| The lunge is one of the axioms of the
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| | of the lunge, the recovery will be
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| attack, and one of the most vital to
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| | impossible. Here are the tips for the
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| perfect. The lunge is the basic technique
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| | proper extension.
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| used to extend an attack quickly and
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| | 1. Do NOT overextend. As the lunge is
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| effectively, while still maintaining the
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| | intended to extend the distance of an
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| ability to control a retreat (in the
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| | attack, the temptation lies in kicking
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| instance of failure.) The attacking
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| | your self out so far you are practically
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| portion of the lunge is relatively
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| | doing the splits. This, of course, is
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| simple, in-and-of itself. However, the
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| | impossible to recover from. You may do
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| attacking portion sets the stage for the
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| | this if you like, but DO NOT miss the
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| recovery, which is the difficult portion.
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| | point. When the lunge is completed
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| The lunge is intended to quickly extend
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| | (before recovery) the thigh should be
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| the reach of a fencer by thrusting the
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| | parallel to the ground, the front knee at
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| entire body forward to close the distance
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| | a 90 degree angle and the knee directly
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| between fencers. We have discussed that
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| | over the toes (which should be facing
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| the basic attack is the extension of the
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| | directly towards the opponent.) The back
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| arm until straight. This is effective,
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| | leg should be straight. Throwing your
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| yet relatively easy to foil. Simply stay
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| | self too far forward will make it slow
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| out of the other's player's arm reach.
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| | and difficult to recover, making you an
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| The lunge follows the completed extension
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| | easy target.
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| of the arm, by throwing the body forward
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| | 2. Leave the rear foot planted. The back
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| in a single large step. The attacking
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| | foot is your anchor and the pulling
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| fencer thus gains another good 2 or 3
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| | action of the rear leg is vital to bring
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| feet on his/her attack. This, when done
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| | yourself upright again. Without solid
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| quickly and cleanly, can close the
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| | contact with the ground, you will not be
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| distance with enough surprise to win the
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| | able to pull back. The rear foot should
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| point.
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| | still be in its 90 degree position to the
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| The difficulty of the lunge lies not in
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| | front foot (just like when On Guard.)
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| its success, but in its failure. The
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| | Through out the entire lunge and
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| fencer who has just completed a lunge is
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| | recovery, the entire sole of the foot
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| in an extremely vulnerable position.
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| | should remain in contact with the ground.
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| Although defendable, it is nearly
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| | As you will find, the does require an
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| impossible to fence when stuck in a
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| | unusual turn to the ankle. Start
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| lunged position. The real challenge of
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| | stretching those muscles now. You will
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| the lunge is making a quick, balanced and
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| | need them.
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| clean recovery back to the basic fencing
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| | 3. The arm. This is perhaps the most
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| stance after the lunge is completed.
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| | important part, however it is the rear
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| From the basic fencing the stance, the
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| | arm not the forward arm of which we
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| lunge is started as a simple attack with
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| | speak. The rear arm, normally held behind
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| the arm thrust forward to the intended
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| | the head in a curl, is unfurled behind
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| area until straight. With the lunge
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| | the fencer as he/she lunges. This creates
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| however, the forward motion of the arm is
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| | the effect of the cat's tail. Helping the
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| continued by thrusting the body forward.
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| | body throw forward (by its added
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| After the arm is straight in an attack,
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| | inertia), helping bring the body back up
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| the forward leg kicks out until the knee
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| | (for the sane reason), and providing
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| is straight. This does not mean kicking
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| | ballast all the way through. The rear arm
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| the leg up into a goose-step, but simply
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| | should be unfurled rapidly to the rear
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| kicking the foot forward while keeping
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| | until it is parallel with the rear leg
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| the thigh and hip immobile.
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| | (when both are straight) and the palm
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| The back leg is now straightened in such
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| | should be up. As you are throwing the
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| a manner that the body is thrust forward
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| | rear arm back, you should invision
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| toward the opponent. This (of course) has
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| | pushing forward against an invisible
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| to be done while the forward leg is still
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| | brick wall. This WILL increase the
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| in the air. This continues the straight
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| | forward motion of the attack.
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| attacking arm towards the opponent
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| | Graphic of a picture perfect lunge
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| another 2 or 3 feet.
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| | (thanks to the USFA) A graphic of a
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| While still moving forward, the front
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| | picture perfect lunge (compliments of the
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| foot now lands (heel first, toes rolling
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| | USFA logo.) Note that the back foot is
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| to the floor) in such a manner that the
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| | still flat to the floor and is 90 degrees
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| front leg is straight, and the back leg
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| | to the forward foot.
