The Complete Guide to Fencing
What it really costs, what you really need, and how to know if sword fighting is for you before you spend a dime
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
Sword fighting is cooler than you think — and more affordable than you'd guess. This guide tells you exactly what it costs, what to wear, and how to start this week.
About this book
You've seen fencing in the Olympics — the lightning-fast lunges, the dramatic masks, the satisfying 'clink' of blades. Maybe you've even thought, 'I could do that.' But then reality sets in: Do I need to be athletic? How much is a real sword and jacket? Is there even a fencing club within driving distance? And what on earth is a foil versus an épée?
The Complete Guide to Fencing answers all of it with straight talk and zero marketing fluff. It gives you real dollar figures for gear at every budget tier, tells you exactly what to expect in your first class (including how sore you'll be and why your legs will hate you), and walks you through the honest signs that this hobby is or isn't for you. There's no 'just follow your passion' nonsense here — just clear, concrete guidance from someone who has lived through the blisters and the victories.
Written for the complete beginner, this guide covers everything from the first time you hold a sword to whether you should ever consider buying your own equipment. It includes a practical self-assessment checklist, a realistic breakdown of how much your hobby might cost over years, and answers to the questions every curious novice asks but is too embarrassed to raise: Am I too old? Am I too slow? Will I look foolish? Spoiler: probably a little at first — and that's completely fine.
Reader Reviews
Jonathan Wilson
★★★★★I've been fence-sitting (pun intended) about trying fencing for two years, and this book finally pushed me off the fence. The chapter on gear was worth the price alone — I was convinced I needed to drop $500 on a starter kit, but the book walked me through borrowing club equipment first. The cost breakdowns are honest, and the section on what a typical class actually feels like calmed my nerves. I signed up for my first beginner class three days after finishing it.
Ronald Sanchez
★★★★★As a 42-year-old who hasn't played a sport since high school, I had a million questions and nobody to ask. This guide answered all of them with real numbers and real expectations. I especially appreciated the honest assessment of whether fencing is worth it for someone with a bad knee — and it gave me specific things to ask my doctor and the club coach. The author clearly isn't trying to sell me anything. Just solid advice from someone who's been there.
Steven Carter
★★★★★The book is well-organized and the information seems accurate, but I felt like it was a little too heavy on the 'why fencing is great' and not quite enough on the actual physical technique or what to look for in a club. I got the cost and gear info I needed, but I was hoping for a bit more on, say, picking between foil and épée from a practical standpoint rather than just a summary. It's a decent starting point, but I'll still need to do more research.
Lisa Smith
★★★★★I bought this for my 14-year-old who became obsessed with fencing after watching the Olympics. Turns out, I needed it more than she did. The costs section is exactly what a parent needs — it showed me that getting her started was way more affordable than I thought if we used club equipment first. The glossary and explanations are so clear that I could actually understand what she was talking about when she got home from practice. Highly recommend for any parent of a suddenly-sword-obsessed kid.
Amanda King
★★★★★I found the advice solid but a little too enthusiastic about the cheap end of things. The book says you can start with club gear, which is true, but it undersold how uncomfortable and worn some loaner gear can be. I also wish it had been more specific about the fitness level you need — I wasn't prepared for how much lunging is involved. That said, the chapter on first weeks was genuinely helpful, and the cost breakdowns gave me a realistic budget. I'd say it's worth a read, but be ready for the fact that you'll probably want to buy your own gear sooner than it suggests.