Coach Germán Paz has trained national fencing teams and can teach you the art at the Naples Fencing Academy, which he opened in 2011. He’s been coaching since 1984 and his wife, Christine Silver, says you can work toward competing or simply fence for fun and exercise. Silver notes that fencing has both mental and physical benefits, calling it an “aerobic chess game.”
“There’s a lot of strategy that goes behind each move with your opponent,” Silver explains. “It helps develop that critical thinking skill for the youth, and it helps maintain that critical thinking skill for the geriatric [population].”
The sport also builds muscle, particularly in your thighs, glutes, and arms, as well as speed. Silver points out that it takes strength to maintain the lunging position, aerobic endurance…
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Naples Illustrated (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2023