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| is nearly straight (but not quite. We
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| | When recovering, the rear arm should be
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| will see why in a moment.) After the
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| | rapidly returned to the behind the head
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| front foot lands, the rear leg continues
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| | position to provide ballast. Invision you
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| to push forward until completely
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| | are grabbing an iron bar anchored into
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| straight. As the front foot is immobile
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| | this imaginary brick wall and are using
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| now, the front knee bends until the knee
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| | it to pull your self upright. Again, this
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| is directly over the toes. The front leg
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| | will increase the speed of the recovery.
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| is a 90 degree angle at the knee, and the
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| | Throughout the lunge the arm will provide
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| rear leg is completely straight. The arm
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| | front to rear and side to side balance to
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| is straight and forward completing the
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| | keep the attack on target.
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| attack to the target area.
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| | 4. The attacking arm. The attacking arm
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| Good however rear arm should be parallel
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| | is the first part of the attack to move
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| to rear leg.
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| | forward, and the last to recover. When
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| Note: This image shows a pretty good
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| | attacking, the quickest part of the
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| lunge, however for all weapons the rear
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| | attack comes from the thrust of the arm.
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| arm should have been thrust back,
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| | This actually applies to all attacks.
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| parallel with the rear leg and the
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| | Always start attacks with the point.
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| forward arm should be absolutely straight
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| | Nothing moves until the point has started
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| to get the greatest possible reach and to
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| | its way towards the target area. This
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| maintain the right of way. When done
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| | will help avoid telegraphing of the
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| correctly, the attack is swift and
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| | attack, and add speed. I have always told
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| beautiful.
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| | students to imagine the sword is an
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| What happens if you do a beautiful,
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| | arrow, which is magically drawn to the
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| perfect lunge, close the distance to the
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| | target of the opponent. This arrow has
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| opponent and miss. Hard thought to
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| | suddenly launched itself towards your
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| swallow, but it does happen.
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| | opponent (much to your surprise) and you
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| Unfortunately, the lunge is a terrible
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| | are lunging after it simply to maintain
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| position to defend from. You need to get
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| | your hold of the sword. This will amaze
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| back to a fighting stance, quickly,
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| | you in the speed it adds to the attack.
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| before your opponent can riposte'. Here
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| | After the lunge is completed, and you are
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| lies the difficulty: committing yourself
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| | recovering, the arm remains straight to
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| to the lunge while leaving yourself the
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| | continue threatening the opponent. In a
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| ability to recover. Recovery is
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| | full lunge you are unable to retreat, at
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| relatively simply in its purest form.
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| | a disadvantage to even parry, and could
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| Reverse the lunge.
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| | not add motion to the attack easily. The
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| 1. Keeping the arm straight in an
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| | last thing we want is for the opposing
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| offensive position (this helps cover you
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| | fencer to close the distance thus
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| as you are vulnerable) kick the body
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| | exacerbating the situation. The extended
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| backwards with the front foot, beginning
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| | point keeps the opponent at bay until a
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| the process of standing back upright.
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| | recovery can be executed.
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| 2. As you kick off with the front foot,
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| | Although, there is no guarantee the
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| pull your body back to the upright
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| | extended arm will concern the opponent, I
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| position with the rear foot. As you come
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| | will guarantee removing the extended arm
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| to the stance again, the front foot will
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| | will encourage him/her.
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| need to be peeled off the ground and
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| | 5. Keep the head up and look at your
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| brought back to the shoulder width
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| | opponent. There is a tendency to drop the
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| position. This is done just like a
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| | head in a lunge. You can't hit what you
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| regular step to the rear. I.E. Peel, step
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| | can't see. Simple enough.
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| back, plant the heel, roll the toes back
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| | 6. Speed, speed, speed. Drill the lunge
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| down.
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| | everyday. A slow lunge is more worthless
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| 3. After arising to the regular fencing
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| | than no attack at all.
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| stance, re-center yourself and then
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| | We have discussed the basic lunge, of
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| withdraw the arm to the On Guard
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| | which there are countless variations. We
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| position. And here we are ready to
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| | will explore all of these in time,
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| continue fighting.
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| | however for now drill, perfect and study.
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| Although simple, without the proper
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| | The rewards will be self evident.
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| preparation during the attacking portion
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