The following article by Maitre Gary Worsfield is taken from the Physiological Fencing Training Program of  En Garde! The serious fencers' training diary.   On Sale only at FencingOnline.

PHYSIOLOGICAL FENCING TRAINING Time and Motion Studies  Maître d'Armes Gary Worsfield

TIME AND MOTION STUDIES

To accurately prescribe a physiological training program one has to be aware of the time and motion specifics of competition fencing.  This data is used to determine the specific energy supply system requirements for competition fencing. This is one method used to obtain such data:

Motion Data:

·         Total Distance covered in the bout.

·         Number of Changes in Direction during the bout.

·         Average Distance covered with each change of direction.

FENCING MOTION CHART

FENCING PISTE : scale 1m to 1”

  Time Data:

·         Total Exercise time during the bout

·         Number of Exercise phases during the bout

·         Average time of Exercise phase

·         Total Pause time during the bout

·         Number of Pause phases during the bout

·         Average time of Pause phase

·         E : P Ratio

FENCING TIME DATA SHEET

Time Intensity Data:

·         Total High Intensity time during the bout

·         Number of High Intensity phases during the bout

·         Average time of High Intensity phase

·         Total Low Intensity time during the bout

·         Number of Low Intensity phases during the bout

·         Average time of Low Intensity phase

·         H.I. : L.I. Ratio

FENCING TIME (INTENSITY) DATA SHEET

Fencing is constantly changing in its physical demands on the athlete in competition, and so in consequence Coaches should regularly perform Time and Motion studies to keep up-to-date with these changes and to enable them to design appropriate training programs.  

The following conclusions are based on the statistics of one particular Canadian study:

Fencing                                                                       Major Energy Supply Systems

(Depending on the standard of competition the average E phases of the various disciplines can vary tremendously).  In this study there was a variance of:  Men’s Sabre = 4 seconds, Men’s Foil = 9 seconds and Men’s Epee = 18 seconds)  

Fencing actions:                                                            Major Energy Supply Systems  

In view of the above statistics one could assume the percentage use of the energy supply systems for this particular study of fencing as follows:

However, due to the interrelatedness of these energy supply systems one cannot overlook the importance of developing fitness efficiency of the entire continuum including first acquiring a sound aerobic base through aerobic continuous training.  

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