| Classical fencing, often abbreviated as "CF", is a | | | | "to give and not to receive" a touch, and some |
| way to distinguish one branch of traditional fencing | | | | schools emphasize the character-building, "martial |
| from modern "sport" or Olympic fencing. It is | | | | art" aspects of practice. For CF practitioners not |
| described by the International Masters at Arms | | | | interested in tournaments, "winning" is seen as the |
| Federation (IMAF): "The second half of the 19th | | | | result of excellence, not its definition. Martial wins |
| Century is historically the classical period, in which | | | | are generally achieved by defensive prowess as |
| the art of fencing reached its furthest | | | | many CF torunaments are scored based upon hits |
| development, but we may include the whole of | | | | against. As such the fencer with the least hits is |
| the 19th century in this era, as this was the age | | | | the winner. Seeding and promotion from round to |
| when fencing was formally codified, systematized, | | | | round is solely determined by lack of hits against. |
| and fully expressed in complete systems and | | | | This contrasts with sport fencing, which is |
| styles. | | | | completely results oriented, and winning is seen as |
| 'Classical,' in this sense, means 'the golden age,' the | | | | the proof and definition of excellence. The winning |
| period when the art saw its highest peak." We | | | | and seeding is based upon those who have given |
| get a sense of the 'ideal' Classical fencer from | | | | the greatest number of hits. In seeding from |
| 19th Century contemporary and fencing Master, | | | | pools to direct elimination rounds, seeding |
| Louis Rondelle: "A classical fencer is supposed to | | | | indicators are effected by both the number of |
| be one who observes a fine position, whose | | | | hits given and received. Such competitive wins, |
| attacks are fully developed, whose hits are | | | | especially in direct elimination rounds where |
| marvelously accurate, his parries firm and his | | | | indicators no longer effect promotion, may often |
| ripostes executed with precision. One must not | | | | be achieved with both fencers being hit, the |
| forget that this regularity is not possible unless the | | | | winner having only hit shortly before the loser. |
| adversary is a party to it. It is a conventional | | | | Weapons Classical Fencing uses the three modern |
| bout, which consists of parries, attacks, and | | | | weapons Foil, Epee and Sabre, as well as historical |
| returns, all rhyming together." The essence of CF | | | | weapons such as the rapier and dagger. |
| is that one fences in a martially accurate manner | | | | Critiques of Classical and Sport Fencing Many |
| with the weapons used (with different schools | | | | classical fencing advocates, believe that the |
| selecting different weapons in addition to the 19th | | | | current sport of fencing has lost meaningful |
| Century counterparts of the modern foil, epee, | | | | connections with its origin as a martial art. They |
| and sabre). Emphasis is placed on training as if for | | | | feel that the sport as it is practiced in the Olympic |
| a real encounter with sharp blade - "to hit and not | | | | Games and in fencing's sponsoring organizations |
| be hit". It should also be noted that while Classical | | | | (the FIE or the United States Fencing Association, |
| Fencing is a term which was used and defined in | | | | for instance) is stylized and unrealistic, and often |
| the 19th Century, it has been misappropriated in | | | | no longer resembles any actual combat with live |
| recent years to mean everything from early 20th | | | | weaponry. They believe that tactics like the flick |
| Century sport fencing to 17th Century rapier | | | | that are enabled by fencing's modern scoring |
| fencing. | | | | system detract from realism. They believe that |
| The three standard fencing weapons, foil, epee | | | | sports fencing has philosophy geared towards |
| and sabre, are used, though in a slightly different | | | | winning a maximum number of victories as soon |
| manner than in sport fencing. CF also uses side | | | | as possible rather than a philosophy that demands |
| judges to determine if touches land, rather than | | | | mastery of martial, and therefore defensive, |
| the electrical scoring system used in sport fencing. | | | | techniques, tactics and strategies. |
| Some classical schools also incorporate earlier | | | | In contrast, the sport fencing world mostly |
| weapons such as the smallsword, rapier and | | | | ignores the much smaller classical fencing |
| dagger and singlestick, however, only in so far as | | | | movement, or points to the unwillingness of its |
| they were taught during the Classical era. Study | | | | members to compete - even in epee, which has |
| of the weapons and techniques of fencing prior to | | | | few conventions to favor one style or the other. |
| the 19th Century is properly termed Historical | | | | Sport fencers also point to stylized and unrealistic |
| fencing. There are teachers of both the French | | | | components in CF, such as the extreme emphasis |
