lunge

Build a session with Jump Squat

Lateral power and landing control

Lateral Box Jump

Quads, Glutes, Abductors

Fencing is a forward-and-back sport, but the hips and knees still need to control sideways forces when you land off-balance. Jumping sideways onto a box trains that control while adding foot speed.

How to do it

  1. Stand side-on to a low box.
  2. Dip and jump sideways onto the box, landing softly on both feet.
  3. Step down on the far side.
  4. Turn around and jump back. Alternate directions.

Cues

  • Low box
  • Land quietly
  • Knees out on landing

Common mistakes

  • Using a box too high to land softly: start low.
  • Rushing into the next rep: reset each time.

Swap for: Skater Hop, Jump Squat, Lateral Sled Drag

Build a session with Lateral Box Jump

Footwork speed, ladder pattern

Agility Ladder Drill

Calves, Quads

Ladder drills train quick, light feet and rhythm. They do not replace fencing footwork, but they warm up the ankles and calves well and add foot speed without load.

How to do it

  1. Lay a ladder flat on the floor.
  2. Run an in-in-out-out pattern: both feet into a square, then both out to the sides of the next.
  3. Stay on the balls of your feet with your knees slightly bent, like in guard.
  4. Go the length of the ladder, walk back, and repeat.

Cues

  • Light feet
  • Stay low
  • Clean pattern before speed

Common mistakes

  • Looking at your feet the whole way: glance down, then look ahead.
  • Going so fast you miss squares: slow down until the pattern is clean.

Swap for: Fast Feet, Jump Rope, High Knees

Build a session with Agility Ladder Drill

Weapon-arm shoulder

Light, regular work for the back of the shoulder and the rotator cuff.

Rear shoulder and upper back, cable pull

Face Pull

Shoulders, Upper Back

Your weapon arm stays raised in front of you for whole bouts, and the muscles at the back of that shoulder do much of the holding. Face pulls train them, along with the upper back, for a shoulder that stays strong through a long day of pools and eliminations.

How to do it

  1. Set a rope on a cable at upper-chest height and grip both ends with thumbs pointing back.
  2. Step back until the arms are straight and there is tension.
  3. Pull the rope toward your forehead, splitting the ends and driving the elbows high and wide.
  4. Hold for a second, then return slowly.

Cues

  • Elbows high
  • Split the rope
  • Pause at your face

Common mistakes

  • Leaning back to move more weight: stand still and lighten the stack.
  • Pulling to your chest instead of your face: aim higher.

Swap for: Band Face Pull, Dumbbell Face Pull, Band Pull-Apart

Build a session with Face Pull

Rotator cuff, standing rotation

Dumbbell External Rotation

Shoulders

The rotator cuff steadies the weapon shoulder in every parry and extension. A light external rotation keeps the cuff strong, takes two minutes, and is easy to do as part of a warm-up before practice.

How to do it

  1. Hold a light dumbbell with your elbow bent 90 degrees and tucked against your side.
  2. Keep the elbow pinned while you rotate the forearm out and away from your stomach.
  3. Go as far as you can without the elbow moving.
  4. Return slowly. Finish the side, then switch.

Cues

  • Elbow glued to the side
  • Light weight
  • Slow both ways

Common mistakes

  • Letting the elbow drift away from the body: put a rolled towel under it.
  • Using heavy weight: this is a small muscle that works best light.

Swap for: Dumbbell Lying External Rotation, Face Pull, Band Pull-Apart

Build a session with Dumbbell External Rotation

Trunk stability

A quiet upper body over moving legs.

Obliques and hips, side hold

Side Plank

Abs

A stable trunk keeps your upper body quiet while your legs move, so the point arrives where you aimed it. Side planks train the obliques and the outer hip that hold you level through a lunge.

How to do it

  1. Lie on one side, forearm under your shoulder.
  2. Lift your hips until your body is straight from head to ankles.
  3. Hold steadily and breathe.
  4. Lower and switch sides.

Cues

  • Body in one line
  • Hips up
  • Shoulders stacked

Common mistakes

  • Sagging at the hips: end the set when it happens.
  • Holding your breath: breathe through the hold.

Swap for: Dumbbell Side Plank, Copenhagen Plank, Pallof Press

Build a session with Side Plank

Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in. Open one in the session builder to change a pick, price it from a recent set, and add it to RIRLift.

Session 1

Competition season

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets26 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Adjustable Cable

You fence three or four times a week and compete most weekends or every other weekend.

Fencing practice is already heavy on legs, so this plan keeps strength with one short session done twice a week. It starts with jumps while you are fresh, then one lunge or split squat, the hamstrings, and a few minutes of shoulder and trunk work, all 2 to 3 reps short of failure. That is 13 working sets, and it leaves your legs ready for the next practice.

