| Today we expound upon the basic concepts of | | | | your opponent's attacks come. As the blade is |
| the defense. As mentioned in earlier lessons, there | | | | the only thing allowed to block an attack, and |
| are three areas to defense. The parry, the | | | | competition fencing allows for only one blade, it is |
| displacement of target and the counter attack. All | | | | impossible to defended every area on your body |
| three work together to form a sound defense, | | | | at once. Many starting fencers have the tendency |
| however we must examine each independently. | | | | to hold the On Guard sword dead center of their |
| The parry is the act of using the blade to deflect | | | | body, maintaining the logic that each area is |
| an opponents attack. Pretty simply concept, | | | | partially covered and the blade could be quickly |
| however your opponent is doing everything to | | | | moved to either side to parry an attack. Sound |
| bypass your parry and land the point. A good | | | | logic, but strategically faulty. When coming to On |
| parry requires preparation, alertness, speed and | | | | Guard, choose a "line" from which to defend. |
| form. | | | | When coming On Guard "into line", choose a |
| If any one is lacking, the parry will fail. | | | | stance of either line 6 (which is basically On Guard |
| As we recall, there are 9, and often more | | | | while holding a parry 6) or of line 4 (stance holding |
| depending on style, parries from which to choose. | | | | parry 4.) This completely protects one side of the |
| Different parries serve different functions | | | | body, leaving the other side completely open. |
| depending on the attack from which you are | | | | Thus you have actually reduced the possible |
| defending, and where the defender wishes to go | | | | approaches for attacks by 50%. |
| with the offense. In competitive fencing, there are | | | | When holding an On Guard in the center, you |
| four basic parries to begin studying. | | | | have all four quadrants partially open. An attack |
| Other parries are variations of these four. | | | | could come into any one of these quadrants. By |
| Remember, the target area of a fencer is divided | | | | holding a "line of 6" for instance, the right side of |
| into four regions labeled, cleverly enough, | | | | the body is closed, leaving openings only to the |
| Quadrant 1, Quadrant 2, Quadrant 3 and Quadrant | | | | left. You now know where your opponent will |
| 4. Quad 1 is the top right area of the target area | | | | have to begin an assault and allows you to |
| covering the right side of the chest and the right | | | | prepare a strategy for responding to the two |
| shoulder. Quad 2 is the top left, quad 3 is the | | | | possible attacks, as opposed to four. The On |
| lower left covering the left side of the stomach | | | | Guard line can be based off any of the parries, |
| and left hip and quad 4 is the lower right. Each of | | | | however be sure to choose one from which your |
| the parries roughly corresponds to the four | | | | experience makes you competent to reply to the |
| quadrants, however due to the conventions of | | | | assault. |
| fencing, the numbers of the parries do not | | | | The parry itself is a difficult talent to cultivate. |
| correspond to the quadrant labels. | | | | When executed improperly it can fail to protect |
| The first parry is parry 6. Parry 6 is realistically | | | | as well as open you for further attacks. The goal |
| the natural On Guard position. It is intended to | | | | of the parry is to block an attacking blade |
| cover the upper, right quadrant (Quad 1) and part | | | | completely, while utilizing the smallest movement |
| of Quad 4. The parry is held with the blade | | | | possible. Defining the amount of this movement is |
| pointing at your opponent's eyes, the arm held at | | | | the challenge. If the parry is too small, the |
| the comfortable 90 degree angle at the elbow, | | | | attacking blade will not be moved far enough out |
| with the bell of the sword at about waist level. | | | | of line to keep the point from landing on the |
| The length of the blade is held in such a manner | | | | target area. This is known as a failed or false |
| that it forms a "wall" protecting the right, upper | | | | parry. If the movement is to large, the attacking |
| side of the body and part of the right belly. Were | | | | blade will miss the target area, however the |
| an opponent thrust to the right side of your | | | | defending blade will now be so far out of line that |
| chest, for example, their attack would encounter | | | | it is difficult to parry a continuation of the attack |
| your blade and the thrust would slide harmlessly | | | | (a remise') to a different line. |
| past your right shoulder, missing the target area. | | | | For example, a fencer attacks to the upper, right |
| Although, the bell and the third of the blade | | | | quadrant (quadrant 1.) The defender moves to a |
| closest to the bell (called the forte'), is intended to | | | | parry six, however instead of keeping the blade |
| take the weight of the parry, the entire blade | | | | close to the body, he/she straightens his/her arm |
| often comes into play. | | | | and pushes the attacking blade two feet to the |
| Parry four, the next parry, is nearly identical to | | | | right. The attack is strongly thwarted, however |
| 6, however the sword arm crosses the body | | | | the original attacker then disengages underneath |
| such that the left side of the body is defended. | | | | the defending blade (see lesson 2, the attack) and |
| The blade is still pointing at the eyes of the | | | | mounts a remise' to the upper left quadrant |
| opponent and the bell of the foil is still at waist | | | | (quadrant 2.) Now, the defending blade is way off |
| level. This creates the wall to the left, protecting | | | | to the right and before it can be brought all the |
| quadrant 2 and parts of quad 3. Although the | | | | way across the body to a parry 4 (probably |
| upper parries partially defend the lower quadrants, | | | | three, three and a half feet) the attack has |
| the following lower parries are designed to protect | | | | plenty of time to land the point. This is an |
| these quadrants from direct attack. Parry 7 is | | | | example of parrying too far out of line and is |
| nearly identical to parry 6 except the blade's point | | | | exactly what we hope to induce with a feint. |
| is simply dropped slightly below the waist to | | | | Conversely, if the defender was to make the |
| create a shield for the lower areas. Parry 7 | | | | parry too small, the parry would have made |
| protects the right, lower side of the body and the | | | | contact with the attacking blade however the |
| tip should be pointing to your opponent's hip or | | | | attacking blade would not have been moved far |
| thigh. Parry eight is a parry four, with the point | | | | enough out of line and would still have landed in |
| dropped in the same manner. | | | | quad 1. |
| There are of course innumerable variations of | | | | Perfecting the parry is a lifelong endeavor and |
| these parries, which will be pursued in later | | | | one will, as one advances through the ranks of |
| lessons. | | | | fencing, develop more skill, timing, precision and |
| Now, let's discuss the parry itself. As mentioned, | | | | variation on the different defined parries. In future |
| parry six is the natural On Guard stance. This is | | | | lessons we will expound on the defense examining |
| not coincidental. | | | | displacement of the target, the counter attack |
| One of the primary facets to controlling a bout, | | | | and combinations of the three. |
| and thus your defense, is to control from where | | | | |