| The Fleche' is unquestionably a different
| |
| | rear foot simply shoves off as hard as it
|
| attack. As its namesake infers (fleche',
| |
| | can. No holding back. If you have any
|
| French for the arrow) this attack's
| |
| | hesitation regarding the attack, then
|
| advantages are speed, surprise and
| |
| | don't launch it. The fleche' requires
|
| difficulty in defending. The drawbacks
| |
| | complete commitment.
|
| are simple...you get one (sometimes two)
| |
| | As the rear foot is shoving away with all
|
| shots and you had better make them count.
| |
| | of its might, the forward foot prepares
|
| The fleche' is the famed attack seen in
| |
| | to catch the body as it thrusts forward.
|
| so many photos, films and posters
| |
| | However, instead of the forward foot
|
| describing the excitement of fencing. It
| |
| | landing on the heel in front of the body
|
| is the all-or-nothing, running attack
| |
| | to stop and control the momentum, it
|
| where the attacking fencer literally
| |
| | continues the forward run. You are simply
|
| throws him/herself at the opponent (in a
| |
| | running, after all, toward your opponent.
|
| controlled and precise manner, of
| |
| | As soon as the rear foot has extended
|
| course.) This attack, when launched
| |
| | completely and has no more push to begin,
|
| appropriately, is extraordinarily fast
| |
| | the forward foot simply continues the
|
| and surprising, and when executed poorly
| |
| | push and the launch toward the defender,
|
| is a suicide run.
| |
| | etc., etc., until you have passed the
|
| A slightly exaggerated fleche' start
| |
| | opponent. Think of the fleche' as a 3
|
| compliments USFA Logo Although this
| |
| | yard dash. One technique to understand
|
| graphic of a fleche' (compliments of the
| |
| | the forward motion is to visualize your
|
| USFA logo) is slightly exaggerated, it
| |
| | most prized possession tipping backward
|
| does accurately demonstrate the beginning
| |
| | over a cliff, and you have 1/2 second to
|
| movements of a fleche', as well as the
| |
| | cover the 10 feet to catch it. Although,
|
| necessary intensity to the attack. The
| |
| | a fleche should never end in a face plant
|
| front leg of this fencer would be coming
| |
| | (forward fall), you should only just
|
| forward to continue the running motion
| |
| | barely be recovering to your feet at each
|
| with as much speed as possible.
| |
| | step.
|
| The premise for the surprise in the
| |
| | Again, I must emphasize that there can be
|
| attack is that a fencer can close
| |
| | NO collision with the opponent. You must
|
| distance at a phenomenal rate. As we
| |
| | calculate your run to pass the opponent
|
| mentioned in the earlier lessons,
| |
| | to his/her front or rear. It doesn't
|
| competing fencers are constantly vying
| |
| | matter which, but the middle will lose
|
| for the correct fencing distance. This
| |
| | you the point. There are also other
|
| distance is defined as close enough to
| |
| | considerations. As you are attacking,
|
| launch an attack, yet distant enough to
| |
| | your opponent is defending. He or she may
|
| be out of reach of the opponent. In order
| |
| | still displace the target, parry and
|
| to "maintain" fencing distance, the
| |
| | riposte against you...and your back IS
|
| competitors, actually, constantly advance
| |
| | target.
|
| and retreat in an attempt to move into
| |
| | One of the greatest difficulties of the
|
| and out of range as it is advantageous to
| |
| | fleche' is calculating your attacks and
|
| them.
| |
| | counter-attacks as the distance is
|
| The fleche' disrupts this constant
| |
| | closed. Although you always lead with the
|
| jockeying for position by suddenly
| |
| | blade, you are absolutely free to
|
| closing an enormous amount of distance
| |
| | disengage, coupe' (see previous lessons)
|
| (in fencing terms) when the opponent is
| |
| | and otherwise try to feint during the
|
| complacent in the belief that he or she
| |
| | attack to avoid the parry and riposte by
|
| is safely out of range from an attack.
| |
| | the opponent. Conversely, you must be
|
| The attacking fencer will suddenly close
| |
| | calculating what you will do both if you
|
| two and sometimes three blade lengths in
| |
| | hit and if you miss.
|
| a single controlled fleche' to score the
| |
| | Start with the miss. As you attack, you
|
| point while the opponent is busy
| |
| | opponent will do everything possible to
|
| contemplating their next approach.
| |
| | parry and riposte the attack. You are
|
| The motions of the fleche' are simple,
| |
| | actually in an extremely vulnerable
|
| yet vital to the speed of the attack: 1.
| |
| | position. If the attack is successfully
|
| As with all attacks, the fleche' is
| |
| | thwarted, you are off balance, running
|
| started with the blade. Remember, the
| |
| | toward your doom like a madman with an
|
| fleche' is named for the arrow for a
| |
| | extremely exposed back. Although, the
|
| reason. Envision the blade suddenly
| |
| | bout is halted as soon as your shoulder
|
| launching itself toward the target area
| |
| | passes the opponent's shoulders, that
|
| of the opponent, irrevocably drawn to it
| |
| | leaves a horrifyingly long time for a
|
| at the speed of light.
| |
| | riposte to your chest and back.
