A fencing tournament is a long day of short, explosive efforts. Pool bouts are fought to 5 touches and direct elimination bouts to 15, with fast footwork, lunges and quick reactions, then long waits between bouts. Add a jacket, plastron, lamé and mask, and most fencers sweat heavily even in an air-conditioned hall. Good fuel keeps your legs fresh and your reactions sharp from the first pool bout to the final.
Plan for the whole day, not just the bouts
- Check-in to the end of pools: small, regular fuel and fluids. Bouts are short, but the day is long.
- Waiting for the direct elimination table: this is where most fencers lose energy. Keep sipping, and do not skip food because you feel nervous.
- Direct elimination rounds: fuel between bouts so you are not running on empty in the later rounds.
- Team events or two events in a weekend: recovery after day one is part of your plan for day two.
Key Hammer Nutrition Fuels for Fencing
HEED
A sports drink with complex carbohydrates and a full range of electrolytes, without refined sugar, citric acid or artificial ingredients.
General Application: Mix 1 to 1.5 scoops in 12 to 20 oz (355 to 591 ml) of water. Sip during warm-up, between pool bouts and while you wait for your next bout.
Hammer Gel
Quick, easy energy from complex carbohydrates, easy to carry in your fencing bag.
General Application: 1 serving about 10 minutes before your first bout. Once you have been competing for an hour or more, take 1 serving before a direct elimination bout, washed down with water. Some Hammer Gel flavors contain caffeine. Young fencers should choose the caffeine-free flavors, so check the label.
Endurolytes / Endurolytes Extreme
Electrolytes in capsule form, taken on top of HEED. If you finish a day with salt marks on your jacket or you cramp late in the day, Endurolytes Extreme is the better choice.
General Application: 1 Endurolytes capsule for every 60 lb (27 kg) of body weight, 15 to 20 minutes before your first bout, then about every hour through the competition day. With Endurolytes Extreme, take 1 to 2 capsules in the same way.
Fully Charged
A non-stimulant pre-competition drink.
General Application: Mix 1 serving in 4 to 8 oz (120 to 240 ml) of water, or take 2 capsules, 15 to 30 minutes before your first bout.
Recoverite
Carbohydrates and whey protein in a 3:1 ratio, plus electrolytes, to start your recovery right after training or competition.
General Application: Mix 2 scoops in 8 to 16 oz (236 to 473 ml) of water and drink it within 30 minutes of every hard training session and at the end of each competition day. Follow with a proper balanced meal.
Hammer Bar®
A practical whole food option for long tournament days.
General Application: Hammer Bar® is a convenient whole food option when you need something light and have sufficient time for digestion. Finish it at least 3 hours before your first bout, or eat it during a long break of 2 hours or more before the direct elimination table. It is also a convenient whole food recovery option when Recoverite isn’t available.
Hammer Whey
An easy way to reach your daily protein during heavy training weeks.
General Application: Mix 1 scoop (25 g) in 8 to 16 oz (236 to 473 ml) of water, when your meals fall short on protein. Real food stays the foundation.
Competition Day Timing
- 3 hours before your first bout: finish your last meal. Keep it simple and familiar. After that, water only.
- 15 to 30 minutes before: Fully Charged, if you use it.
- 15 to 20 minutes before: your first dose of Endurolytes.
- 10 minutes before: 1 serving of Hammer Gel, then start sipping HEED.
- During pools: sip HEED between bouts and take Endurolytes about every hour.
- Waiting for the direct elimination table: keep sipping HEED. If the wait is 2 hours or more, have a Hammer Bar® early in the break.
- Before direct elimination bouts: once you have been competing for an hour or more, 1 serving of Hammer Gel about 10 minutes before you are called to the piste.
- Within 30 minutes of your last bout: Recoverite, then a proper meal.
Fueled by Drake Chung
Drake Chung is one of our young saber fencers. At 13 he represented the Philippines at the Asian Cadet and Junior Fencing Championship 2026. At the South East Asian Fencing Federation Championship in Kuala Lumpur in 2026 he won bronze in the U14 men's saber individual event, silver in the cadet men's saber team event and gold in the junior men's saber team event. As of September 20, 2026 he is ranked 6th of 48 in the Under-20 men's saber rankings.
Drake fuels with Hammer Gel. Simple and clean, with complex carbs for consistent energy between bouts. After his Minime ranking win in May he thanked Hammer Nutrition Philippines "for keeping me fueled for battle".
Photo: @brandon_deichmann
Hammer Nutrition High Performance Tips for Fencing
- Practice your plan in training. Try the same products, amounts and timing in a long training day or a club competition before you use them at a big tournament.
- Fuel on the lean side. Take the least you need to keep your energy steady. A heavy stomach slows your footwork. Count the calories from all your fuels together, HEED and Hammer Gel included, and keep to about 120 to 180 per hour.
- Drink to the conditions. Your gear holds in heat. Aim for 18 to 25 oz (530 to 740 ml) of fluid per hour of fencing, and more in a hot venue.
- Pack your own fuel. Venue food is not always available at the right time. Bring HEED, Hammer Gel, Endurolytes and a Hammer Bar® in your fencing bag.
- Never sacrifice sleep. For early check-ins, eat a good dinner the night before and get your sleep.
The above recommendations are provided for information purposes only and are not intended to provide specific dietary or medical advice.