‘I became engrossed by the swift movements of fencing’
Reverend Alison Johnson leads Torchlight Ministries in Croydon, south-east London, and for several years has wanted to learn how to fence.
Having a hobby has always been important to me as a way of relaxing and doing something for myself. My life is busy, as I have four children and am a grandmother to five. For 20 years, I was an education adviser in a local authority and then, five years ago, I found my calling and changed direction. I now lead a nondenominational church.
I’m not a sporty person, but I like to try different activities. I gave golf a go – only I found that
I wasn’t very good at it! Fencing has been on my list of sports to try for a few years.
My lesson with Knightsbridge Fencing Club was held in a church. I thought
Your mind is constantly working to beat your opponent
when I arrived we might be sparring in the pews, but we went downstairs into a more appropriate hall space. Any nerves I had were put at ease when I saw the amount of protective kit I would be wearing. I arrived in a pair of jogging bottoms, and for the lesson itself I wore knee-high socks, britches, a hard breastplate and under armour, as well as a jacket and a large helmet. The helmet was heavier than I thought it would be, but with all the equipment, I knew that there was no chance the blade would injure me. My instructor, Julianna Révész, represented Hungary in fencing for 20 years and won medals at the World and European Championships. She taught me first how to adopt the ‘en garde’ position all fencers stand in to start a match. Then she took me through the different positions of fencing. I forgot about the bulky helmet on my head and became engrossed by the swift movements of fencing.
After teaching me the basic positions, Julianna showed me how to attack and block my opponent’s advances. The fast nature of fencing means you can go from attacking your
opponent to needing to defend yourself in a millisecond. It requires a lot of core engagement to go from the en garde position into a lunge. Although it was a test of balance, I felt completely in my element because I grew up learning ballet, so I could go between positions quickly. What surprised me was the tactical nature of fencing – I loved that your mind is constantly working to beat your opponent. By the end of the session, I felt utterly invigorated. I’ve already started looking for a local fencing club so I can carry on learning to fence. Unlike golf, this is something I can’t wait to continue!
Knightsbridge Fencing Club offers private beginners’ sessions for £75 (price includes use of equipment). Group sessions cost £40 per session. For more details, visit knightsbridge fencingclub.com