I had the opportunity yesterday at an event to work with a young man who, along with his father, is interested in learning to fence. After a brief description of how fencing in the SCA works, I offered to teach a basic rapier lesson so they they could get an idea of what it would be like. Here’s what I did for the lesson:
Before the actual lesson, we went through some of the basics, including how to hold a sword, how to come on guard, a short introduction to hand positions, advancing, retreating, lunging, and invitations. I also introduced the concept of opposition during the lesson. He picked things up pretty quickly and I thought that he did quite well. He also seemed to be enjoying himself, which is what really counts.