Fencing

Fencing, as cited in the Webster's Dictionary, is "the sport of fighting with swords, esp. foils, épées, or sabers, according to a set of rules, in order to score points against an opponent." Fencing is very popular in the European culture. Many people refer to it as "Sword Fighting" it is seen in many movies, as well as books. In the sport, the two opponents are required to wear a specialized uniform to protect themselves when waving the foil, épées, or saber, around.

Fencing is defined as "The sport and act of swordplay." The history of fencing as changed extensively over the years, before the Christian era, almost two thousand years ago, they used spears instead of the known weapons used today. Once the invention of gunpowder came into play, it changed to a fight to the death by many nobility to restore and avenge honor. As they entered the fourteenth century, Germany was the first country to try to legalize fencing as a sport, as well as fights to the death, this did not go over very well with everyone. During the fifteenth century Spain decided to establish the first fencing school. Soon after that, the eighteenth century grew the idolizing sport, but many countries in Europe decided to get rid of the fight to the death factor of the sport, as well as added protective covering to those that played the sport, to insure the safety of opponents. Around this time, Italy, France, and Germany, decided that the sport was better played with specialized weapons, hence the invention of the foil, épées, and saber. The reason that they changed the weapons was for a lighter advantage, of greater speed, dexterity, and precision. After the advancements in the sport it became more well known as a sport rather than a deadly game, it gave way to many like it that furthered growth in sports and entertainment. Since eighteen - ninety six, it has been an Olympic sport. Italy and France have been the most successful in obtaining medals in the competition. Sadly, the United States has not been as successful in ranking high for the medals.

This sport has many different competitors, from different ages to certain disabilities. The United States has both competitions for men and women. The object of the sport is to score a clean touch on the opponent, without being hit as well.

There are many different types of equipment that go into the sport, the personal uniform for each competitor is required, as well as a mask that protects the face and neck, for women, they are required to wear breast protectors, for both sexes, they have to wear protective gloves,

Page 1 finally, they wear underarm protectors and elbow guards.

There are two forms of competition, the individual competition and the intercollegiate team competition. Individual competition is a one on one subfield, with players ranked in specific areas. The intercollegiate team competition is made up of nine players on each side, three in every division of weapons.

The modern day fencing weapons are consisted of three, the foil, the épée and the saber. Each one has specific qualities that help opponents in different ways, the foil is most common. In modern movies about older times, they typically use the saber, the reason for that is that it looks similar to the type of swords they used in older times, especially during the medieval era.

The foil, is the most basic weapon available. It is commonly referred to as the thrusting weapon. It is approximately thirty three inches and seventeen point sixty four ounces. It is thin and flexible, with a concave guard to help to protect the hand. As defined in the Webster's dictionary it is, "a light fencing sword without cutting edges but with a button on its point."

The Épée, is also a thrusting weapon, it has a pointed end, as well as it is slightly heavier. It is twenty seven ounces and forty three point two inches long. With using a Épée, it is more likely for players to get hit at the same time and score a point, it designed for the agility inclined, but it is not limited to just those opponents, it is available to any person at any time. Most people only use one type of fencing weapon though. As defined in the Webster's dictionary it is, "A sharp-pointed dueling sword, designed for thrusting and used, with the end blunted, in fencing."

The Saber, is the most dangerous of the fencing swords, one mustn't be too careful when handling said sword. The saber, is the lightest of the three, at only seventeen point five ounces and forty one point two inches in diameter. As defined in the Webster's dictionary it is, "a heavy cavalry sword with a curved blade and a single cutting edge. a light fencing sword with a tapering blade."

There are many different types of skills and techniques for the players, such as, the French grip, on guard, advance retreat, thrust, lunge, and recovery from lunge.

What most people take from fencing is the act of simple attacks, the ones that most people are familiar with, due to books , movies and TV shows. There are, the straight attack,

Page 2 disengage, and cutover.

As well as compound attacks, we do not see these as often in movies, but they are the main attacks, they consists of, the beat, the one-two or double disengage, and the doublement.

There is of course the defense mechanisms, which is mostly self explanatory, parry 6, parry 4, parry 7, and parry 8.

The four main points that a player tries to hit are all on the torso, the shoulder blade, chest, sides and stomach. Any of these would sub vise for a point to the opponent who made the attack. The most common is the stomach, although, it is the most heavily guarded one, the sides and shoulder blades are the best for surprise attacks. Sadly, when playing such a sport, the element of surprise in limited and controlled.