|
| 2. With other attacks, such as a simple
| |
| | Prepare in your mind, before and during
|
| attack or lunge, when the blade reaches
| |
| | the attack, from where you think the
|
| its' farthest extent (i.e., the end of
| |
| | riposte will come in the instance you
|
| your arm) the attack is either completed
| |
| | miss. Some of this determination can be
|
| and a withdraw started, or followed by a
| |
| | controlled by you and your body position.
|
| lunge which then is completed with a
| |
| | If you are passing to the right of the
|
| recovery (withdrawal.) In the fleche',
| |
| | opponent (past his/her sword arm) for
|
| the blade does not reach the end of the
| |
| | example, it will be difficult to
|
| attack. Instead the body follows the
| |
| | impossible for him/her to riposte the
|
| sword towards the opponent, almost as if
| |
| | chest. The back is nearly the only
|
| you were going to launch yourself through
| |
| | target. As you attack, prepare which
|
| the air behind the blade, toward the
| |
| | parry you will end with once it has
|
| defender.
| |
| | become apparent the attack has missed.
|
| 3. As most of us have yet to master the
| |
| | Unfortunately, this parry is an exception
|
| art of flight, at the latest possible
| |
| | to the other parries. With other parries,
|
| moment, we get our forward foot under us
| |
| | it is best to wait until the opponent has
|
| again and start a running action,
| |
| | committed him/herself to a line of attack
|
| continuing to launch ourselves toward the
| |
| | and then defend against it. In a fleche'
|
| opponent.
| |
| | there will be little time for
|
| 4. We continue thusly, until we have
| |
| | confirmations. Choose your best bet from
|
| passed the opponent altogether, having
| |
| | attack and use it. If you guess wrong,
|
| either scored a point or failed in the
| |
| | you lose.
|
| attack completely.
| |
| | Next, you must decide what you will do if
|
| Simple in concept, but the details of a
| |
| | you succeed. Again, this is little
|
| fleche' are extremely important, not just
| |
| | thought about with standard attacks,
|
| for the success of the attack but to
| |
| | however if the fleche' has been executed
|
| avoid being scored against as well as
| |
| | properly, you should be unable to stop
|
| possibly penalized if the attack is badly
| |
| | your forward motion once the point has
|
| done. I need to mention here that the
| |
| | landed. Judges frown on driving the tip
|
| fleche' is not an attack to do often, nor
| |
| | of your blade so hard against the
|
| carelessly. As this is the only attack
| |
| | opponent that the blade bends or breaks.
|
| where you are literally "throwing"
| |
| | This is a realistic concern as most
|
| yourself towards your opponent, collision
| |
| | judges will give a lot of leniency with a
|
| is a powerful risk. If you end up
| |
| | fleche' and allow the blade a pretty
|
| colliding at the end of a fleche', you
| |
| | significant bend (I have seen blades go
|
| will receive a penalty card (yellow for
| |
| | to 90 degrees) however if the judge feels
|
| first offense, red for second, black for
| |
| | you did little to curb the "press" of the
|
| third.) If the judge determines you were
| |
| | blade, or your blade breaks, they will
|
| careless or intentionally hurtful in the
| |
| | likely have little mercy, take the point
|
| attack, or you actually injure an
| |
| | and assign penalties.
|
| opponent, you will receive a black card
| |
| | One more quick note which will likely
|
| (loss of the bout) and possibly be
| |
| | strike off a discussion of itself. The
|
| expelled from the tournament. Herein lies
| |
| | Olympic committee has decided that Sabre'
|
| the importance of maintaining control
| |
| | fencing was too fast to observe correctly
|
| throughout the attack.
| |
| | and too many fleche's were being used
|
| When attempting a fleche', the first most
| |
| | (thus destroying the spectator
|
| important aspect is again timing and
| |
| | potential.) In response to this, and
|
| distance. Although a fleche' can close
| |
| | threats that fencing would be taken out
|
| distance rapidly, a poorly executed
| |
| | of the Olympics, the USFA decided to
|
| fleche' or one started too far away will
| |
| | disallow the fleche' in Sabre. They
|
| be easily defended against as there is
| |
| | accomplished this by disallowing the rear
|
| little room for modification to the
| |
| | foot from crossing in front of the
|
| attack once it is committed to.
| |
| | forward foot. This makes it a little
|
| The second aspect to the fleche' is the
| |
| | difficult to run and thus kills the
|
| speed. To gain the greatest speed
| |
| | attack. Although, there are alternatives
|
| benefit, the blade must be the leading
| |
| | to cover ground quickly with the Sabre',
|
| component. Not only does the blade give
| |
| | this still (the rule was made about 5-6
|
| you a line of defense (don't lead with
| |
| | years ago) generates a lot of controversy
|
| your chin, as it were) but it is the
| |
| | amongst fencers.
|
| inspiration behind the rest of the
| |
| | Here we have learned the "basics"
|
| motion. The blade needs to move as an
| |
| | regarding the fleche'. Later we will
|
| arrow toward the target, the body needs
| |
| | expand upon this with different
|
| to follow as if you were attempting to
| |
| | variations of attacks to complete during
|
| catch the arrow in flight…as it travels
| |
| | the fleche', and after the fleche' in the
|
| away from you. To accomplish this, the
| |
| | instance that the original attack fails.
|
