| As we discussed in the previous lessons, the | | | | muscles they never knew existed. |
| fencing stance is intregal to the success of | | | | |
| the fencer. Placing the body in the best | | | | The forward movement is relatively simple. |
| compromise between comfort and effectiveness | | | | Peel the toes of the front foot off floor, |
| is essential for minimizing the target area | | | | kick the foot forward from the knee (without |
| while allowing for freedom to advance and | | | | lifting the knee or the hip) until the leg is |
| retreat. It is the advance and retreat, which | | | | nearly straight, plant the heel again (which |
| we are going to discuss today. | | | | causes the body to move forward) and then |
| | | | allow the toes to roll back down to the |
| Movement up and down the strip is what | | | | floor. The rear foot should be lifted at the |
| controls the bout. We talked in the last | | | | knee, brought forward until the feet are |
| lesson about fencing distance. Fencing | | | | again about shoulder width apart and planted |
| distance is the optimal distance a fencer | | | | firmly back to the ground with a light stomp. |
| attempts to maintain from his/her opponent, | | | | You should end in exactly the same position |
| where they are close enough to launch a | | | | you were in before the step, one step further |
| successful attack, and yet far enough away to | | | | down the strip. This seems like a difficult |
| defend or outdistance an opposing attack. | | | | and detailed way to say “take a |
| This distance usually falls around one and a | | | | stepâ€, however this process is more |
| half blade lengths from the opponent and the | | | | important than it seems. |
| obvious fallacy of it should jump immediately | | | | |
| to mind. With all but the most mis-matched | | | | Stance (Slightly too far forward.) The Step |
| fencers (in the area of height and reach) | | | | (Note that shoulders remain level throughout |
| once a fencer has moved close enough to | | | | step.) One of the goals to advancing and |
| attack, he/she has also moved close enough to | | | | retreating is to maintain as much solid |
| be attacked. So how does one maintain | | | | contact with the ground for as long as |
| “fencing distance?†The answer is | | | | possible. A primary factor in the constant |
| dynamically, by moving into and out of attack | | | | jockeying for position is how suddenly the |
| distance as your strategy requires. | | | | need to advance can turn into the need for |
| | | | retreat. Being caught with one foot off the |
| This constant changing of the distance, | | | | ground, off balance, when your opponent |
| forward and back is, perhaps, the greatest | | | | suddenly lunges makes it difficult to |
| single offensive and defensive tool. Each | | | | distance yourself from the attack forcing you |
| fencer attempts to maintain distance to his | | | | to completely depend on the parry. If the |
| or her advantage while maintaining sync with | | | | parry fails, you lose. Regardless of the |
| their strategy’s timing. A properly | | | | success of the parry, a riposte' would be |
| timed advance will add speed and surprise to | | | | difficult without retreating. |
| an attack, whereas an appropriately timed | | | | |
| retreat will devastate the best executed | | | | This step allows for the foot to be off the |
| counter attack by simply causing it to fall | | | | ground for the minimum amount of time. The |
| short of the target. | | | | kicking forward motion holds a secret as |
| | | | well. Next time you are at the mall, watch |
| If any of you have taken the opportunity to | | | | how people walk. The relaxed walking we do in |
| visit the “Fencing Footage†site | | | | our day-to-day errands is really more of a |
| listed with the links, you will see that | | | | controlled fall. We thrust our weight |
| movement is the vital part of attack and | | | | forward, and catch ourselves in a sort of |
| defense. You will also see on this site, | | | | loping action. |
| unfortunately, people advancing and | | | | |
| retreating in manners completely | | | | This is terrible for fencing on two levels. |
| contradictory to this article, which stands | | | | First, if during the falling forward portion |
| to emphasize the two laws of any athletic | | | | of the step your opponent, again, lunges you |
| training… 1. Master proper form first. | | | | are left with little option as well as being |
| | | | completely off balance. This can be enough to |
| 2. Do whatever it takes to score the point | | | | ruin a retreat and a parry. |
| (within the rules of the game and | | | | |
| sportsmanship) including ignoring rule number | | | | Second, the loping motion brings your target |
| one. | | | | off defense from your arm. Each bounce up |
| | | | opens your lower torso to attack and each |
| The moral of these rules are, of course, that | | | | bounce down opens the upper torso. As it is |
| without proper form it is impossible to | | | | relatively easy to predict which part of the |
| generate the foundation from which one may | | | | body will open up as you are loping down into |
| take ‘artistic license.’ The | | | | the step, it creates a perfect opportunity |
| basics of advancing and retreating in a | | | | for an attack. |
| controlled, balanced manner is key to | | | | |
| controlling your timing, and ruining the | | | | The step we have created here will keep the |
| timing of your opponent. | | | | body level and balanced. Although, it is |
| | | | necessary to come slightly off balance, |
| When I was instructing, I preferred to have | | | | simply to remove the forward foot from the |
| my students drill in the advance and retreat | | | | floor, the motion is subtle, fast and low |
| for weeks before even allowing them a foil. | | | | which allows for balance to be immediately |
| | | | recovered the instant the forward foot is |
| As we recall, the basic stance is obtained as | | | | again dropped to the floor regardless of at |
| follows… 1. Stand straight, facing | | | | what point during the step it is dropped. |
