The art of fencing is just that – an art. It is a dance of death, a flurry of shining blades, a patter of light feet, a strident clash of metal on metal. And it is a learning experience. Every time your opponent falls into a pattern, it gives you a chance to think – is it a trap, where as soon as you lunge you will fall prey to your masked enemy’s rubber tip, or is it inexperience, a fatigue-induced mistake? You take the chance and, either way, learn something new. That breathless moment where you feel your point hit true, the blade bending, is worth every hit you take. And when you do get hit, adrenaline pumping through your body as you feel the hard little pressure on your body that means you messed up, you know what went wrong. You adjust - it won’t happen again.