It is important for any teacher planning on taking this sport on to teach it in the proper way, by making sure that the students selective aren't known for horseplay or off-task behavior. It is also important that the teacher be familiar with the sport themselves, to have played it before, and to teach it correctly to the students, so that if they may make a mistake, the teacher can demonstrate the proper way of doing such mistaken movement. The teacher should advise the students to get comfortable with the protective gear, and understand the dangers of playing with swords.

There are many terms that the players, as well as referees must know, to be able to conduct themselves in the correct manner for the sport. Some such are as listed.

1. Advance, a move forward to gain ground.
2. Attack, an offensive movement that gains right of way.
3. Attack of second intention, an attack intended to be parried, so that the attacker may parry the riposte and score on the counter riposte
4. Attack on the blade, an attack used to move the opponent's blade off target by striking it sharply or pressing on it. The beat, press, and glide are considered attacks on the blade.
5. Attack on the preparation, a counterattack made during an opponent's preparation. To be valid the attacker must land before the opponent's final movement begins, or the opponent must miss the target
6. Ballestra or jump lunge, a forward or backward movement employing a jump before the lunge
7. Beat attack, an attempt to create an opening for an attack by giving a sharp blow to the

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BLADE PARTS:
8. Foible, weak and flexible portion of the blade, compromising the third of the blade nearest to the tip
9. Forte, strong, inflexible third of the blade nearest the guard
10. Middle, middle third of the blade
11. Bout, a contest between two individuals
12. Circular parry, a parry made in line opposing an attacker for example, the defender parries the attack by using a circular motion rather than a lateral motion, thus encircling the attacking blade
13. Compound attack, an attack which is made up of more than one movement
14. Counterattack, a stop thrust in which the time is taken from the attacker by touching before the final action of the original attack begins
15. Engagement, crossing and touching weapons
16. Feint, a movement of the blade designed to draw a parry or other reaction from the opponent
17. Flèche, a offensive movement made by crossing the back foot in front of leading foot, usually followed by a short run
18. Jury, four judges and the referee, who conducts the fencing bout
19. Match, the aggregate of bouts fenced between members of two teams
20. Off target, a touch scored on an invalid target area
21. On guard, the position taken by a fencer signaling a readiness to fence
22. Parry, a defensive action made to prevent a touch
23. Referee, the director of a bout
24. Remise, following an attack, the defender delays the riposte. The attacker, without recovering from the lunge, my merely move the sword so that the point i replaced in the target area
25. Retreat, to move backward to open the distance from an opponent
26. Right of way, established by a fencer who first extends the weapon arm with point in line of attack
27. Riposte of return, an offensive action after successful defense;it may by a simple or compound return
28. Simple attack, an attack that is made in one motion, without preliminary feints
29. Stop hit, a counterattack made during the opponent's attack during a hesitation in that attack. To count as a valid touch, the counterattack must land before the final movement of the opponent begins

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30. Strip, the area on which a fencing bout is conducted touch, a hit on the target that would puncture or wound if weapons were pointed

There are many schools that offer scholarships for such the sport, although, it is presumed to be a tough scholarship to achieve. For the right person must be agile, quick, perceptive, and overall good at fencing. It is important for a person to be agile so they are quick to make the correct counterattacks in order to avoid getting hit. The person must be quick in order to make the point, hitting the opponent before they even have a chance to understand what is going on. Being perceptive is, in most people’s opinion, the most important, you must know your opponent, understand their moves, and be able to predict the measures at which they will take to try and score a point.

Since the first official sword fight, or fencing match, the sport has changed. Although it is still not as well know as it's competitors, basketball, soccer, football, etc., it is still a sport that many play today. Many of the sports greatest players have come from specific fencing schools, or private school that offer the sport to its students. Many encourage other countries to adapt it into their culture. But, without the correct protective armor, this sport can turn into a deadly massacre. That is one of the main reasons that schools do not offer it as a program, because they would be held accountable for any personal injuries that occur while the student was in their custody.

Despite these obvious cons, there are also many pros to the sport, such as a lifelong appreciation for something as interchangeable as sports. To be apart of fencing is to be a part of a history lush with growth the new developments, and further change.

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