Why do rich and highly educated people like fencing?

The rich man's sport

In Western social life hundreds of years ago, fencing was considered a hobby of the upper class and nobility.

Nowadays, to learn fencing, students need to prepare specialized equipment for this sport such as swords, masks, costumes... Buying these items with good quality can cost up to thousands of USD, so even the first basic preparation step is quite expensive.

The cost of learning with a good coach is not small. If the student wants to have private lessons with a teacher and a student, the cost of the lesson will increase even more.

Fencing is considered a sport for the rich (Photo: RB).

In addition, the training room and training floor must be designed with specific standards, so the cost of operating the facilities of a training center or a fencing club is very expensive. Therefore, the membership fee when registering to join a training center or fencing club is not cheap.

Mind sports

Since the 18th century, fencing has transformed from a method of self-defense into a sport of the upper class.

At that time, the Italian fencing master Domenico Angelo (1716-1802) opened the first fencing academy. From then on, fencing was seen in a new aspect: as a sport.

Fencing athletes Vivian Kong (left) and Lee Kiefer (right) (Photo: SCMP).

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the international public was stunned by the education of the two female fencers who won gold medals.

Vivian Kong of Hong Kong (China) won the gold medal in the women's singles fencing event. She has a bachelor's degree in international relations from Stanford University (USA). The 30-year-old athlete also has a master's degree in law from Renmin University of China. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in law at the Chinese University of Hong Kong's law department.

US athlete Lee Kiefer won gold medals in the women's singles and women's team foil events at the 2024 Olympics.

Lee Kiefer has a bachelor's degree in scientific research from the University of Notre Dame (USA). She is studying pharmacy at the University of Kentucky (USA). In the Kiefer family, fencing is a shared passion. Her father is a neurosurgeon and also used to pursue fencing.

Lee's older sister, Alex Kiefer, is a famous fencer in the United States. Alex studied at Harvard University and is now a doctor.

Fencing has long been recognized as a highly intellectual sport, requiring a combination of physical strength and quick tactical thinking. Fencing athletes must constantly face the challenge of "psychological warfare".

Fencing is considered an intellectual sport (Photo; RB).

Often good fencers are also people who know how to "play psychology", they have a strong inner self and know how to "read" their opponents. Hundreds of years ago, European aristocrats and upper class people pursued fencing as a hobby to train their body and mind. In terms of spirit, this sport brings many benefits.

First of all, a fencer must develop a high level of concentration. This concentration is used to observe the opponent's movements, to predict the opponent's sword path and to respond quickly and accurately. Maintaining high concentration throughout the match is a challenge that not everyone can do.

Second, fencing students must be able to control their emotions. Because during the competition, letting emotions run wild will distract concentration and lead to defeat.

Finally, fencing promotes improvisation. Fencing is often compared to chess, as the athlete must quickly observe the opponent's moves and come up with appropriate strategies during the match. Therefore, fencing is considered a mentally challenging sport that requires quick thinking.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/tai-sao-gioi-nha-giau-va-nguoi-co-hoc-van-cao-thich-mon-dau-kiem-20240830103201682.htm