How to Hold a Sabre Properly

A sabre is one of many types of fencing weapons used by intermediate fencers. Once you have a good knowledge of the basics of fencing with the foil, the sabre is an interesting weapon to try because you can score points by hitting with the edge of the blade as well as the point.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Hold the blade with one hand and grip the handle with the other. Grab the handle initially by pinching the top of the handle with your thumb and forefinger.

2. Position the sabre so that the guard is facing the ground. Once you position your grip, you can rotate your wrist slightly so that the guard is titled a little bit to the outside of your body and you can easily protect your flank.

3. Keep your thumb positioned in line with the handle of the sabre, bent slightly. Do not allow your thumb to wrap around the handle at any time.

4. Keep your forefinger firmly opposed to the thumb. The majority of your control over the sabre is through the first finger and the thumb, so test your control by tilting the sabre up and down using just these two fingers.

5. Wrap the rest of your fingers around the handle loosely to finish the grip. Remember that all your fingers besides the thumb and first finger are auxiliary to the control of the sabre, so if you find yourself using them to control the motion, practice using just the first finger and thumb until you feel comfortable.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice forming the grip without your glove on first so that you can more easily visualize where you need to place your fingers. If you have a good mastery of fencing with a foil, a sabre grip shouldn't be too hard to master, but it's good to pay attention to the fine details initially rather than learn a technique that is slightly faulty.

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