How do you use hit in fencing?
Hit: A point scored by a touch with the tip of the blade or, in sabre, the edge of the blade against any part of the opponent’s body in the target area. Lunge: The basic attack in fencing where a fencer closes the distance between foes by moving the front leg forward while the back leg remains stationary and straightens out.
What is a double hit in fencing?
Double hit: Successful contact with the sword by both fencers within .04 of a second, counted only in epee competition. En garde: French for “on guard”, the position that fencers take before a bout begins or after a break in the action.
What are some terms used in fencing?
SOME OF THE TERMS USED IN FENCING . ABSENCE OF BLADE. when swords are not in contact. ADVANCE. to step forward. AIDS. the last three fingers of the sword hand. ANALYSIS. the process of describing actions occurring in a fight, usually a phrase preceding a hit. ANGULATION
What is a beat attack in fencing?
Beat attack: In foil and sabre, the attacker beats the opponent's blade to gain priority (right of way) and continues the attack against the target area. In épée, a similar beat is made but with the intention to disturb the opponent's aim and thus score with a single light.
What are the terms in fencing?
Fencing: Terms to KnowAdvance. To move forward on the piste.Allez. The French word for "Go." This is the command for fencers to begin fencing.Attack. A movement or series of movements by which a fencer tries to score a point against his opponent.Balestra. ... Beat. ... Blade. ... Bout. ... Counter-parry.More items...•
What do you say when you touch in fencing?
After the judge warns the fencers with "en garde", the judge will then say "pret" to alert the fencers that the match is about to begin. American referees typically use the word "ready" in place of "pret".
What is a fencing lunge called?
Flunge. A portmanteau of Fleche and Lunge – a 'saber fleche'. Rather the fencer starts as if with a fleche, but ends with a hop, skipping past the opponent. The rear leg is not brought in front of the front leg to ensure compliance with the rules.
Why do fencers say touche?
When you hit your opponent in fencing, they say touché to signify a point against them. In an argument, touché means that you're admitting that they made a good point, or when someone has made a good comeback.
Why do fencers say touche?
When you hit your opponent in fencing, they say touché to signify a point against them. In an argument, touché means that you're admitting that they made a good point, or when someone has made a good comeback.
Do fencers speak French?
Fencing is a sport that uses a number of French words, which can be confusing to people who are either new to the sport or do not speak the language. Here are some of the most common terms and phrases used in fencing, and the meaning behind them.
What are fencing swords?
There are three fencing blades used in Olympic fencing - the foil, épée and sabre - each of which have different compositions, techniques and scoring target areas. The foil has a maximum weight of 500 grams and is a thrusting weapon.
What is the meaning of attack in fencing?
Attack: Movement or series of movements by which a fencer tries to score a point. In foil and saber, the fencer who attacks first acquires the “right‐of‐way.” In order to execute an attack properly (i.e. one that the referee will acknowledge), the fencer’s hand must be clearly extending towards their opponent’s valid target in a threatening manner.
What is the second intention of fencing?
Second Intention: A tactic in which a fencer executes a convincing, yet false, action in hopes of drawing a true, committed reaction from their opponent.
What is the French term for fencing strip?
Piste : French term for the fencing strip.
What is a guard in fencing?
Guard: Part action in which a fencer blocks his opponent’s blade.
What is a fleche?
Fleche: Explosive, running attack (Foil and Epee only)
What is engagement in fencing?
Engagement: Contact between the fencers’ blades – often as the prelude to an attack.
What is the right of way in foil and saber?
In foil and saber, the fencer who attacks first acquires the “right‐of‐way.”. In order to execute an attack properly (i.e. one that the referee will acknowledge), the fencer’ s hand must be clearly extending towards their opponent’s valid target in a threatening manner.
What is the basic attack in fencing where a fencer closes the distance between foes by moving the front?
Lunge: The basic attack in fencing where a fencer closes the distance between foes by moving the front leg forward while the back leg remains stationary and straightens out.
What is a feint?
Feint: A false attack designed to force an opponent into a reaction that opens the way to a genuine attack.
What is a one metre penalty?
One-metre penalty: A penalty where the action is moved a metre further back on the piste for the offending fencer before a bout is restarted.
What is a counter parry?
Counter-parry: A defensive move where a fencer makes a circular movement around the opponent’s blade and moves it away.
What is double hit?
Double hit: Successful contact with the sword by both fencers within .04 of a second, counted only in epee competition.
What is parry in fencing?
Parry: A defensive action where a fencer blocks the opponent’s blade.
What does "remise" mean in fencing?
Remise: To attack again immediately after the opponent has blocked an initial attack. Right of way: A rule established to eliminate virtually simultaneous attacks between two fencers in foil or sabre by allowing a referee to determine who was on offence at that moment and had “right of way” to score a point.
What does "hit at sabre" mean?
a hit at sabre made by striking with the edge of the blade
What is the second indicator in fencing?
The first indicator is expressed as a ratio of the number of victories and the number of fights and the second indicator is the number of hits scored minus the number of hits received
What lights are used to register hits at foil?
an electric box with red and green lights to register valid hits at foil, epee and sabre and white lights to register non-valid hits at foil. The apparatus is mounted centrally, adjacent to the piste and connected by floor leads to spools with retractable cables placed at both ends of the piste, to which the fencers connect their body wires
Why do fencers pledge their honour?
by taking part in a fencing competition, fencers ‘pledge their honour’ to observe the rules for competitions and the decisions of judges and to be respectful towards the president and the members of the jury
What does "threatening" mean in a blade?
threatening movement of the blade made with the intention of provoking a parry or similar response
How much time is between two hits in epee?
in epee only, when both competitors register a hit on each other simultaneously, the difference of time between the two hits being less than 1/25 of a second
How to deflect an opponent's blade?
deflecting the opponent’s attacking blade by moving from a high line guard to a low line guard on the opposite side and vice versa
Who watches for hits in a dry fencing bout?
