FENCING THEORY

Part of a series of booklets on fencing by Gary Worsfield

FENCING THEORY booklet © Gary Worsfield 1978, also under the copyright protection of En Garde! A Manual on the sport, instruction and administration of FENCING © Gary Worsfield 2000 

Fencing Theory

                                 CONTENTS

• Introduction

• Convention of foil fencing  

• Priority

• The Line

• Fencing Time

• Attacks   

• Simple Attacks

• Compound Attacks

• Defence

• Types of Parries

• The On Guard Positions

• Mobility – Footwork                                                                      

• Preparations of Attacks

• Attacks on the Blade

• Taking of the Blade 

• Counter-Offensive Actions

• The Conventions of Foil Fencing – Rules

PREFACE

 “Fencing”, the names of each action, position, movement and intention, along with the convention of the sport and the rules of play can make fencing quite a difficult sport to understand.

This booklet, Fencing Theory, will attempt to pave the way to an understanding of fencing by reducing the theory to its basic components, and viewing the general concepts of the sport.

INTRODUCTION

The whole idea behind the sport of fencing is to touch your opponent and not be touched yourself.

Consequently, to be able to do this we have:    

ATTACKS and DEFENCE to which we add MOBILITY and include PREPARATIONS to help create opportunities.

If the attack is too complicated or delayed in its delivery, we can stop the attack with offensive actions.  Because these actions are delivered into the attack, they are termed COUNTER – OFFENSIVE actions.

So therefore we have:  

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CONVENTION OF FOIL FENCING

Fencing convention is based on a system of right of way, or PRIORITY of one move over another move, and FENCING TIME.   Fencing time is the time it takes to perform a single action.  This time of course, will vary with each individual.

PRIORITY  

“All correctly executed attacks must be parried……..the parry gives the right to riposte”  example:

Initial ATTACK -> PARRY of the attack, then a ...         Parry of the riposte, then the <- RIPOSTE with a lunge   1st COUNTER RIPOSTE made with a lunge -> parry of the 1st counter riposte, and then the … Parry of the 2nd counter riposte and then the <- 2nd COUNTER RIPOSTE with a lunge 3rd COUNTER RIPOSTE with a lunge -> Parry of the 3rd counter riposte, and then the 4th COUNTER RIPOSTE, etc

THE LINE

The idea behind fencing is to touch and not be touched, so consequently, if your opponent had their arm straight and their point threatening your target (point in line) it would be pure suicide to attack right on to their point, and so in fencing,  “If the attack is initiated when the opponent has their point in line (i.e. with the arm straight and the point threatening the target) the attacker must first deflect the opponent’s weapon”.

FENCING TIME

Simple attacks, in one period of fencing time, must be parried or completely avoided.   However, attacks composed of more than one period of fencing time can be stopped from developing be means of counter-offensive actions.  “When compound attacks are made, the opponent has the right to stop hit, but to be valid, the stop hit must precede the conclusion of the attack be an interval of fencing time, that is to say that the stop hit must arrive before the attacker has begun the final movement of the attack.  This also applies to RENEWED ATTACKS.  If the attack is parried and the riposte is compound or delayed, a renewed attack can gain priority, but again, to be valid the touch must arrive before the start of the final movement of the riposte.

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In all attacks there are only four simple blade actions:

1. That required for the disengagement and the counter-disengagement, and

2. That required for the cut-over.

The basic concept behind attacks is either to:

1. Touch your opponent before they can defend, or

2. Touch your opponent by deceiving their defence

 SIMPLE ATTACKS

Touch your opponent before they can defend.

When two fencers come on-guard and are ready to fence, they often move their blades, closing and opening lines, changing engagements and searching for reactions and opportunities.  It is during this time that simple attacks are performed.  Threading through to the target before the opponent has time to defend.

There are four simple attacks and they are:

1. The Straight Thrust

2. The Disengagement

3. The Counter Disengagement

4. The Cut Over (coupe)

The straight thrust is a simple, direct extension of the arm used with either a lunge or fleche to touch the opponent.

The disengagement goes to the target from a closed line of engagement by either going under the opponent’s blade when on-guard in high line or over the opponent’s blade when on-guard in low line.

The counter disengagement attacks the target be evading the attempted change of engagement.  For example, you are engaged with the opponent’s blade and he/she is “open” to attack (i.e. if you extend your arm and lunge you would touch your opponent).  Your opponent is not confident in this position, so changes their line of engagement by going under your blade around to the other side.  When they attempt a change of engagement you avoid the blade by going in the same direction as you attack the target.

The cut over attacks in a similar way as the disengagement but goes to the target from a closed line of engagement by passing over or cutting over the opponent’s point.

COMPOUND ATTACKS

  Touch your opponent by deceiving their defence.

1. PROVOKE a defensive reaction, and 

2. DECEIVE the defensive reaction/s.

Compound attacks use FEINTS to provoke a defensive reaction.  A feint is a simulation of an attack.  The opponent feels under threat of attack and starts to defend.  The feint provokes the parry and the attack deceives the parry/s to touch and score.

There are only three moves, which deceive all types of parries:

1. Disengagement 

2. Counter Disengagement 

3. Cut Over

The initial move of a compound attack may be a feint of a straight thrust, however, apart from the initial feint all compound attacks rely on the three deceptive moves to deceive the parry/s and touch to score.  

