The Weapons

Choose your Weapons
The choice of weapon to start fencing is one that is open

to many factors. Your initial personal choice may

or may not be the best. Many factors will influence

both you and your instructor. It is best to also

seek the advice of experienced fencers.

FOIL

(Thrusting Weapon)

The character of Foil fencing is fashioned by the limited valid target, (See fig 1. on left.) and the rules governing the right of way. Due to the limited target area, the blade actions are smaller and the sword becomes much more an extension of the arm. We try, in making a simple attack, to avoid the opponents blade. More complicated forms of attack involve, contact with the blade, or deceiving an attempt to make contact with the blade. When defending an attack or riposte, we must either deflect the blade away from our target, or adjust the distance to avoid being hit. Foil is a more conventionally fought weapon than the other thrust weapon Epee.

EPEE

(Thrusting Weapon)

The character of the weapon is affected by the larger target (See fig 2. on left.) which is the whole body. Added to which the possibility of double hits or defeats, while posing a problem in defence, it also offers opportunities for counter-offensive actions on the part of the defender against the attacker, this means that an epeeist must be able to hit without being hit (taking the blade to hit or riposting in opposition) or make double hits (counter attacking as an alternative to parrying). An ability to slip off the blade and avoid the taking of the blade is also necessary. It can therefore be seen, that a greater understanding and judgment of distance between you and your opponent, is a vital element of Epee fencing. Targets of opportunity are rare, and when they occur full advantage must swiftly be taken.

British Fencing equipment development in the last 65 years

Counter attack. An offensive action into an offensive action.

Counter disengage. An indirect simple attack or riposte, deceiving a change of engagement or circular parry and hitting in the original line.

False attack. A probing attack, . . .
Oh go an' buy a book!
The best I've seen for years is Henry's

“Stick your arm out and ‘it ‘im.” is accurate: however not very elegant. So we define each action or a combination of actions in a formatted sequence that in time will become clearly understood.

The Stance. The position of the feet and legs of a fencer whilst in the on guard.

On guard. The classical position adopted by a fencer from which he can launch an attack or create a defensive movement.

Making ground. Advancing.

Breaking ground. Retreating.

The Hit. The action of placing the point on the opponent with a force sufficient to show a characteristic of penetration or to be recorded by the electric scoring apparatus.

The Attack. The initial offensive action at the beginning of a phrase (see "right of way").

Development. An extension of the sword arm accompanied by a step or lunge.

Straight thrust. Direct attack.

Simple attack. An offensive action (taking only one period of fencing time to execute) by movement of sword, arm and body, which can be direct or indirect.

Lunge. A development of the attack or riposte.

Right of way. Affects foil and sabre only. Every attack, direct or indirect, simple or compound, when correctly executed by the straightening of the arm, point or cutting edge continuously threatening the valid target, precedes the initiation of the lunge or fleche.

Simultaneous attack. There is no right of way. A simultaneous conception and execution of a stroke.
Fencing positions. The eight positions of the sword corresponding to the parries and lines. There are four in supination; quarte (4^th), sixte (6^th) ,septime (7^th), octave (8^th), and four in pronation; prime (1^st), seconde (2^nd), tierce (3^rd), quinte (5^th).

Target. Foil- the target excludes the limbs and head. It is confined to the trunk, the upper limit being the collar up to 6cm above the prominence of the collarbones - at the sides to the seams of the sleeves, which should cross the head of the humerus; and the lower limit following a horizontal line across the back, joining the tops of the hip bones, thence by straight line to the junction of the lines of the groin See also Sabre & Epee above for variations.

Fencing measure. The distance between two fencers where one cannot be hit unless the other lunges.

Fencing time. The time taken to perform one simple fencing action.

Phrase. An uninterrupted series of fencing actions.

Cadence. The fencing rhythm.
Absence of blade. When the swords are not in contact.

Detachment. Fencing without contact of the blade.

Covered engagement. This is a correctly covered guard position which closes that fencing position (or line ) to any direct attack.

Parry. The defence against an attack by deflecting the attacking blade, using forte against foible (strength of the blade against the weakest part.)

Foible. The weakest part of the blade nearest the point.

Forte. The strongest part of the blade nearest the guard.

Opposition. The method of using the forte (strength) of one's own blade to
dominate the opponent's blade, or oppose it by covering.

Simple parry. (lateral or instinctive) The deflection of the attacking blade by application of forte to foible, the sword arm moving horizontally across the body, in the high or low line.

Riposte. Offensive action following the successful parry of an attack. It may be direct, indirect, compound, immediate or delayed.

Counter parries.
Circular parry. The deflection of the attacking blade by the application of forte to foible, making a circle with the point of the sword, and bringing the attacking blade to its original line.

Semi-circular parry. The deflection of the attacking blade by opposition of forte to foible, by making a semi-circle with the sword, from high to low line or vice versa on the same side.

Cut-over. (coupë) An indirect simple attack executed by passing the blade over or under the opponent's point.

Beat. A crisp striking movement on the opponent's blade, to cause a reaction or deflect it. The beat is a preparation.

Pressure. A pressing movement against the opponent's blade in order to deflect it or obtain a reaction from it. Used as a preparation.

Change of engagement. The re-engagement of the opponent's blade on the opposite side by passing under or over it. It is a preparation.

Disengage. An indirect simple attack or riposte hitting in the opposite line, by passing under the opponent's blade.

Compound attack. An attack which comprises one or more feints.

We are starting with the simple things, the first things you need to learn. The definitions of fencing actions are at first very confusing however.

SABRE

(Cutting and Thrusting Weapon)

Sabre is fenced almost totally in absence of blade owing to the fencing measure (the distance at which one can hit the opponent on the sword arm with a lunge (the same comment can be made regarding epee). (See fig 3. on left.) As hits are primarily though not exclusively made with the cutting edge, the angle at which the blade attacks affects the parries taken. Also as with foil, sabre is a conventionally fought weapon in that there is again a right of way. Sabre has always been fenced with flourish and explosion. It was deemed necessary in the mid nineteen-nineties to exclude, any action that involved the rear foot becoming the leading foot, in an attempt to avoid confusion regarding the right of way.