How to Speak Fencing Language

Fencing has an extensive and highly specialized vocabulary. A familiarity with a few basic terms will make your first lesson a more profitable experience.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Fencing Gear

1. Learn to respond to the command, "on guard," by assuming the guard position.
2. Tempt your adversary with an "invitation" by moving your weapon slightly up, down, or to one side to deliberately expose a part of your target.
3. Attack with a lunge only after having placed the "blade in line" by completely extending the sword arm and directing the point of the weapon straight at the exposed target.
4. Use a "straight thrust" to hit the adversary with the point when the adversary invites, leaving his target exposed, or when you have engaged the adversary's blade, exposing his target.
5. Dominate and divert the hostile blade away from you with an "engagement."
6. Use a "disengagement" to free your blade from your adversary's engagement, or to elude his simple parries.
7. Use a "parry" to divert the incoming blade when your adversary attacks.
8. Answer your adversary's attack with a "riposte," or thrust, immediately after you parry his blade.
9. Learn the three ranges of fencing "measure," or fencing distance: "close," where the adversary can be reached with a thrust or cut from the guard position; "correct" where the adversary can be reached only with a lunge, and "out of distance," where a thrust or cut can only reach the adversary with an advance lunge.
10. Use a "feint" to trick the adversary into parrying by simulating a thrust or cut.