Seated Pool Noodle Fencing

Fencing bouts from chairs fixed at a set distance, like wheelchair fencing, using pool noodles. Without moving their legs, students work on reaction time, attacking and dodging with the trunk.

How to play

1. Set up 8 pairs of facing chairs. Distance: seated with arm extended, the noodle tip reaches the opponent's elbow. Tape the chair spots (4 min).
2. Trios: two fencers and a referee 6 ft to the side. Fencers salute by raising the noodle before each bout (2 min).
3. Bottom on the chair, free hand on the seat, trunk upright; attack by extending the arm and dodge by leaning (2 min).
4. A valid touch is the tip on the torso, waist to shoulders. The referee calls “en garde, ready, fence!” and “halt!”; simultaneous touches score nothing.
5. Bouts to 5 touches or 2 minutes; the referee swaps with a fencer. After 3 bouts, rotate chairs (15 min).

Rules

• No touching the head or neck: that touch gives the point to the opponent.
• If your bottom leaves the chair, the touch doesn't count and the opponent scores.
• Use the noodle tip to touch, never to whack hard or sweep.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: this is the Paralympic format, so wheelchair users fence from their own chair, brakes on.
• Visual impairment: bright noodles and tips touching at the start.
• Skill level: a student who wins easily uses the non-dominant hand.

Learning goals

• Attack and defend with trunk and arm without moving the legs.
• Follow fencing's safety rules and salute.
• Learn about wheelchair fencing as a Paralympic sport.

Equipment for a class of 25

• pool noodles: 16
• chairs: 16
• masking tape: 1

Teacher tip

Cut the noodles to about 32 in and use chairs without wheels. The typical mistake is swinging sideways like in the movies, so cue a straight arm and a touch with the tip.

More activities like this

More main activities for Middle School