| forward, with both feet together at the | | | | This allows for an advance to be reversed |
| heels. | | | | instantly into a retreat (and vice versa |
| | | | again) if necessary. Remember, the step is |
| 2. Rotate the left foot (if you are | | | | performed from the knees and not the hip as |
| right-handed. Reverse this if you are | | | | when walking normally. |
| left-handed) to a 90-degree position relative | | | | |
| to the right foot. The heels should still be | | | | The peeling of the foot off the floor, and |
| touching. | | | | the rolling return are important as well, |
| | | | however mostly for safety. As you master the |
| 3. With the right, or forward foot, step | | | | advance and the retreat, you will begin |
| forward until the feet are about shoulder | | | | moving up and down the length of the strip at |
| width apart. This change will automatically | | | | surprising speeds. This peeling is vital to |
| turn the body to the side. | | | | keeping the toe from inadvertently catching |
| | | | the floor. At these speeds, and in the middle |
| The feet are still at right angles. | | | | of a bout, there is nothing more frustrating |
| | | | and dangerous than a full speed face plant. |
| 4. Bend at the knees equally (as if you were | | | | Not to mention that if the fall is onto your |
| squatting down), until the knees are directly | | | | opponent, you will lose the point and perhaps |
| above the toes. This is where the really sore | | | | the bout. |
| muscles come from, but is the imperative part | | | | |
| of the stance from which the movement is | | | | The retreat is very similar, however |
| generated. Now, the compromise. Your body | | | | reversed. To step back, the rear foot is |
| should have naturally turned to face in the | | | | lifted slightly at the knee (again there |
| direction the rear foot is pointing. This | | | | should be little or no raise in the hip) |
| turn slims your target from the view of your | | | | kicked back and placed to the ground again. |
| opponent, making it harder to hit. You wish | | | | The body is then pulled back by the rear foot |
| to turn as much as possible (slimming the | | | | as the front foot is “peeled, placed |
| target as much as possible) without the | | | | and rolled†as before and then balance |
| stance becoming awkward, or causing the | | | | is centered between both feet again. The |
| forward knee to move off-line from over the | | | | front foot should be peeled from the toe, |
| toe. The amount of this turn will vary from | | | | placed on the heel and rolled to the toe just |
| competitor to competitor. You will need to | | | | as in the advance…not reversed. One of |
| experiment to find your position. At this | | | | the secrets to the rear step (as well as the |
| point, your body should be balanced between | | | | last part of the advance step) is that the |
| your feet such that a straight line drawn | | | | rear foot should be lifted as a single unit |
| from the tip of your nose, through the center | | | | and placed as a single unit, with almost a |
| of the groin, will fall exactly equidistant | | | | stomp. You do not want to lift either the |
| between your feet. Keep the back straight and | | | | toes or heel first on the rear foot, but |
| avoid hunching or sticking the buttocks out. | | | | rather the entire foot. The rear foot is your |
| | | | anchor. It is where the strength and push for |
| 5. With the knees bent and the body turned, | | | | your attacks come from and it is the pull |
| turn your face to look at your opponent and | | | | which allows for a quick retreat and recovery |
| raise your forward (or sword) arm towards | | | | from lunges. |
| your opponent. The arm will remain bent at | | | | |
| the elbow and straight at the wrist, and | | | | This foot needs to be as firmly attached to |
| should form a 90-degree angle at the elbow. | | | | the ground, and as often, as possible. |
| The elbow should be about one fist’s | | | | |
| length from the body and the hand (or point | | | | That is simply (and I DO use the term |
| of the blade) should be pointing at the eyes | | | | loosely) the whole of it. What is hard is the |
| of the opponent. | | | | mastery. Aside from the tired, shaky feeling |
| | | | most of you are probably having in your thigh |
| 6. The rear arm’s position will vary | | | | muscles right now (this is fantastic for the |
| depending on the weapon, however the basic | | | | glutes, by the way) the step must be |
| stance (based on foil) will curl up behind | | | | practiced religiously to maintain speed, |
| the head for balance. To do this, point the | | | | balance, anchor and smoothness. The body must |
| rear arm exactly away from the opponent, | | | | not bounce when steps, forward or back, are |
| level with the shoulder. Bend the arm at the | | | | taken. One of the drills I have my students |
| elbow so there is a 90-degree bend and then | | | | practice is to fill a bowl of water and carry |
| allow the hand to fall relaxed. This | | | | it in the forward hand instead of a sword. |
| relaxation is also necessary for balance and | | | | |
| speed. | | | | The student then advances to the end of the |
| | | | strip, and retreats to the other end of the |
| This basic stance provides an easily | | | | strip without spilling the water and, |
| defendable position with a minimum of target | | | | eventually, without allowing it to ripple. |
| showing, opens the lungs for good respiration | | | | The graduation from this exercise is to be |
| and allows for a relaxed position to advance | | | | able to advance and retreat at full speed |
| and retreat. The balance should be dead | | | | with the water brimming above the edge of the |
| center between the feet, with weight equally | | | | bowl and not spill a drop. Just as a word of |
| on both feet. | | | | encouragement, the “graduation†|
| | | | from this drill usually takes 15 or twenty |
| If this feels uncomfortable, wait till we | | | | years. Try it. At minimum your will get the |
| start moving. Most beginning fencers discover | | | | best leg workout of your life. |