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I.
Introduction
Fencing, art of attack and defense with
a sword or similar weapon. Modern fencing is a recreational and competitive
sport, but its rules and techniques are derived from those originally
developed for efficient swordplay in dueling (see
Duel).
II.
History
During the Middle Ages (5th century to
15th century) the sword was an offensive weapon used for cracking
armor, and the shield was used as a defense. After gunpowder came
into general use, heavy defensive armor became obsolete, and the sword
became a defensive as well as an offensive weapon. In the 16th century
the rapier was introduced in Italy, and the art of fencing was rapidly
systematized in fencing schools. A dagger in the other hand, and later
a folded cloak, replaced the shield. Eventually the non sword arm
was left free and held away from the sword arm to minimize the target
area.
The
use of the rapier and the Italian fencing technique spread throughout
Europe. In France and England, the size and shape of the rapier were
constantly modified because its length and weight made it clumsy to
carry. During the 18th century the small sword, or épée, was invented
and popularized in France; the new weapon resulted in distinct Italian
and French styles of fencing. The Italians used the rapier in a bravura
manner, with pronounced, vigorous gestures. The French used the épée
in a more formal manner, with great restraint of movement. The French
style of fencing became by far the more prominent. Its rules govern
most modern competition, and the vocabulary of traditional fencing
is composed largely of French words.
In
the 19th century dueling was generally outlawed, and the fencing schools
turned to teaching fencing for purposes of sport. Much of the equipment
still used by fencers was developed at this time, including the glove
worn on the sword hand, the plastron (chest protector), and the mask
of wire netting.
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III.
Foil, Épée, and Saber
Three
weapons are used in the modern sport of fencing: foil, épée,
and saber. The blades of these weapons are made of tempered
steel, and each has a maximum blade length of about 89 cm (35
in); the maximum weight of foil and saber is about 500 g (about
17.6 oz), that of épée about 770 g (about 27.2 oz). Developed
originally as a practice and sporting weapon, the foil is light
and flexible and is considered the basic weapon. Its use is
generally taught to all beginning fencers. Touches are scored
by thrusting with the blunted point; the blade is rectangular
in cross section. The modern épée is descended from the French
small sword. Like the foil it is a thrusting weapon, but has
a larger bell, or hand guard, and is heavier and more rigid
in construction.
Handles,
or grips, for foil and épée vary and are chosen according to
individual preference. They include the French grip, slightly
curved and with a pommel at the end; the Italian grip, which
has a crossbar and is used with a wrist strap; and various pronged
handles gripped much like a pistol.
The modern saber is derived from
the weapon formerly used by cavalrymen. It has a protective,
scoop-shaped hand guard that curves under the hand and, like
the épée, a blade roughly triangular in cross section. Touches
are scored by thrusting with the weapon or, chiefly, by cutting
in a slashing motion with the edge of the blade.
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IV.
Attack and Defense
Tactics
vary among the three weapons, but certain fundamental techniques are
common to all. Motions of attack and defense are initiated from the
basic on-guard position, a crouch assumed with both knees flexed,
the rear arm crooked upward, and the sword arm partially extended
toward the opponent. The basic attacking action is the lunge, executed
by stabbing with the sword arm at the target and thrusting forward
on the front leg. The attack is successful if a touch is scored on
the valid target area. In foil fencing, only touches on the torso
are counted. In épée competition the entire body, head to foot, is
a valid target. In saber fencing the valid target is the part of the
body above an imaginary line, called the saddle line, drawn across
the top of the hips (this includes the head, arms, and torso).
A movement of the blade designed to block
an attack is called a parry. Fencing has eight principal parries,
designated by the Old French ordinal numbers: prime, seconde, tierce,
quarte, quinte, sixte, septime, and octave. Each parry is designed
to protect a different part of the target against attack. A riposte
is the return thrust made immediately following a parry.
The fencer who takes the offensive may
employ different kinds of attacks to circumvent the various parries
used by an opponent. A simple attack is made with one motion that
is, a cut or thrust of the blade and is intended to hit the target
before the defender can parry. A compound attack involves two or more
blade movements. The initial movements are feints, designed to mislead
the opponent into parrying in a direction other than that in which
the attack finally develops. Other techniques, such as beating or
pressing the opponent's blade aside, may be used to create an opening
for an attack. A running attack, or fleche, may be used to catch an
opponent by surprise. A competitor under attack may also resort to
a stop-thrust, a sudden counterattack made by thrusting without lunging.
Bouts
are conducted on a strip approximately 1.5 to 2 m (4.9 to 6.6 ft)
wide and 14 m (46 ft) long. The first fencer to score five touches
wins a bout. In formal competition the weapons are wired and connected
to an electrical scoring apparatus, so that when a touch is scored
a light flashes on the sidelines signaling the touch. These electrical
weapons were instituted to facilitate the exacting scoring of bouts.
Foil and saber competitions are based on complicated right-of-way
rules regarding mutual touches, whereas in épée competitions only
the timing of the touch is considered. Bouts are judged by a referee
who applies the right-of-way rules and awards the touches with the
aid of the scoring apparatus.
V.
Organized Competition
Fencing
has been one of the events in the Olympic
Games since 1896, and épée fencing is one of the five events in
the modern pentathlon. International competitions are sanctioned by
the Fédération Internationale d'Escrime (International
Federation of Fencing), the world governing body of the sport.
A world championship is held annually to determine individual and
team champions of each weapon. In the United States, competitions
are organized on a local, regional, and national basis by the U.S.
Fencing Association, formerly known as the Amateur Fencers League
of America (founded in 1891).
Duel
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