The Advantages of Fencing:
Fencing is a great sport that teaches discipline because you must learn to control the intricacies of your movements.  Fencing has often been referred  to physical chess because of the high mental discipline that it requires.  It is a great alternative sport to those that may not feel like they fit in with the mainstream sports.  In his over 20 years of teaching fencing Dan has found a great many students who did not feel comfortable with the mainstream sports, but have excelled in fencing because size and speed do not matter.  Dan has found through his experience teaching, that fencing is a great builder of self-esteem, confidence, and mental discipline.
 
Safety Concerns about Fencing:
The number one reason we hear for apprehension about fencing programs is safety, as there are swords involved.  There is a commonly-held fact in the fencing community that more people have been injured in ping pong tournaments than in fencing.  The masks are 8 gauge steel that must go through rigorous safety testing.  The jackets are 3 layers of thick, canvas-type material.  The foils (weapons) are tempered steel designed to bend on impact.  The safety standards for fencing are set by the USFA and the FIE (a French acronym; it stands for the International Association of Fencing).