Erika Kirpu is a Finnish national, ace fencer and foil master who are currently serving as a Team Finland assistant coach. She has been coaching for the men’s and women’s disciplines for two years. She started as a novice fencer at the age of 15 but graduated in her second year of college. After that she went to Finland for a year to train with the men’s and women’s teams and has been preparing for her first Olympics since then.
As a fencer, Erika Kirpu has a very professional method of coaching which she devised while staying in her home country of Finland. She employs a very similar type of training to what those who have been fencing for years are used to. Rather than doing hundreds of sit-ups and hundreds of push-ups each day, she focuses on strengthening the legs through endurance and cardio work. Through this, the athlete trains not just for endurance but also for flexibility and agility, something that many coaches in her sport would have difficulty with.
If you are serious about being a successful sportsman, you need to take the time to look into all the options open to you. If one area seems a little lacking, look for a coach who can fix it up. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Even if they do not have the answers you are looking for, they will surely understand what you are going through and be able to help you find a solution. In Erika Kirpu’s case, that helped her become a Finland world champion fencer.