It's best to wear comfortable sports clothing - trainers, tracksuit bottoms and t-shirt. 

Fencing can be quite energetic so jeans are really too heavy, even for beginners.  They can also catch a blade in their pockets, which can be dangerous.  Shorts are a no-no, as they leave the legs unprotected.  Trainers should be non-marking court shoes (squash, etc).  Running shoes will also be fine, although the soles can be a little thick when your footwork gets faster after a few months.

You don't need any fencing-specific equipment to start with.  The club can supply all the protective gear you need, but of course if you have some already, feel free to bring it along and we'll take a look at it.  One word of caution, second-hand kit form places like eBay can be the wrong type, or can have defects which aren't obvious unless you know what you're looking at.  Also, some kit made before 2006 can't be used for insurance purposes.  If you want to buy kit, feel free to ask us for details.  Suppliers will generally be helpful too, and will not sell you what you don't need.

We also suggest you bring a bottle of water or squash with you.  We have a drinking fountain if you forget, but when you fence, you will lose fluid, so you need to drink. 

The sessions start with a general warm-up and usually a footwork session, and then we go on to general fencing or group or individual lessons.