Lateral Parry in Foil Fencing

Video Transcript

"There are a lot different languages for different parries but what is really important and what you will probably be thinking as you are fencing on the strip is the target area so imagine that there is a cross here my target area, four, six, seven, and eight. My body, my trunk here is divided into four quadrants so each of the parries moves from one of those quadrants to the other. Right now I want to talk about lateral parries and all that means is that it is moving from side to side from one quadrant or point of line to the quadrant that is next to it so a lateral parry can move from four to six, from six to four, from seven to eight and from eight to seven and each one of these is considered lateral. We have a lot of different names for parries that move in different lines but let's concentrate on the different lateral parries first. So I would like to demonstrate. Start with the lateral parry just moving from side to side on this line. Let's just demonstrate that one more time. Thrust and parry just off on that same line. It is the same if I happen to be engaged on this point of line on this side of her sword come in for a thrust to a parry on this side. And again the lateral is moving from one side of my body to the other but both of those are on what is called the high line. Now the low line lateral parries are seven to eight so again if I am engaged let's start the same way we did on her blade if she were to thrust low and come in for a lateral parry. One more time thrusting low and parry to the side. On this side we have engaged on this side of her blade and the lateral moves from left to right and one more time from left to right. Those are your lateral parries. There is only four."