| School and the Italian School who continue in the | | | | in some CF schools on "proper form". A perennial |
| classical tradition. | | | | conflict stems from rules on priority of attack in |
| After the second world war, duels, already in | | | | the conventional weapons. CF form requirements |
| decline, went out of use in Europe, and classical | | | | in the conventional weapons of foil and sabre |
| fencing as a training for a real fight disappeared. | | | | require a fully extended weapon arm to gain the |
| Fencing continued as a martial sport like boxing or | | | | priority of the attack. Sport fencing, on the other |
| karate, with tournaments and championships | | | | hand, has changed its rules to recognize an |
| including the Olympic Games where it was one of | | | | extending arm as sufficient. In some ways, the |
| the original events. With the advent of the | | | | Sport Fencing approach more accurately |
| electrical scoring apparatus, which replaced the | | | | represents the probable technique in a martial |
| previous system of using four judges to see if a | | | | encounter, where the fencer is trying to conceal |
| touch landed, a minority of fencers felt that | | | | his actions. On the other hand, the conventional |
| fencing had become increasingly stylized and less | | | | weapons having been training weapons, the rule |
| like a real duel. Classical fencers feel that in sport | | | | of full extension was more to teach fencers at |
| fencing being hit is acceptable, as long as you | | | | the early stages that it is important to make |
| amass enough points to win, with less emphasis | | | | attacks from positions of safety to maximize |
| on not being hit at all. There are CF tournaments, | | | | their chances of 'hitting without being hit'. |
| which use scoring rules similar to sport fencing. | | | | Both CF and Sport Fencers recognize this when |
| Fencing masters and students who rejected | | | | fencing Epee, the most realistic weapon in |
| modern fencing either preserved their tradition, | | | | common. Epee fencers take defensive (en guard) |
| abandoned it in favor of employment as fencing | | | | position with a much more extended arm, |
| masters in modern style, or retired. | | | | however, an epee fencer may disguise his attack |
| Today, CF has small groups of practitioners in | | | | by removing his arm to lure an action and then |
| France, Italy, England and the US. It should be | | | | counter attacking. |
| mentioned that the overwhelming majority of | | | | Sport fencers also challenge the credibility and |
| fencing masters and fencers enthusiastically | | | | qualifications of CF fencing masters. Many sport |
| adopted the new conventions and electronically | | | | fencers feel that until a CF practitioner achieves a |
| scored fencing, which were designed by fencing | | | | reputation by showing skill in competitive |
| masters and other members of the fencing | | | | situations, their claims against sport fencing will be |
| establishment. For these fencers, electrical scoring | | | | dismissed as "sour grapes" by that community. |
| is a vast improvement over "dry" visual judging, | | | | This is problematic as neither side endorses the |
| which was notably subject to bias and the | | | | scoring and judging conventions used by the |
| inherent difficulty of judging fast fencing actions. | | | | other. |
| For the majority of fencers, the conventions of | | | | On the other hand, many Traditional Masters who |
| CF are equally stylized and unrealistic. | | | | can trace their training directly back to 19th |
| Classical Fencing is not SCA fencing, nor is it Sport | | | | Century Masters, or further, do not feel the need |
| Fencing. There is disagreement about whether or | | | | to validate their titles under the competitive |
| not it is Historical fencing, with analysis by the | | | | regime. Due to the disparity between the |
| CFML moderator at http:// | | | | principles they teach and those required for |
| sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/ classicalfencing | | | | producing an Olympic champion, such validation is |
| message/7829 asserting that it is simplistic to call | | | | felt as meaningless for their practice. |
| CF "clean" or "proper" fencing. In addition, a vocal | | | | This conflict does not seem to be going away. |
| and prolific author and fencing master also called | | | | Some classical fencing thinkers believe that the |
| his style of early 20th Century competative | | | | solution is to try to reclaim the sport of fencing |
| fencing 'classical' to differentiate it from modern | | | | for classical traditions - which seems unlikely |
| competitive fencing. | | | | considering its minority status and unfortunate |
| This caused much confusion, until this master | | | | expressions of contempt for the competitive |
| published an article in which he definitively | | | | fencers by some vocal individuals. Others think |
| separated his practice from the traditional | | | | that classical fencing should separate from the |
| 'Classical' schools of fencing prior to the 20th | | | | existing sport fencing structure to form its own |
| Century. Nonetheless, for many in CF, its goal is | | | | world. |