Fencing Session
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Jump Squat 3 × 4–6 3 75 s
Dumbbell Forward LungePer leg. 3 × 6–8 2 90 s
Nordic Hamstring Curl 2 × 3–5 3 2 min
Face Pull 2 × 12–15 2 45 s
Dumbbell External RotationWeapon arm, then the other. 1 × 12–15 2 30 s
Side PlankSeconds per side. 2 × 30 2 45 s
How to run it
Lift on a light practice day early in the week and again midweek. Leave at least two days before a competition.
How to progress
Hold the weights steady during the season. Add a rep or two when sets feel easy, but do not chase new maximums.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Off-season build

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets33 a week
  • Per workout~40 min
  • EquipmentPlyo Box, Dumbbells, Adjustable Cable

You have a break from competitions, practice less, and want stronger, faster legs for next season.

With less fencing, two sessions a week can push harder: heavier single-leg work at 1 to 2 reps in reserve, plyometrics in both sessions, and dedicated adductor and calf work. Session A is lunge strength and power; Session B is hamstrings, inner thighs and foot speed. Both sessions train both legs equally, with an extra set for the back leg, because fencing builds the front one for you.

A: Lunge and Power
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Lateral Box JumpEach direction. 3 × 4–6 3 75 s
Bulgarian Split SquatPer leg, extra set on the back leg. 4 × 6–10 1 2 min
Dumbbell Forward LungePer leg. 3 × 6–8 2 90 s
Single-Leg Calf RaisePer leg. 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
Face Pull 3 × 12–15 1 45 s

Open A: Lunge and Power in the session builder

B: Hamstrings, Adductors, Feet
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Agility Ladder Drill2 lengths. 4 × 1 3 45 s
Jump Squat 3 × 5–6 3 75 s
Nordic Hamstring Curl 3 × 3–6 2 2 min
Copenhagen PlankSeconds per side. 3 × 20–30 2 1 min
Dumbbell External RotationPer arm. 2 × 12–15 1 30 s
Side PlankSeconds per side. 2 × 45 1 45 s

Open B: Hamstrings, Adductors, Feet in the session builder

How to run it
Do A and B once a week each, two to three days apart.
How to progress
Add reps up to the top of each range, then add load. After six to eight weeks, switch to the in-season plan two weeks before your first competition.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

New fencer getting fit for the club

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets22 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Adjustable Cable

You have just started fencing, or are about to, and want to handle classes without your legs giving out.

Beginners mostly need stronger legs, calves and a steady trunk to hold the stance and practice footwork for a full class. This plan uses only bodyweight and light dumbbells, two sessions a week, every set 2 to 3 reps short of failure so you are not sore for class. Each session has 11 working sets.

Full Body
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dumbbell Forward LungePer leg, bodyweight first. 2 × 8–10 3 75 s
Bulgarian Split SquatPer leg. 2 × 6–8 3 75 s
Single-Leg Calf RaisePer leg. 2 × 10–15 2 45 s
Agility Ladder Drill2 lengths, slow and clean. 2 × 1 3 45 s
Face Pull 2 × 12–15 2 45 s
Side PlankSeconds per side. 1 × 20–30 2 45 s
How to run it
Do the session twice a week on non-class days. Start the lunges and split squats with bodyweight.
How to progress
Add reps first, then light dumbbells once every set reaches the top of the range at 2 reps in reserve. Add jumps after four weeks.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

Does fencing get you in shape?

Yes. Fencing practice is repeated short bursts of footwork and lunges, which builds leg endurance and fitness. Adding two short gym sessions a week makes the legs stronger, evens out the lead and back sides, and balances the weapon shoulder.

What muscles does fencing use?

Mostly the quads, glutes, hamstrings, inner thighs and calves, which hold the stance and power the lunge. The trunk stabilizes the upper body, and the shoulder and forearm of the weapon arm hold the blade up and control it.

What is a good fencing workout?

Start with a few jumps or a ladder drill, then a lunge or split squat, a hamstring exercise like the Nordic curl, an adductor hold, and finish with face pulls and side planks. Two sessions a week, a few reps short of failure, fit around club practice.

Should fencers lift weights?

Yes, in short sessions. Strength training builds lunge power, strengthens the hamstrings and inner thighs, and balances the one-sided demands of the sport. Keep it two days a week and away from competition days.

How can I get faster at fencing?

Practice footwork, and build leg power with jump squats, lateral jumps and strong lunges in the gym. Speed in a bout also depends on timing and distance, so the gym makes you able to move fast while practice teaches when.