Fencing

Although fencing weapons are blunted, they remain 36 inches of tempered steel. To protect themselves, fencers wear uniforms made from thick white canvas and cover the entire body. They are white...

Round robins are commonly employed in fencing tournaments to establish seeding prior to direct elimination rounds. They are also used in clubs for practice, as round robins allow every fencer to...

Intermittent off-target signals delay bouts, sometimes drastically. This guide provides quick solutions for fencers and directors. These solutions apply to all 3 weapons, excepting the absence of...

When hitting first fails, hitting last will do. A good parry will completely defend you and expend your opponent’s energy, leaving you free to hit back at will. This guide is written from a...

Good directing enables free, unrestrained fencing. The worst fencing comes from fencers “working for the referee,” whereby they are trying to conform to a capricious or confused director....

Flicking is often perceived as the secret weapon of fencing, a magical tool used by some fencers to conquer all others. Traditional fencers scoff at flicks and bad fencers, unable to defend...

Fencing is divided into three weapons; foil, epee and saber. Foil and epee grips are identical and will be covered first; saber grips in the latter half. Foils and epees also have the choice of a...

The lunge is the basic attack in fencing, as it keeps your defensive options open while maximizing your offense. A good lunge will push you a few feet (depending on your height and flexibility) in...

“En Garde” is a default position in fencing. The footwork the same across all three weapons, and the blade-work is very similar. To master en garde, and indeed, all of fencing, you must...

The advance and the retreat are the basic methods of motion in fencing. They are designed to keep you in en garde (see “How to Stand at En Garde”). To move well in fencing, you must maintain...