Observing Safety and Handling Incidents Together

Investing in good gloves is just as crucial as having a good mask – maybe even more so, since hand injuries are far more common. The fingers and knuckles often lead exchanges (think about how often your hands get hit when you mis-time a parry), and they have only thin bones and tendons that can be easily damaged. A broken finger can take you out of training for weeks and affect your daily life (even costing you work). Thus, gloves designed for HEMA have become a mini-industry of their own. There are two main styles of gloves used in HEMA: “lobster” gloves and finger gloves.

Beginners should strongly consider starting with high-protection (lobster) gloves, especially for longsword or other two-handed weapons. The slight loss in finesse is worth it while you’re learning, to avoid serious hand injury. As you gain control or if your interests shift to lighter one-handed weapons, you might explore more flexible gloves. Always inspect gloves for wear – if the padding has compressed or plates cracked, their protection will be compromised. Most importantly, encourage your club to cultivate a culture of control when targeting the hands. Good gloves can only do so much to prevent injury.

Footwork is literally the foundation of fencing. While we often focus on swords and upper body gear, having proper footwear can significantly reduce injury risk. HEMA involves lots of linear lunges, quick lateral movements, and sudden stops – movements that can punish your feet, ankles, and knees if unsupported. Court or fencing shoes, with their lateral support, reduce the risk of ankle sprains and provide cushioning that helps protect knee cartilage, which, once worn, doesn't regenerate. Be aware that court shoes will last longer on smooth flat surfaces. When used on concrete and asphalt they’ll need to be replaced more often.

Wearing running shoes or other highly cushioned trainers is not advised for fencing footwork; those are made for forward motion (running) and can increase the chance of rolling an ankle during a lunge or traverse. Likewise, very thin minimalist shoes may provide insufficient cushioning – repeated lunges can lead to plantar fasciitis or stress injuries in the feet without some shock absorption. Court shoes strike a good balance. They help protect your ankles (reducing sprain risk) and knees by cushioning the impact when you explosively step or lunge, which in turn protects your knee cartilage from wear (once cartilage is gone, it’s gone for good).

A good HEMA jacket (often called a gambeson) is your next line of defense after a mask and gloves. These long sleeve jackets are typically made with puncture-resistant fabrics and some level of padding. They serve two main purposes: impact reduction and penetration resistance. During sparring, a jacket’s padding will soften the blow of hits to your torso and arms, meaning fewer bruises. Many modern HEMA jackets use foam or quilted padding arrangements equivalent to a couple millimeters of foam – enough to take some of the sting out of most cuts. Some lighter jackets, however, are almost just a thick fabric shell with minimal padding; these rely on you to wear additional hard plates or simply tolerate more bruises.

The second protection aspect is puncture resistance, rated in Newtons similar to masks. Common jacket ratings are 350N and 800N, indicating the material’s resistance to a puncture force. Why does this matter? Because blades can break. If a sharp shard of steel or the jagged end of a broken feder drives into your torso, a puncture resistant jacket can mean the difference between a scratch and a life-threatening wound. In fact, sport fencing mandates 800N gear at higher levels for this reason – historically there have been fatalities in sport fencing from broken blades penetrating uniforms. HEMA has (knock on wood) avoided such tragedies in recent years, partly thanks to widespread use of high-Newton clothing in the community. So, if you can afford it, get an 800N (or 350N at minimum) rated jacket/pants set. They are a bit heavier, but they significantly lower the risk of a catastrophic puncture injury.

While Newton‑based ratings offer useful guidance, it’s important to understand that most HEMA gambesons and pants aren’t fully lab‑tested to the CE standards required in Olympic fencing. The 350N and 800N labels typically refer only to the fabric used—not the construction of the final garment. These fabrics may have been lab-tested and shown to meet CE-standard puncture resistance, but the completed jacket itself usually hasn’t been evaluated by a third party to confirm it performs to that level when worn. At best, some manufacturers—like SPES—use certified fabrics and have built strong reputations for real-world durability, but this is not the same as a fully tested or certified garment.

For those seeking HEMA jackets actually tested by a CE lab to 800N standards, the options are limited: InMotu St. George Jacket 800N (CE certified) and PBT HEMA 800N Evolution Full and Light Protective Jackets (CE tested). Note: CE certification requires specific design elements—such as a crotch strap—that two of these garments do not include.

