Over the last Olympic quad, I tracked 6,943 touches across 325 bouts at the international level, coding every single action for who was pushing, who was pulling, how touches were scored, and what the tactical context looked like. It was the kind of obsessive, frame-by-frame study that only an epee fencer would find romantic. Now, … Continue reading The P-Card Rule is Changing (Again) in Late 2026. The Data Says You’d Better Learn to Push. →

Disclaimer: I received a complementary Prieur plastron, but paid for the arms, glove, and leg. There was no stated expectation by Prieur to produce a review. I paid for the PBT plastron and arms on my own dime. The EuroFencing coaching plastron was a gift from my club owner. I received no monetary compensation for … Continue reading The Coach’s Armor: An Omnibus Review of the Prieur, PBT, and EuroFencing Coaching Kits →

Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary pair of the Octav fencing shoes in return for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation for this review, nor am I endorsed by Octav in any capacity. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by Octav and/or its affiliates in any … Continue reading Octav Fencing Shoes Review: a New Solid Offering for the Right of Way Crowd →

I’ve never been much of a tinfoil hat conspiracy guy. Oswald killed Kennedy, Ruby killed Oswald, the moon landing was real, Vince Foster wasn’t killed by the Clintons, and the Dominion voting machines were legit. Within our own community, there is a conspiracy I will no longer stay silent on. It’s real. You know it. … Continue reading The Yellow Card Mafia Conspiracy: An Investigation into Fencing’s Most Persistent Shadow Cabal →

Longtime readers know I’m a gamer. With that hobby comes a habit: I read reviews not just for entertainment, but for the reviewer’s analysis to help me decide whether to buy a game. The comments on these reviews often fixate on scores, especially with IGN, which gets memed for its frequent “7 out of 10.” … Continue reading Beyond the Numbers: Why I’m Retiring Review Scores on TFC →

Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary Touch Tester in return for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation for this review, nor am I endorsed by Touch Tester in any capacity. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by Touch Tester and/or its affiliates in any way. I … Continue reading Touch Tester Review: a Must Have in Every Fencer’s Bag →

This isn’t an easy post to write, but it’s time to be honest with myself and with all of you:I’ve decided not to seek re-election as Chair of the USA Fencing Board of Directors. While the announcement has come through official USA Fencing channels, I find it necessary to provide my own, unfiltered perspective through … Continue reading I’m Tired, Boss →

Note: David Sierra is a Maître d’Armes who specializes in sabre, but with extensive experience in the other weapons as well. He is an NCAA Division 1 Head Coach at Wagner College and serves as the Education Manager for the USFCA. David was a Sabre Coach Developer at the recent Coaches’ Academy and wrote this piece as … Continue reading Pro Tips for Passing the USFCA Prevot Exam in Sabre (Guest Post by David Sierra) →

Photograph by Donna Felsenheld Note: I am an Epeeist and I will not pretend to know anything about Foil or Sabre. As such, I’d probably use this only as exam prep for Epee.Over the weekend, I attended USFCA’s 2025 Coaches’ Academy. In Epee, we had five candidates testing for Prevot. I wanted to make damn … Continue reading Pro Tips for Passing the USFCA Prevot Exam in Epee →

Warning: Moderate spoilers for Superman (2025). Read at your own risk In the new Superman movie, Lex Luthor unleashes Ultraman—a clone of Superman—against the Man of Steel. The problem is, Ultraman isn’t capable of thinking for himself. Every move he makes comes directly from Luthor’s constant stream of instructions. When Krypto the Superdog destroys the … Continue reading Don’t Turn Your Fencers Into Ultramen: Experiential Learning vs. Puppeteering →