Enough with enrolling for tennis or soccer classes. It is time for you to try out new adventure sports the city has to offer. learn how to bob and weave and boost your confidence by walking on a thin webbing. By Rupinder Kaur
The closest we’ve ever come to holding and swinging a sword was outside the Dusshera maidan after the effigies had been popped and turned to ashes. Those cardboard cut-outs in the metallic wrapping paper also helped shield ourselves from our imaginary demons under the bed or the cupboard till they were bent and disposed.
Then came the Pirates of the Caribbean series and we all wanted to be Jack Sparrow or get hold of the Star Wars lightsabers for that iconic swoosh sound.
Now enough with pretending because it is time to get real. Deuce Fencing Academy in Gurgaon at DlF5 Club and Yamuna Sports Complex (East Delhi) is ready to teach and discipline you in this archaic art of combat.
Three years back, Rachna Sharma, who is the marketing head of the academy, quit her full-time job at the age of 38, to pursue other interests and one of them was to learn how to fence. She then hired a private coach after getting in touch with the Fencing Association of India and began her training. After winning three gold medals for the Senior Delhi State Championship, she says, “I was surprised to learn that fencing has been around in India for decades on the National level but unfortunately there are no proper coaching facilities where one can learn the sport. It’s a wonderful sport and there is immense scope at the competitive level to excel. I helped my coach Harpreet Singh to look for a venue where we could start teaching.”
When fencing coach and former National Fencer Singh wanted to open the academy he thought of Gurgaon which at present has 10 students. “Gurgaon has a lot to offer its residents and I find that children and adults too, are open to trying different things. We are also trying to pitch fencing to the corporate since they are also open to doing something new and challenging,” Sharma shared.
She adds that fencing is still considered a luxury sport and that it will need to be promoted among the masses. “As we are a small academy, we are mostly promoting fencing through social media. We will also be approaching schools to showcase the sport to students as there is a lot of benefit for students who take up the sport competitively especially in Delhi and Haryana where there is scope to excel at a State and National level,” she said.
They offer trial classes so feel free to show-up, learn some basics and have a friendly bout with your fellow mates.
WAlK A THIN lINE
Join the Slacktivism movement by challenging yourself to walk on a tight rope (though slack lining is a bit different) without any support. Enrico Fabian, the man behind introducing slack lining here, holds these sessions every Sunday to encourage people to step outside their homes and to learn as well as practice stability and balance.
Adarsh, a slack lining enthusiast shares, “When you learn how to balance, you live in the moment. It is not just a physical exercise but it’s also about the mind. It’s more of meditation for me and also helps in healing ligament tears et al.”
To know about the next venues, which are different parks of the city, you can join their Facebook page Slacktivism for regular updates.