One safety feature to look for in jackets is a built-in blade catcher at the collar. This is a stiff flap that sticks out at the neckline, intended to stop an upward-gliding blade (like a thrust sliding up your chest) from going under your mask bib. It works in conjunction with your mask’s bib and your gorget. Not all jackets have this, but it’s a great feature for peace of mind.

Finally, consider the overlap between your jacket and your pants. In sport fencing, rules require the jacket to overlap the pants by at least 10 cm all around, to ensure no gap where a blade could sneak in. In HEMA, we don’t have such explicit rules everywhere, but the principle is important. If you wear short jackets or a jacket that rides up, and low-cut pants, you might expose a strip of lower abdomen or flank when you lift your arms. A thrust could conceivably strike that gap of unprotected skin.

Certain body parts need extra protection beyond what the jacket or pants provide. Chief among these are the elbows, knees, and (for many) the groin.

Not to be forgotten in the safety equation is the weapon itself. A well-designed training sword can greatly reduce the risk of injury. A common saying is “a bendy sword is a good sword” – meaning a blade that flexes well under thrust is much safer than a rigid one. Flexibility in a thrusting weapon allows it to absorb energy through deflection – flexing back on itself – when it hits a target, rather than concentrating all that force into the point. Swords that deflect under 15 kg of pressure (measured from the crossguard) are generally considered safe, but lower is generally better.

Always use swords appropriate to the activity: for full-speed sparring, use quality blades with spatulated/flared/rolled tips and or rubber blunts affixed. Overly stiff blades should be reserved for controlled drilling and sharps should only be used for test cutting, not sparring or drilling. Lighter blades should be preferred for sparring, particularly when head contact is allowed.

Inspect your swords regularly for burs (small sharp edges) and cracks. A bur can act like a serrated knife on a thrust or draw cut – file them smooth. A cracked blade is a ticking time bomb; if it breaks, the jagged piece could punch through masks or gear. At the first sign of a crack, retire the blade. It’s not worth the risk.

Practice incredible care when fencing with foam boffers and wood/nylon/plastic simulators. Due largely to risk compensation, the chance of concussion is quite high. They also do not flex like a steel simulator so thrusts can be incredibly unpleasant. Remind your newbies of this constantly.

Having covered the gamut of protective measures, remember: gear is there to mitigate injuries, but the goal is to not rely on it. Your best protection is good training, awareness, and a mutual commitment with your club mates to fence with control and respect. The following sections will discuss how communication and mindset further contribute to safety.

Sometimes you’ll find yourself about to spar with someone who doesn’t initiate any conversation about intensity or rules. Perhaps they’re much less experienced and don’t even know how to articulate their preferences, or they come from a culture of just “swordfight and see what happens”. If you’re the more experienced or more risk-aware person in the pair, this puts you in the driver’s seat to ensure safety. You have two main options:

Not every potential sparring pair will find mutually agreeable terms – and that’s okay. Perhaps you wanted a light technical spar, and the other person really wants an intense competitive bout. If neither is willing to bend, the best outcome is not to fence each other at that time. This isn’t a failure; in fact, it’s a success of good judgment. Both of you can then seek out others who match your desired intensity. Ending the negotiation with “Maybe next time, with different gear or after I recover,” or simply bowing out, is a mature and safe decision. Remember, there will always be plenty of other opportunities.

The critical point is to voice these things before you start, not after someone is nearly injured (or worse.) By communicating up front, you ensure both parties are truly consenting to the type of bout you’re about to have. This practice builds mutual respect and greatly reduces the kinds of misunderstandings that lead to injury.

SoCal Swords in California uses a mutually agreed-upon and—crucially—physically posted calibration rubric that categorizes fencing by intensity, gear and supervision requirements, control, and expected outcomes. It’s a strong model for other clubs to emulate.

If an injury happens, stop the activity immediately. Safety of the injured person is the priority. Use the agreed safety call (often “Halt!” or “Stop!”) – in many clubs, anyone can call halt if they see an injury or dangerous situation. Once halted, ensure the scene is safe (e.g., don’t leave swords lying around people who might trip while rushing to help). Apply first aid within your competence: have a first aid kit accessible at your club or event. For minor injuries like small cuts or bruises, basic first aid and a short rest might suffice. For more serious injuries (suspected fracture, head injury, deep cut), seek professional medical help promptly. For a head blow, ensure that the Concussion Recognition Tool 5 (CRT5) handout is being followed, early detection is crucial. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and call emergency services, especially for anything involving head trauma, loss of consciousness, spine, or severe bleeding.

