Fencing - Fascinating Sport

To me, fencing is a rather fascinating sport. It is a combination of boxing, the martial arts, combat and ballet. Great fencers are great athletes with quick reflexes, great balance and outstanding stamina. People who succeed at fencing are disciplined, focused, resilient, creative and clever. Great fencers are quite cerebral and they are also very adept at anticipating what their opponent will do next. To be successful at fencing you must know how to attack, how to defend and how to counterattack. The main thing to keep in mind when choosing a pool fence is making sure it complies to Australian standards. Whether building it yourself or having it built by fencing contractors, you need to comply with these strict standards. There are a few different types of fences you can choose from, but the best thing to do is to choose a fence that suits the style of your home, is within your budget and blends in with your house and garden.

When I counsel a fencer, or for that matter any athlete, I always ask them how they got interested in their sport. I am also curious about what they love about the sport, when they started and if they have competed in or played other sports. Knowing this information is helpful in understanding the fencer's motivation and in understanding his or her personal sport psychology. Some of the fencers I have counseled have told me that they were motivated and intrigued by dueling scenes they had seen in movies about Zorro and The Three Musketeers. Generally made from aluminium, tubular fencing is constructed from vertical metal balusters and will suit most home and landscaping styles. It doesn't require much maintenance and is a good style of fence if you have children and animals as it is hard wearing. It is very secure and comes in a variety of colours to suit any home. A solid brick fence will be a permanent feature but is better if you have a larger area. If you need to fence off your pool as well as a patio or BBQ and a part of the garden then you might want to consider a brick fence. A brick fence, however, is an expensive option so make sure it fits within your budget.

Recently, a top young fencer who was suffering with some performance anxiety came to talk to me to get some help with the mental part of his fencing. During the initial interview, this youngster explained that the dueling scene in the Star Wars film got him hooked on fencing. In fact, I integrated Star War images in the hypnotic technique that I taught this youngster to better his performance. Also used for roofs, Colourbond is great if you are working to a budget as it is cost effective. It comes in a variety of different colours too, so you may want to match your roof, if it happens to also be made from Colourbond, or have it blend in with your garden. You can also create a garden along this fence and within a few years have it hidden from view.