A Brief History of Fencing

Fencing as a sport has a history almost as long as the history of swords. It began as practice for soldiers. Evidence of fencing dates back to about 1200 BCE, when images of a fencing match were painted on the wall of an Egyptian temple. There is also evidence of fencing among the ancient Babylonians, Greeks, Persians and Romans.

The use of swords in battle became nearly obsolete by the end of the Middle Ages. Armor had become so strong that it was virtually impossible for a sword to penetrate. Had it not been for the development of firearms, swordsmanship might have completely disappeared in Europe.

Because firearms were able to penetrate even the strongest armor and the armor was so heavy that it restricted movement and mobility, it was armor rather than swords that became obsolete. When armor became useless, the sword made a comeback.

Swords used during the Middle Ages were also as large and unwieldy as the armor used to defend against them. In the 16th Century, a new type of blade was developed: the rapier. This was a very long and light blade, which was  much easier to use.  It was then, in Italy,  that the modern sport of fencing with  rapiers began.

This was the beginning of the time of the popularity of duels. It was common for the nobility to all wear blades, and duels were commonplace among the nobility. Oftentimes rulers would attempt to outlaw dueling, although in this they were rarely successful.

Fencing was common to practice for actual duels, and the rules of fencing developed along similar lines as the rules for duels. As time has gone on, dueling has gone out of fashion, but the sport of fencing continues on the tradition of swordsmanship in the modern world.

Fencing Weapons

There are three types of blades used in fencing today. They are:

• The foil: This is the most common blade used by beginning fencers. It is very rectangular in shape. The point is the only portion of the blade which may be used to attack the opponent. It has a small bellguard and is the lightest of the three blades.
• The epee: The epee has a very large bell guard and a wide blade. Under the rules for fencing with the epee the entire body is a target (target areas will be discussed more fully below). The bell guard thus serves to defend the arm from attack.
• The saber: The saber is the only of the three weapons which allows attack with the full blade. Its bell guard is curved to defend the knuckles from being hit. Its blade is Y shaped and has a rolled tip.

Fencing Equipment

Aside from the blade, there is other equipment which a fencer must use. They are:

• Fencing mask The fencing mask has a wire mesh face to allow you to see while at the same time protecting your face. It also contains a bib which protects your neck.
• Plastron The plastron is worn under your jacket. It is hard to protect your torso and back from damage from the blade.
• Fencing jacket The fencing jacket is worn over the plastron. It has long sleeves and is made of a thick material to protect from damage from the blade. It also has a thick straight collar which snaps around the neck to protect the neck from harm.
• Fencing glove The fencing glove is worn only on the hand which holds the blade.
• Fencing trousers Fencing trousers, like the jacket, are long and cover the entire leg. They are made from a thick material to protect from the blade, in case the leg is hit.

Fencing Basics

Fencing is performed on a specially marked out strip, called the piste. It is long and skinny, with little room to maneuver side to side. Fencing is performed moving backward and forward. If a fencer manages to push an opponent past the last line of the piste, it counts as a point for the fencer.

A fencing match generally consists of the best of three bouts, with each bout played for the best of five points. When beginning a bout, two fencers will stand in the middle of the fencing strip. They should both be standing far enough apart that if they extend their sword arm fully, the tips of the swords should be almost touching.

When beginning a fencing bout, both fencers should be standing with their sword arm sticking straight forward. The other foot should be at a 90 degree angle to the front foot, touching at the heels. From this position the two fencers will salute each other with their blades, then moving their back foot back a pace to stand in proper fencing position.

In proper fencing position, the front foot should be pointing straight forward and the back foot should be at a 90 degree angle to the front foot. The feet should be about three feet apart. Both legs should be bent, ready for movement either forwards or backwards. The sword arm should be bent at a 45 degree angle in front of the fencer, and the other arm should be behind the fencer.

When moving forward in fencing, one should always move the front foot first, then follow with the back foot. When moving backward, the back foot should be moved first then the front foot.

The basic attack in fencing is called the lunge. When making a lunge one extends the sword arm fully, then steps forward bringing the blade into the opponent. Only the front foot is moved, the back foot stays in position. After making the attack, the fencer should immediately return to default position to block a possible counter attack or riposte.

Defense in fencing is called a parry. When parrying, you should move only the blade, keeping your arm as straight as possible. Once the blade has been blocked return immediately to default position. If possible you may make a counterattack of your own, lunging at the opponent before he is able to return to position.

Target Areas

When fencing with a foil, only the torso of the body is a valid target. The arms, legs and head are illegal targets. The back is also a legal target, from the waist to the bottom of the neck.

Attacks on the front of the opponent are divided into four areas. The first is high outside. This is an attack to the top of the opponent, going to the outside of his blade between his blade and shoulder.

Low outside is the same area as high outside but made closer to the waist.

High inside is to the inside of the blade, in the middle of the chest to the shoulder.

Low inside is the same as high inside but lower.

In order for a hit on one of these target areas to count, a certain amount of pressure must be put on the opponent with the blade. The end of the blade is covered with a plastic tip to ensure that damage is kept to a minimum. In professional tournaments, fencers wear a special jacket that has electrical monitors to tell whether or not a blade has hit a target area with enough pressure to signify a point. Otherwise the blade must bend when hitting the target area to show if enough pressure has been given.

Refereeing a Fencing Match

During a fencing match, there should be a total of 5 referees. One of these referees is the President, and they actually call the match. The other four are judges, two assigned to each fencer.

When a possible touch is made, the referee will halt the match. He will then consult each of the judges on whether or not a point was made. Each judge has one vote and the President has one and a half votes, so if there is a tie he overrides. The judge may vote either “Yes” a point has been made, “No,” a point has not been made, or “Abstain,” meaning they did not see well enough to determine whether or not a point was made.

Right of Way

Sometimes in fencing both fencers will attack at almost the same time. The attacker who firsts extends their arm has what is called “right of way.” Once the arm is extended, the opponent cannot attack the fencer for a point until they have either parried the blade or the attacker returns to position. The President and judges must always watch for right of way.

Fencing Etiquette

Since its development in Renaissance Europe, fencing has been a gentlemanly sport, and etiquette is key. Each bout begins with the two fencers saluting each other, as well as the President and judges. At the end of a bout, each fencer removes their mask, place it under their sword arm and shake hands with the opponent (using the non-sword arm). This is as vital to the sport of fencing as the actual bout itself.