Outline of fencing

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to fencing:

Fencing family of combat sports using bladed weapons. Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games. Also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing.

What type of thing is fencing?

Fencing can be described as all of the following:

Types of fencing

A foil fencer. Valid target (the torso) is in red.
A sabre fencer. Valid target (everything from the waist up, including the arms and head) is in red.
An Épée fencer. Valid target (the entire body) is in red.

History of fencing

Facilities

Equipment and gear

Weapons

Olympic weapons and their parts

Non-Olympic weapons and styles

Other equipment or gear

Bouting

Officiating and rules enforcement

Tactics and techniques

Footwork

Blade Work

Attacks

Engagement

Parrying techniques

The common parries in foil and epée are: sixte (outside-high), quarte (inside-high), octave (outside-low), and septieme (inside-low). Angled (up-and-down) parries can also be used. In sabre, tierce replaces sixte to guard the inside-high line, quarte becomes more erect, seconde replace octave on the inside-low line, and prime replaces septieme. Quinte is used in sabre to protect the head.
Parries generally cover one of the 'lines' of the body. The simplest parries move the blade in a straight line. Other parries move the blade in a circular, semicircular, or diagonal manner. There are eight basic parries, and many derivatives of these eight. (see Prime, Seconde, Tierce, Quarte, Quinte, Sixte, Septime, Octave, Neuvieme). See also Lines.
In foil, the opponent's blade should not only be deflected away from the target, but away from off-target areas as well. An attack that is deflected off the valid target but onto invalid target still retains right-of-way. In sabre, the opponent's blade need only be deflected away from valid target, since off-target touches do not stop the phrase. Sabre parries must be particularly clean and clear to avoid the possibility of whip-over touches. In épée, a good parry is simply any one that gains enough time for the riposte; opposition parries and prise-de-fer are commonly used, since they do not release the opponent's blade to allow a remise.

Other maneuvers

Fencing organizations

Fencing clubs

Fencing competitions

Fencing publications

Fiction

Persons influential in fencing

Other forms of fencing

See also


References

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