Taking Control

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Research Corner

In the 1950s, psychologist Julian Rotter introduced Attribution Theory, a framework for understanding how people explain events and outcomes in their lives. Central to this theory is the concept of the Locus of Control, which refers to whether individuals attribute their successes and failures to internal or external factors. When you pause and self-reflect on your fencing, consider which category your thoughts fall under:

• Internal Locus of Control:

  People with a dominant internal locus believe they are responsible for their own success or failure. They attribute outcomes to effort, skill, or decisions they’ve made. For example:

  • “I performed well in my last tournament because I trained hard and stayed focused in the weeks l leading up to it.”

  • “I often lose in elims because I need to work on my distance control and having better awareness of my opponent’s lunge distance.”

• External Locus of Control:

  People with an external locus believe outcomes are determined by external factors like luck, fate, or other people’s actions. For example:

  • “I didn’t make much progress this year because my club’s longsword classes are bad.”

  • “I only placed at my last tournament because XYZ person didn’t show up.”

Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 80(1), 1-28

HEMA Hot Take: Reflection Drives Progress

Athletes who make self-reflection a regular part of their training process perform better, are better leaders within their teams, and even demonstrate better “soft skills” like communication, adaptability, and resilience.

Self-awareness and reflection becomes a filtering process through which you evaluate, interpret, and address your feelings and behaviors in a constructive way.

Taking time to pause and assess your fencing journey can give you a huge leg up in your long term growth. Reviewing and honestly evaluating your training progress and patterns helps you identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth. It gives you opportunity to understand what is and is not working in your training, and then plan a pivot where needed.

During this Thanksgiving week, take some time to ask yourself:

• What have I achieved, or what am I proud of this year?

• What specific actions or habits have been most helpful for my growth as a fencer?

• What habits or activities have not served me well in my training? What do I want to let go of in 2025?

• What are my fencing goals for 2025 and beyond?

Coach’s Corner

Applying Locus of Control in Coaching
As a coach, understanding whether your students tend to have an internal or external locus of control can help you tailor your feedback and build a training environment that fosters accountability and growth.

Athletes with an internal locus are more likely to take ownership of their successes and failures, naturally driving them to improve without much intervention on your end. Conversely, athletes with an external locus may struggle to see how their actions influence outcomes, which can not only hinder their own progress and motivation, but can also spread to other members of your club if they are particularly vocal.

Recognizing Locus of Control in Your Students:
Pay attention to how students explain their performance after sparring matches and tournaments:

• Do they focus on their own actions and decisions (internal locus), or do they primarily cite external factors like judges, tournament rules, or equipment (external locus)?

• For example: A student who says, “I need to work on my blade control” or “I’ve improved a ton since last tournament” demonstrates an internal locus, while someone who focuses on, “The floor was too slippery” or “the rules were dumb” leans toward an external locus.

Encouraging a Culture of Internal Focus:
As a coach, you can guide students toward developing an internal locus of control by:

1. Framing Feedback to Highlight Ownership:

   • Instead of: “Your opponent was really fast.”

   • Try: “What strategies could you use to adapt to faster opponents in the future?”This approach reinforces the idea that the student’s decisions and skills determine their outcomes.

2. Celebrating Effort, Not Just Results:

   Create a culture where hard work and preparation are praised over winning or losing. This shifts the focus to controllable factors like dedication and strategy rather than uncontrollable ones like the opponent’s skill level or height.

3. Promoting Constructive Self-Reflection:

   After matches or drills, ask students reflective questions (this is fine even in a big group):

   • “What do you all think you did well today, and why?”

   • “What is one thing you could each work on for next time? “This encourages them to analyze their own actions and identify areas for growth, cultivating a sense of responsibility for their development.

4. Modeling an Internal Locus of Control:

   Coaches can lead by example, attributing the success of their training programs to planning and effort rather than external factors like luck or circumstance.

By fostering a culture that emphasizes individual agency and growth, you empower your students to take ownership of their progress. Over time, this internal focus not only improves their fencing skills but also builds resilience and confidence—essential traits for success in and out of the fencing arena.

Health & Fitness Tips

Take a Walk After Your Thanksgiving Meal
After enjoying your Thanksgiving feast, consider taking a walk instead of heading straight to the couch. Research shows that even a short walk after a meal can has significant benefits for your health, including lowering blood sugar levels and improving digestion.

Walking stimulates your muscles to absorb glucose from the bloodstream, reducing spikes in blood sugar and promoting overall metabolic health.

How to Make It Happen:

• Grab your family, friends, or pets for a casual walk around the neighborhood once dishes are cleaned up.

• Aim for 10-20 minutes at a relaxed pace—you don’t need to break a sweat to reap the benefits. You just need to be moving!

• Use this time to reflect on your day or enjoy the company of others.

This simple practice is a great way to feel better after indulging, keep your metabolism active, and set the stage for balanced energy throughout the rest of your day. It will help fight off the next-morning food coma and get you bouncing back for Friday HEMA training!

Conditioning Move of the Week

Thoracic Opener on Foam Roller

This thoracic mobility exercise is particularly valuable for HEMA fencers as it helps open up the front of the shoulder and pectoral muscles, which are almost universally tight in fencers who use two-handed weapons. For anyone who sits at a computer for work, this is also a regular must-do!

Upcoming Events

P.S. Don’t forget to forward this newsletter to a HEMA friend—it’s the perfect way to spread the word and grow our amazing community!