sabre

Book: The Newcomer’s Guide to Competition Fencing

Newcomer's Guide to Competition FencingRobin Catling

In the highly technical sport of Modern Olympic Fencing, stepping up from the club to competition can seem a daunting, baffling prospect – but no longer.

This newcomer’s guide sets out the requirements, formats, rules, etiquette and the all-important technical language. All you need to take your first steps into competition without looking like a wide-eyed novice.

Ideal for the club fencer, parents of fencers or partners of fencers, the Newcomers’ Guide is based on thirty years experience from a competitor and coach.

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 4183 KB
Print Length: 192 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Proactivity Press; 1 edition (12 July 2020)
Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
Language: English
ASIN: B08CVNQNYB
Text-to-Speech: Enabled
X-Ray: Not Enabled
Word Wise: Enabled
Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled

Paperback: 150 pages
Publisher: Proactivity Press (13 July 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1916119425
ISBN-13: 978-1916119420
Product Dimensions: 15.2 x 0.9 x 22.9 cm

What are the Modern Fencing Weapons?

Overview

Weapons - foil, epee, sabreThere are three weapons in modern fencing, each with different rules and target areas:

•  Foil is the foremost training weapon
•  Epée is descended from the a duelling weapon
•  Sabre is a former cavalry weapon

Foil: Descended from the 18th century smallsword, the foil has a thin, flexible blade with a square cross-section and a small bell guard. Hits are scored with the point on the torso of the opponent, including the groin and back. Foil technique emphasizes strong defence and the killing attack to the body.

Epée: Similar to the duelling swords of the mid-19th century, épées have stiff blades with a triangular cross-section, and large bell guards. Hits are scored with the point anywhere on the opponent’s body. Unlike foil and sabre, there are no right-of-way rules to decide which attacks have precedence, so double hits are possible. Épée technique emphasizes timing, point control, and a good counter-attack.

Sabre: Descended from duelling sabres of the late 19th century, which were in turn descended from naval and cavalry swords, sabres have a light, flat blade and a knuckle guard. Hits can be scored with either the point or the edge of the blade anywhere above the opponent’s waist. Sabre technique emphasizes speed, feints, and strong offense.

Weapons: Sabre

Weapon - sabreThe sabre can score by hitting with the edge as well as the point. Target area for sabre is the body above the hips, including the arms and head. The blade of the sabre can be up to 88 cm long, and is usually lighter than a foil blade. The handguard is much larger than a foil’s, and curves back over the knuckles to end of the handle. As with foil, right-of-way rules determine who scores if both fencers are hit. Off target hits in sabre are ignored and do not stop the action.

Target area: for Sabre, as a former cavalry weapon – everything above the waist (shown in red).

sabre target areas

Weapons: The Target Areas

Fencing weapon target areasThe respective target area for each weapon reflects its’ origins:

  • for Foil, as a former training weapon – the trunk of the body only (shown in red)
  • for Sabre, as a former cavalry weapon – everything above the waist (shown in red)
  • for Epée, descended from the duelling weapon where ‘anything goes’ – whole body (shown in red)
Fencing weapon target areas
Above: target areas for foil, epée and sabre.