| Advance |
Taking a step towards one's opponent. |
| |
|
| Attack |
Movement or series of movements by which a fencer tries to score a point. In foil and saber, the fencer who attacks first acquires the "right-of-way." In order to execute a attack properly (i.e. one that the referee will acknowledge), the fencer's hand must be clearly extending towards their opponent's valid target in a threatening manner. |
| |
|
| Beat |
Sharp tap on the opponent's blade to initiate an attack or provoke a reaction. |
| |
|
| Disengage |
Evasive action in which the fencer avoids the opponent's attempt to take their blade. |
| |
|
| Engagement |
Contact between the fencers' blades - often as the prelude to an attack. |
| |
|
| En Garde |
Position taken before fencing commences. |
| |
|
| Feint |
A false attack intended to get a defensive reaction from the opposing fencer, thus creating the opportunity for a genuine attack ("feint-disengage attack") |
| |
|
| Fleche |
Explosive, running attack (Foil and Epee only) |
| |
|
| Flunge |
Action unique to saber - a combination of a lunge and a fleche. Evolved recently after the FIE modified saber rules in 1992 to prohibit running attacks. |
| |
|
| Guard |
Part of the weapon between the blade and handle; protects the hand (also: "bell-guard") |
| |
|
| Parry, Counter-Parry |
Defensive action in which a fencer blocks his opponent's blade. |
| |
|
| Lunge |
Most common attacking technique, in which the fencer launches themselves at their opponent by pushing off from their back leg (which generally remains stationary). |
| |
|
| Opposition |
"Thrust with Opposition" - To simultaneously deflect the opponent's point with one's guard while making an attack of one's own. Commonly used in epee to avoid a double touch. |
| |
|
| Piste |
French term for the fencing strip. |
| |
|
| Point-in-Line |
Action in which the fencer, who is generally out of attacking range, points their weapon at their opponent with their arm fully extended. A fencer who establishes a point in line has right of way, and their opponent cannot attack until they remove the blade from line by executing a beat. |
| |
|
| Recover |
The return to the en guarde position after lunging. |
| |
|
| Remise |
Attacking again immediately after the opponent's parry of an initial attack. |
| |
|
| Riposte |
Defender's offensive action immediately after parrying their opponent's attack. |
| |
|
| Second Intention |
A tactic in which a fencer executes a convincing, yet false, action in hopes of drawing a true, committed reaction from their opponent. |
| |
|
| Stop Hit, Stop Cut (saber) |
A counter-action made at the moment of an opponent's hesitation, feint, or poorly executed attack. To be awarded the point, the fencer attempting a stop hit must clearly catch their opponent's tempo. Hence, if their Stop Hit is not "in time," the referee may award the touch to their attacker. |
| |
|
| Strip |
Fencing area, 14 meters long by 2 meters wide.
|