One of the keys to improving a fencer is making the drills feel closer to a real bout.

This “random cues” drill (unsure if there’s a more official term in the greater fencing world) is a nice step in that direction. It’s like a very unstructured option drill.

How it Works

Like an option drill, Anežka has to respond to the cues I give her but unlike an option drill, she doesn’t have a clue what I’m going to do. In this version, I gave Anežka a simple base action to work on — get to Stretta and strike.

As she attempts to achieve her goal, I start throwing in random cues or actions. Everything from blade pressure to cavaziones, mixing in various footwork, sometimes attacking instead, etc. This is to force her to react in tempo with quick tactical decision making while still trying to achieve her goal.

Usually I let the student get a few reps in before I start messing with things, but this was our second round of it, so I gave her just the singular rep.

It’s important to note that I’m not acting as a competitive/combative opponent but challenger seeking to foil her plans. As long as she chooses the correct answers to the problems I throw at her, she’s rewarded by striking me.

Scaling the Exercise

We can also scale this down for less skilled/experienced fencers by throwing in a singular “surprise action” into a block drill and then let the student grind away at that for a bit. It’s also a great way to get a fencer out of anticipating too much in a drill or getting into a complacent rhythm. And when implemented well, this can be a great confidence booster for a fencer.

Similarly, we can scale this up in a bunch of ways, such as smaller windows to react in (shorter tempos), more dynamic footwork, or even some really off-the-wall actions from the coach’s side — among other ways.

The goal here is both physically and mentally challenge the fencer. If they’re succeeding every rep, it’s time to turn up the challenge rating somehow. If they’re really struggling with it, it’s time to lower the intensity.

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