The 4 officials, or ' judges', who watch for hits in a dry fencing bout. The judges watch for hits on the fencer opposite their end of the strip. A judge acknowledges a hit by raising their hand, attracting the attention of the referee (or president of the jury).
What does "fleche" mean in fencing?
Flèche means 'arrow' in French. The rear leg is brought in front of the front leg and the fencer sprints past the opponent. This action is currently not allowed during sabre bouts, because the front and rear legs must not cross. In épée, a quick pass is essential, since the defending fencer is allowed one attack after the pass, so long as the defenders attack is in one action, with or without a parry, initiated before the pass is completed.
What is a counter riposte?
They are numbered so that the riposte is the offensive action following the parry of the attack, counterattack or renewal, the first counter-riposte is the offensive action following the parry of the riposte, the second counter-riposte follows the parry of the first counter-riposte, and so on.
What is the meaning of "body to body" in fencing?
(French "body-to-body") The action of two fencers coming into physical contact with one another with any portion of their bodies or hilts. This is illegal in foil and sabre bouts, and is cause for the Referee (Director) to halt the fencing action. In épée, it does not violate the spirit of the game, but contact may not be accompanied with any brutality or forcefulness (intentional or not).
What is a counter attack in sabre?
Counter-Attack. An attack made against, or into, an attack initiated by the opponent. In foil and sabre, a counter-attack does not have the right-of-way against the opponent’s initiated attack. Counter-attacking is a common tactic in épée, where one may gain a touch by hitting first, and avoiding the opponent’s attack.
What is change of engagement in fencing?
Change of Engagement. An engagement of the opponent's blade in the opposite line. Changes of engagement are sometimes performed to place one fencer's blade on the side of the opponent's blade that they feel has an advantage, or could be just to fool with the opponent.
What is a broadsword?
A type of historical military sword and fencing weapon popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, similar to a heavy sabre. Beginning only in the late 20th century, this term came to be inappropriately applied to almost any straight-bladed, double-edged, single-handed cutting sword, especially of the Medieval and Renaissance eras. The broadsword is not used in contemporary fencing.
How to tell if a fencer is lunging?
You can tell the lunge because the fencer who is lunging has the point of the weapon as far toward the opponent as possible, a back leg that is straight and leaning into the attack by at least 45 degrees and a front leg that is bent to the point where the knee is over the ankle.
What does "pret" mean in fencing?
In a match it is a warning from the director to both fencers to prepare to fence. "Pret" (French term): This is used by a judge at a fencing match. After the judge warns the fencers with "en garde", the judge will then say "pret" to alert the fencers that the match is about to begin.
What is a parry riposte?
The parry-riposte is one of the most common techniques in scoring touches you will see in a fencing match, again at any level.
Why are there different colors of fencing strips?
The different colors of the fencing strips in the Olympics is mainly for aesthetics. Beyond helping the fencers who are competing find their correct strip and helping the announcers identify which fencers are on which strips, the colors mean very little.
How can I learn fencing?
To learn about fencing, the best way is to try it. Make sure you read the credentials of a club (most clubs have WWW sites), several if your area has them, before taking lessons. You don't need too much of a background if you compare (i.e. look at as many clubs as you can, even if they are not near you).
Which weapon has no right of way?
Sabre, the lightest weapon, is the only weapon to attack with the blade rather than the point. Right of way also applies to this weapon. Epee, the heaviest weapon, is a thrusting weapon with no right of way, where the whole body is target.
Is a touch off target in saber fencing?
So, in foil a touch is off-target if it doesn't touch the lame and the fencing stops with no point scored. In épée there is no "off-target".
Competitive fencing
Fencing is governed by Fédération Internationale d'Escrime (FIE). Today, its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. The FIE is composed of 145 national federations, each of which is recognised by its state Olympic Committee as the sole representative of Olympic-style fencing in that country.
History
Fencing traces its roots to the development of swordsmanship for duels and self defense. Fencing is believed to have originated in Spain; some of the most significant books on fencing were written by Spanish fencers.
Weapons
There are three weapons in modern fencing: foil, épée, and sabre. Each weapon has its own rules and strategies. Equipment needed includes at least 2 swords, a lamé (not for épée), a white jacket, underarm protector, two body and mask cords, knee high socks, glove and knickers.
Equipment
Most personal protective equipment for fencing is made of tough cotton or nylon. Kevlar was added to top level uniform pieces (jacket, breeches, underarm protector, lamé, and the bib of the mask) following the death of Vladimir Smirnov at the 1982 World Championships in Rome.
Techniques
Techniques or movements in fencing can be divided into two categories: offensive and defensive. Some techniques can fall into both categories ( e.g. the beat). Certain techniques are used offensively, with the purpose of landing a hit on your opponent while holding the right of way (foil and sabre).
Universities and schools
University students compete internationally at the World University Games. The United States holds two national level university tournaments including the NCAA championship and the USACFC National Championships tournaments in the US and the BUCS fencing championships in the United Kingdom.
Other variants
Other variants include wheelchair fencing for those with disabilities, chair fencing, one-hit épée (one of the five events which constitute modern pentathlon) and the various types of non-Olympic competitive fencing. Chair fencing is similar to wheelchair fencing, but for the able bodied.
