How dangerous is fencing and does it hurt when you get hit ?

I wanted to maybe start fencing but i was wondering how dangerous it is getting hit by the sword (i know the tip is protected but if you just wear normal pants ??) also how much does it hurt to get hit ? Like a paintball ?|||Assuming that you and your opponent are wearing the proper gear and following the rules of the sport, fencing is fairly safe. After more than 15 years of fencing on the club and light competition level, the most common injuries I have either personally experienced or seen around me are muscle strains, twisted ankles, etc.





The jacket and knickers (pants) for fencing are made from a weave and material designed to stop sharp pointed objects from penetrating. The higher cost and higher rated jackets are ballistic nylon and kevlar. I tend to buy and wear mid-range equipment, but even those have stopped a broken weapon or two from skewering me.





Most hits you will receive during a fencing bout do not hurt at all; the blade is designed to bend on impact and thus they kind of feel like getting poked with someone%26#039;s index finger. However, during competitive matches where people are pushing very hard, stout hits will tend to leave a quarter sized bruise. If your adrenaline is pumping, however, you probably won%26#039;t feel it until much later.





This hits that sting are the ones where your opponent accidentally whips you with the side of the blade. However, these are not valid hits, do not score points, and will tend to earn people a stern talking to or ejection if they inflict too many.





Fencing is a finesse sport where speed and dexterity win out over brute strength. A valid touch (score) only requires between 500 and 750 grams (Newtons) of force to register. There is no need to hit your opponent forcefully... only to hit them quickly and solidly.


|||Otto has given an excellent answer; I want to reiterate a couple of points (pun intended). Normal athletic pants give some protection, but not as good as fencing knickers, which are double-layered and of material designed to resist penetration, even when the blade breaks.





Like Otto, I have fenced for a few years and at some competitions. The worst injury I%26#039;ve received was when I let my back hand come forward and got hit on the finger with the tip of the epee. It took off some skin and bled a little bit, but I bandaged it and went back to fencing. I was more worried about staining my whites than the injury. Bruises are pretty common. I fenced a guy recently who has pretty strong arm. He hit me consistently on one spot. Afterward I had a bruise about the size and color of a large green plum.





That said, most of the time a touch hurts far less than getting hit by a paintball. Depending on the skill and finesse of your opponent, you might not even feel the touch.





I%26#039;ve done some searching and can%26#039;t come up with a single verifiable instance where someone was seriously hurt while fencing. Contrast that with some sports, like football, where someone is carried off the field practically every game.