About Hangtown Saber Club

As the head coach of Hangtown Saber Club, Ted Smith extols the benefits of specialization. His club focuses solely on the saber, a sword that bears some marked differences from the other two fencing weapons, the epee and the foil. Not only is it the lightest of the three, it's the only one that permits scoring with both the point and the blade edge—just like real sword fighting or popping a child's birthday balloons with a calligraphy pen. Given these unique rules, the result is a fast, aggressive style of competition. Both group and private lessons start with a warm-up and some aerobic conditioning, followed by drills on footwork and technique. Before class lets out, all students also have the chance to hook up to the electric scoring machines and engage their classmates in some spirited bouts.