Fencing Strength
The squat is one of the four fundamental movement patterns in athletic training — and one of the most commonly performed incorrectly. For fencers who want to get stronger at fencing, squat quality matters because the pattern directly underpins lunge mechanics, on-guard positioning, and the ability to generate and absorb force through the lower body.
Progressing through squat variations systematically is more effective than jumping straight to heavy barbell work. Each level of the progression develops a specific quality before adding complexity.
Level 1: Heels Elevated Dumbbell Goblet Squat
The heels elevated goblet squat is the entry point for most athletes who lack ankle mobility or struggle to maintain an upright torso in a squat. Elevating the heels with a plate or wedge reduces the ankle dorsiflexion demand, allowing the athlete to squat to depth without the heels rising or the lower back rounding.
What it develops:
- Ankle mobility — the elevated position creates the range of motion that proper squatting requires, training the ankle into greater dorsiflexion over time
- Quadriceps development — the forward lean reduction biases the quads, building the anterior leg strength that fencers need for driving out of the on-guard position
The goblet hold (dumbbell at chest height) provides counterbalance and cues an upright torso automatically. It is a low-barrier, high-feedback variation that is appropriate for beginners and useful as a warm-up tool for more advanced athletes.
Level 2: Slow Eccentric Barbell Front Squat
Once ankle mobility and general squat mechanics are in place, the front squat adds two key demands: upper body stability and postural control under load.
The front rack position — bar resting across the front deltoids, elbows high — requires an upright torso to maintain. If the torso drops forward, the bar falls. This self-correcting nature makes the front squat an excellent teacher of squat mechanics under real load.
Adding a slow eccentric (three to four seconds on the way down) increases time under tension in the deepest part of the range, builds eccentric strength in the quads and glutes, and improves technique adherence by slowing the movement down to a pace where errors become visible and correctable.
What it develops:
- Upper body stability — wrists, elbows, thoracic spine, and anterior shoulder all need to work together to maintain the front rack
- Reinforcement of an upright squat posture — directly applicable to on-guard positioning
Level 3: Paused Barbell Back Squat
The paused back squat is an advanced variation that tests everything that has been built in the earlier levels. Pausing at the bottom of the squat — for two to three seconds — eliminates the stretch-shortening cycle (the elastic rebound that most athletes unconsciously rely on), meaning the athlete must generate force from a dead stop.
What it develops:
- Technique adherence under load — there is nowhere to hide at the bottom of a heavy pause squat; if mechanics are poor, the lift fails
- Balanced glute and quad development — the pause position, when held correctly, creates tension through both the posterior chain and anterior chain, developing the balanced lower body strength that fencers need
The paused back squat also has an important mental component. It is uncomfortable. Learning to hold position and generate force without the assistance of momentum develops a quality of composure under muscular stress that translates into maintaining technical form late in a long competition day.
Working Through the Progressions
These three variations are not strictly sequential — they can be run simultaneously at different points in a training week. But for any fencer establishing a strength training practice for the first time, spending four to six weeks with each variation before layering complexity is a more effective approach than rushing toward the heaviest barbell movement available.
The goal is always the same: better movement, loaded progressively, over time.
Related: The Most Neglected Movement for Fencers — the hip hinge is the squat’s essential partner. Train both or leave results on the table. The Exercise That Builds a Bulletproof Lower Back — the advanced hinge variation for experienced fencers dealing with lower back demands.
All three squat variations above are included in the fencing workout programs at Fencing Strength, progressed correctly across 12 weeks alongside every other movement pattern a competitive fencer needs.