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Article #5: Foil fencing

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Here follows a brief treatise on some blade (usually during his preparation to
selected concepts and terms having to do attack).
with foil fencing. It is not an The trompement -- made at the end of a
exhaustive work. I have used it as a feint, deceiving your opponent's parry
handout for my University of Wisconsin and hitting him. Note that deceiving your
foil classes. opponent's parry involves completely
I place the following text in the public avoiding it. No grazing contact may
domain: Beginning Foil Fencing: Concepts occur, else the feint is considered to
and Terms Lines -- according to the have been parried.
French system of fencing, space above A period of fencing time -- the time it
your bell guard is high line; space below takes to execute a single fencing action
is low line. (such as a parry, a remise, a thrust,
For right-handers, the space to the right etc.). This is relative time, not
of their bell guard is outside line; absolute time.
space to the left of the guard is inside Cadence -- the rhythm and sequence of a
line. Thus we have four quadrants known series of consecutive periods of fencing
as lines: high-outside, high-inside, time. A skilled fencer will use changes
low-outside, and low-inside. As the in cadence to cause the opponent to
fencer's bell guard moves around, his mistime his defence. Cadence is also
target surfaces they may be found in sometimes called "tempo." In-fighting --
different lines. For example, an octave fencing at closed distance.
invito with the bell guard next to the Transitions (movements between parry
front thigh would leave the flank in that positions): Lateral (quarte to sixte,
fencer's high-inside line. Should that septime to octave, and vice-versa).
fencer assume a lifted septime parry his Vertical (octave to lifted sixte, octave
flank would be in his low outside line. to lifted septime and vice-versa)
Distances: closed distance -- The Circular (the counter parries: contre de
opposing fencer is so close that you must sixte, contre d'octave, etc.)
withdraw your weapon arm to bring the Semi-circular (sixte to septime, octave
point of your foil to target surface. to quarte, and vice-versa) Transfers --
short distance -- You can reach your moving the opponent's blade around with
opponent's target surface by simply your bell guard and forte.
extending your arm. Prises de fer (either as a preparation or
middle distance -- You can reach your as a thrust) -- taking the opponent's
opponent's target surface by lunging. blade: Opposition -- deflecting the
long distance -- You can reach your opponent's blade with your bell guard
opponent's target surface by while thrusting at him.
advance-lunging, jump-lunging, or Envelopment -- transferring the
fleching. out-of-distance -- You are opponent's blade around in circular
beyond long distance. fashion to the same position the
Critical distance -- you are so close to envelopment began from. Bind --
your opponent that you can hit him with transferring the opponent's blade around
an attack before he can physically in semi-circular fashion to the
respond. diagonally opposite position. For
Analysis: (the referee's account the of example, the sixth bind thrust would
various fencing actions leading up to a begin with opposition septime and finish
hit in combat): "In line" or in opposition sixte. The fourth bind
"point-in-line" -- The weapon arm and would begin in octave and finish in
weapon are extended and held pointing quarte.
straight at the opponent's target Croise -- normally made as a riposte
surface. Such a passive threat must not which transfers the opponent's blade up
be lept upon by that opponent. or down to the vertically opposite
This passive threat must have been position. Unlike binds, croises are
clearly established before any offensive numbered from their starting positions.
action begun by the opponent if it is to Also called glide thrusts.
be recognized as a "point-in-line." The Engagement -- Fencing with the blades
attack -- the initial offensive action, crossed in a contact state. Fencing
wherin the attacker actively and without engagements is fencing with
progressively threatens his opponent with "absence of blade." Disengagement --
being hit; usually begun by extending the changing lines by going around the
arm and penetrating across the fencing opponent's bell guard.
distance through the use of footwork. Counter-disengagement -- avoiding an
Attacks may be simple (executed in one opponent's change of engagement. Also
period of fencing time),composed deceiving an opponent's counter-parry.
(including one or more feints), prepared Invito -- inviting an attack by taking up
(as preceded by a beat, a change of an en garde in an exaggerated parry
engagement, a pris de fer preparation, position.
etc.), direct (into the same line as the Press -- forcefully opening a closed
engagement), or indirect (into a engagement. Also invites a disengage.
different line from that of the Interception thrust -- a strong thrust
engagement). which interposes the bell guard or forte
The riposte -- thrust you make athwart the path of an opponent's
immediately after parrying an opponent's disengagement. This action is usually
attack. made as a type of counter-offensive
A delayed riposte -- when a riposte is action. Also known as "temps
not made immediately after the parry and d'interception." Arret a bon temps -- a
the opponent begins a remise first, the counter-offensive action which hits the
remise of the attack will have priority opponent before he initiates his final
of action. action. Thus it is a period of fencing
The counter-riposte -- the thrust made time ahead and gains priority of action.
immediately after parrying your Also known as a "stop-hit" or "coup
opponent's riposte. d'arret." Coup de temps -- a
The second counter-riposte -- the thrust counter-offensive thrust made with
made immediately after parrying your opposition which deflects an opponent's
opponent's counter-riposte, etc. thrust. Also known confusingly as a
The remise -- a second thrust you make "time-hit." Attacking in second intention
right after your first thrust into that -- attacking without the intention to hit
line fails to hit. Such an action should immediately, but rather anticipating the
be analysed as a remise of the attack, a opponent's riposte and setting up a
remise of the riposte, etc. It is dynamic counter-riposte action to deal
possible to make a remise of any type of with it.
thrust. Remises are commonly used against Tension parry -- resisting the pressure
opponents that do not riposte after of an opponent's opposition thrust by
parrying. The remiser does not forcing blade and arm into a strong
appreciably withdraw his weapon arm in opposition parry which through brute
making his remise. force closes the threatened line. Tension
The counter-attack -- thrusting against parries are vulnerable to timely
an attack instead of parrying it. disengagements and may also result in
The derobement -- avoiding your pulling a muscle in the fore-arm.
opponent's attempt to strike or take your






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