Once the injured person is stable and being cared for, it’s useful to document what happened. This isn’t about blaming – it’s about gathering facts while they’re fresh. Note the time, the activity being done, the people involved, the gear in use, and exactly what led to the injury (e.g., “During free sparring with longswords, fencer A attempted a zwerchhau; fencer B stepped in and was struck on the side of the head above the ear. Fencer B was wearing a 350N mask with a thick overlay but reported immediate dizziness.”). If the injured person is able, get their input on how they feel and what they think happened. If there were witnesses (instructors or other students), have them write a brief statement. This information can be invaluable for later analysis to prevent reoccurrence. Many clubs have an incident report form or at least an informal log – it’s good practice to maintain one. It might be as simple as an entry in a notebook or an online spreadsheet. The HEMAA safety policy suggests having a procedure for reporting safety concerns and incidents. By reporting and recording, patterns can be recognized (e.g., “hmm, we’ve had three falls all on that same patch of uneven flooring”).

After the incident, gather those involved (once everyone is okay) and talk it through. This isn’t a finger-pointing exercise; it’s a constructive debrief. Ask questions: What did we learn? Did a safety rule fail or was it just bad luck? Was gear at fault (e.g., did a mask buckle break)? Could this have been avoided with different behavior or equipment? Often this conversation yields insights. For example, maybe you realize that the bout had been escalating in intensity and a coach should have intervened earlier. Or that the injured fencer had been feeling fatigued which led to a lapse in defense – highlighting the importance of not pushing past exhaustion. These reflections can lead to concrete action.

If the incident is serious (say a broken bone, concussion, or worse), consider reporting it to the wider HEMA community channels. This could be via a Facebook group, forum, or your national HEMA federation if one exists. The reason is to alert others of any equipment failures or safety issues. For instance, in the past when a particular brand of mask had a known weakness, community reports helped spread awareness so people could retrofit or stop using them. If a certain technique or drill consistently causes injuries, sharing that info lets other clubs modify their approach. This collective learning is how HEMA’s safety standards improve over time. Of course, respect privacy – don’t publicly name people without consent, and frame it as learning, not shaming.

An incident often reveals gaps in your safety measures. Use it as fuel to improve your club’s Code of Conduct or safety policies. If your CoC didn’t explicitly forbid some dangerous behavior that led to an injury, maybe it should be updated to do so. If an equipment failure happened, perhaps you need to add a rule about more frequent gear inspections or mandating higher-spec gear. For example, if someone was hurt because they weren’t wearing a gorget, you might update the rules: “All fencers must wear throat protection when sparring.” Or if an experienced fencer injured a beginner by going too hard, you might tighten your guidelines on level mismatches – maybe requiring senior fencers to always calibrate to the junior person’s level, and adding that to your CoC as an expectation. These changes should be communicated to all members clearly (in a meeting or written announcement). Emphasize that it’s a learning-driven change: “We had an incident, here’s what we learned, and here’s what we’re implementing so it doesn’t happen again.” This way, the whole club evolves its safety culture from each incident.

In essence, handling incidents together is about support and improvement. Support the injured party (ensure they recover and feel they can come back without stigma or fear, when ready) and improve your practices to reduce future risk. After an incident, some people might feel shaken or guilty – address those feelings. Reinforce that the goal is to come back safer. If necessary, take a short safety stand-down: for instance, “No free sparring for the rest of today, let’s work on controlled drills while we decompress.” This can help everyone mentally reset.

Finally, don’t forget to follow up on the injured person’s condition in days to come. A community that cares for its members post-injury will retain trust and openness in discussing safety. If the injury was serious, ensure any return-to-training is gradual and in line with medical advice (especially for concussions – insist on proper rest and clearance). Incorporate what happened into your beginner teachings as well – not to scare newcomers, but to honestly convey why you have the rules you do. For example, “We require 1600N masks now because last year we had a mask punch-through incident with a 350N mask; someone got a bad cut. We learned our lesson.” This kind of institutional memory keeps improvements in place long-term.