Line formations are excellent for large groups in which all of the fencers will be simultaneously engaged. However, not all parts of all fencing training sessions meet this criterion. How then do you work with two students, or five, or when you want to execute one or two repetitions of a skill and move on to the next fencer? There are formations that do this well and that allow considerable flexibility in your instruction or training.
First, it is important to understand when you want to use an alternate teaching or training formation. For massed drills, the line formations remain the best choice. You can operate a basic paired line formation with as few as two students, and a single line also with two. The key is that for continuous activity for all students, the line formations offer the maximum repetitions.
However, if you need to provide direct attention by the master or a student tutor for a small number of repetitions with rest intervals, the line formation is not optimal. In these cases, semi-circular, one-on- two, or queue formations may provide variation and better training.
In each case the Master faces one fencer at a time for a small number of repetitions (as few as one, and preferably not more than five). Small numbers of repetitions are driven by the need to keep the fencers energized and engaged in the drill.
The semi-circular formation places the master in the center of an arc, preferably no more than a half-circle. If there are more students than can be accommodated in a tight half-circle, assistant coaches or student tutors should be used to create additional semi-circles.
The master works with one fencer for the appropriate number of repetitions, and then pivots to work with the next fencer. The first set of repetitions can be delivered by going from fencer to fencer in order. After that rotation, however, I recommend that movement from fencer to fencer be random, both in the number of repetitions and in the order in which the fencers are worked.
First, it is important to understand when you want to use an alternate teaching or training formation. For massed drills, the line formations remain the best choice. You can operate a basic paired line formation with as few as two students, and a single line also with two. The key is that for continuous activity for all students, the line formations offer the maximum repetitions.
However, if you need to provide direct attention by the master or a student tutor for a small number of repetitions with rest intervals, the line formation is not optimal. In these cases, semi-circular, one-on- two, or queue formations may provide variation and better training.
In each case the Master faces one fencer at a time for a small number of repetitions (as few as one, and preferably not more than five). Small numbers of repetitions are driven by the need to keep the fencers energized and engaged in the drill.
The semi-circular formation places the master in the center of an arc, preferably no more than a half-circle. If there are more students than can be accommodated in a tight half-circle, assistant coaches or student tutors should be used to create additional semi-circles.
The master works with one fencer for the appropriate number of repetitions, and then pivots to work with the next fencer. The first set of repetitions can be delivered by going from fencer to fencer in order. After that rotation, however, I recommend that movement from fencer to fencer be random, both in the number of repetitions and in the order in which the fencers are worked.
