Foil Fencing Check Step

Video Transcript

"The check step, there's an advance check step, and a retreat check step. The check steps are both deceptive maneuvers, they're deceptive footwork maneuvers that you can build into your tactical approach to Foil Fencing. So all the step, I'll show you first of all, what the check step is. All the check step is, is a baby advance with your first foot, so that your opponent thinks you're going to advance. Your foot doesn't actually move very far though because your back foot takes you into a retreat. So once again, if I'm here I'm going to execute a check step if I want to, if I can anticipate what it is that my opponent's going to do in response to it, and take advantage of it. So I make it looks as if I'm going to advance, but what I really do is retreat, and get ready to perform whatever my next action is. So let's look at a couple scenarios where you might use a check step to your advantage. In the first instance let's say I am facing an opponent whom I know to be aggressive. She's prone to counter-attacks, and I've noticed that, when I advance, she moves in for an attack of some kind. I might use the check step to defeat her. So I'd take a little step forward, which she would react to, but then a big step back, at which point I take the opportunity to parry the attack and repost. So, once again. In this setup I take a tiny step forward with my front foot, a big retreat, parry, and repost. Another instance when I might use that is when I want to create a lot of ground. If I know that I'm fencing an opponent who will retreat for my advances, which most opponents will, I might try a check step, just to create enough distance so that I might surprise her with an explosive range attack after that. So, again, I take a small deceptive step forward, and a big step back, and I might follow it with something like a Balestra lunge, covering the distance between us. I might also follow that with a fleche. So let's look at that one more time. Again, if my, and I know these reactions because I've been watching this opponent. I'm also of course watching her body language while I'm performing it, but I check step forward, take a big step back, and an explosive Balestra lunge, landing an attack that I needed that much distance to do. And I also probably had a reaction out of her in between. Any time you can keep your opponent off guard, it's probably in your advantage. Next we'll take a look at the sister to the check step, that's the check step retreat."