The Coupe & Foil Fencing

Video Transcript

"Much like the Digage or the disengage, the coupe, which is also called the cut over, serves the same purpose. You are moving out of one line around your opponent's blade to the other line. But in the case of a coupe or a cut over, you're going over your opponent's in a quick cutting over motion, so that I establish my point of line in this opposite point of line. So, let's demonstrate that in action. We're going to demonstrate the coupe in action. But first I want to make a quick note about words and names in fencing. There are a lot of them. Because we have French words, we have Italian words for the exact same move, we have their English equivalents, and a lot of times for the same move in an offensive action, we'll have a different name for it if it's a defensive action. So, if you see a move that you know by a different name, that's probably why. And when I think of it I'll throw out a couple words for you, but we're trying to keep things simple. So, one word, maybe two words for the same move, so that you get the idea, but it is convoluted. There are a lot of fencers who understand the game but don't necessarily know every translation of each move. So, again the coupe, also called the cut over, is a quick movement above my opponent's blade to establish myself in the opposite line. So, if Syrie were to coupe over my blade, it's the same idea. So rather than being a rounded motion like a Degage, it is a quick cutting over motion. And that's the coupe. Okay, so a coupe, cutting over quickly, over my opponent's blade. Get my distance. Cutting over quickly, over my opponent's blade. So this is useful I see an opening on the opposite line. I might cut over and thrust, if her blade is just a little bit off line. And she will now coupe over my blade. Okay, and then cut over in the opposite way. So, each time we're moving from one line into the other line. So, another combination. Beautiful. Another combination, because you do have to move your opponent's blade out of line first, might be coupe, beat, thrust. So, if I'm on this side maybe my opponent is expecting something over here, I will coupe, beat, establish right of way, move her blade out of line, and thrust, scoring a touch. And that is the coupe in action."