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How can one defend?  - run, yes MOBILITY (footwork) is one form of defence.  One can also DEFLECT the attacking blade (parry).  Parries and footwork may be incorporated together for added safety.

The principle of defence is to apply the strong section of your blade (forte) against the weak section (foible) of the attacking blade.  Again footwork is often required to create the correct distance to allow you to parry the foible of the attacking blade.

With this principle, strength is not a requirement.  This is one of the beauties of the sport; short fencers against tall, young children against adults, women against men – all with an equal chance to win.

In fencing we have a number of ON GUARD positions.  A position where you are ready or on your guard for either attack or defence.  Parries deflect the attack by simply moving in a variety of directions, from one position to another.

There are four (supinated) guard positions:

Sixte (6)           Octave(8)

Quarte (4)           Septime (7)

Parries are made by moving from any one of these positions, in either a:

1. LATERAL

2. SEMI CIRCULAR

3. CIRCULAR (counter) , or

4. DIAGONAL direction

TYPES OF PARRIES

Lateral

Lateral parries move in a lateral direction across the body deflecting the attacking blade.  The name of 

the parry is determined by the position where it finishes, 

e.g. The fencer starts on guard in the position of sixte, and when attacked parries by moving the 

blade laterally across the body to 

the parry of quarte.  

Semi Circular

Semi-circular parries move in a

  semi-circular direction across the body to deflect the attacking blade.  The name of the parry is again determined by the position where it finishes.  

Counter (circular)

Counter parries (circular parries) move in a circular direction across the body to deflect the attack.  The  name of the parry is again determined by where it finishes, but with counter parries the name is prefixed with the word “counter”, 

e.g. the fencer starts in sixte, 

parries in a circular direction and comes back to the original position having parried “counter sixte”

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We attain mobility in fencing through footwork.   Footwork is all the varieties of foot actions used in fencing;

• To deliver an attack we use footwork,

• To prepare an attack by getting closer to your opponent, we use footwork,

• To prepare an attack by getting our opponent to come closer to us, we use footwork, and

• To defend we may increase the distance between ourselves and our opponent, again using footwork.

Footwork is being at the right place at the right time to be able to deliver the right action, whether it be preparatory to the attack, the attack, or defence.

Well-controlled footwork gives a fencer an ability to “feel” the distance.  Distance is the space between two fencers.  When the fencers are mobile the distance is constantly changing.  Feeling the distance is the ability to know and distinguish between being too far away from the opponent to deliver an attack, just at the right distance for an attack, or too close.  Feeling the distance also involves knowing your capabilities to cover the distance, (e.g. whether to use a lunge, leap lunge, balestra lunge, fleche, etc.), and an awareness of your opponent’s capabilities to cover distance.

To attain effective mobility, the footwork must vary in the distance covered, for example; the advance may cover only a short area of ground, or increased to cover more ground; and similarly with the lunge.  Footwork must also vary in speed of execution, for example: slow advance followed by a fast lunge; an advance starting slowly, increasing in speed, combined with a lunge, developing rapid acceleration towards the end, etc.

The ability to vary distance and speed, develops in the fencer, a sense of timing.  Timing refers to the correct moment to execute an action with regards to distance and “speed of point” in relation to the opponent’s defensive hand actions.

The teaching of footwork may often appear cosmetic.  Aesthetic movements which we try to reproduce.  This is of course untrue but however, to be able to achieve effective mobility a knowledge of the components required to execute the action, and the purpose behind the action, along with an awareness of the following are essential:

• Maintaining balance,

• Coordinating limbs and joints into correct sequences,

• Varying speed,

• Varying distance,

• Maintaining relaxation,

• Maintaining smoothness,

• Moving from immobility to mobility, not telegraphing ones intentions.

To be able to incorporate these aspects into footwork we must be aware of correctness of form, this is why the teaching of footwork can appear cosmetic and its importance over stressed.  We need to know the components making up each action, and how they fit together to produce a smooth flowing, relaxed yet dynamic motion.

The On-Guard Position

The basic position of readiness for either attack or defence.

The Lunge (the development)

Actions used for mobility:

• Advance

• Retreat

• Lunge

• Balestra

• Felche

• Reprise

• Backward Leap

• Passe Arriere

• Passe Avant

Each of these actions can be combined into sequences forming a vast amount of possibilities, e.g.

• Advance lunge, reprise.

• Advance, balestra lunge, retire by jump, fleche.

• Retreat, backward leap, advance balestra lunge, fleche.  etc.

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PREPARATIONS OF ATTACK

  Preparations of attack are used to further help the success of the attack, either by:

1. CREATING OPENINGS (a way in for the attack), or

2. PROVOKING REACTIONS (to allow for deception with the attack)

We can create openings or provoke reactions in two ways, either by: ATTACKING THE OPPONENT’S BLADE, or TAKING THE BLADE.  

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COUNTER-OFFENSIVE ACTIONS

Simple attacks in one period of fencing time must be parried or completely avoided.  However, attacks composed of more than one period of fencing time or delayed actions (broken time attacks) can be stopped from developing by means of counter-offensive actions.

For counter-offensive actions to be valid they must land before the start of the final movement of the attack, or hit while blocking and stopping the attack from landing.  

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THE CONVENTIONS OF FOIL FENCING

(Federation Internationale d’Escrime rules concerning the conventions of foil fencing as quoted from the Amateur Fencing Association’s “Rules for Competitions” – 1974 edition)  

Date Last Modified: 10 Feb 2008