when i learned about fencing, it felt like i had to reinvent myself from scratch, because all the moves and rules were like nothing i knew before! my coach told me about the requirements to become good at it, and i tried my best to tune out any distractions, like when you're trying to focus before a big game starts, that time before anything happens, which my coach calls pre-inception. i was wary of the pointy swords at first, but then i saw how they're used safely and it's all about being quick and smart!