Last week we talked about application of basic technique to create multiple choices for the tactical execution of the riposte. This week we go back to the roots of our theory of fencing, that all fencing is about offensive or counteroffensive action. Too often fencers think that they are not…
Before we talk about tactics, we should probably define what we mean by them. Tactics are the combination of actions and factors that allow a technique to do its job during the bout. Tactics are far more than just the technique you intend to apply to get the touch. If…
Everyone who fences learns parries. It is an article of faith in fencing that one must be able to parry to defend oneself. And yet many of us do not take them seriously enough to critically examine their characteristics and employment. So, we are going to do that in this…
We tend to think of the opponent’s attack as threatening. After all, the blade is coming toward us with the intent to score, the opponent is fully committed to the action, and he or she is using every artifice at their command to get that blade on our target. Statistics…
Last week we examined attacks on preparation, so it would seem that considering the preparation itself might be only fair. Tyshler and Logvin, in the FIE’s Sports Fencing manual for coach training state that preparatory actions are “applied in order to receive immediate information on opponent’s intentions, creation of an distraction…
One of the ways to get hit in any sword or weapon sport is to be predictable. It is no different in fencing. You do the same thing the same way every time and even the opponent who is completely asleep on his or her feet will wake up and…
Over the past several blog posts we have discussed how to defeat the opponent’s actions, how to go for one more exchange, and how to recognize what the opponent is doing. Today, we are going to add one more item to the mix – what is possible? There are a…
The postings in the past two blogs have looked at simple tactical choices to defeat the attack and the defense. But what happens when the defeat is in turn defeated? Although this seems like one too many defeats, lets look at the two cases: (1) you attack, and the opponent…
You are fencing a bout, and your opponent attacks you. There is one way to deal with this – you parry and riposte. Right? And you run into his second intention parry and first counterriposte to become just another V on his line on the score sheet. But, but, but…
Just like attacks can be simple or compound or prepared, parries can be simple or compound (also called composed because they are composed of two or more parts) or prepared. Let’s dispose of everything except simple parries at the start, so that we can focus. Compound parries are parries that…