Fencing 101

Everything You Need to Know About Fencing

Everyone thinks Zorro when they imagine fencing gear and swords. The truth is, we’re not too far off. Fencing became popular in ancience Rome and Egypt, with the earliest sign of fencing in the form of a Egyptian carving that dates back to 1200 B.C.

The basic fencing gear is simple. It consists of a mask, jacket, weapon, and glove. The mask, jacket and glove are all protective measures for an actual match. The most interesting part of fencing gear is the weapon. 

The weapon that a fencer uses can vary from a foil to a saber or even an epee. A foil is used when a person is learning to fence. It is very light. It has a small, slightly rounded guard and the tip is covered in a small, plastic ball. A foil is a point weapon, which means that it must be “stabbed” into an opponent so that a point can be awarded for a valid touch. A valid touch consists of contact with an part of the area from the shoulders to the crotch, not included the arms.

The sabre is a weapon descended from the 19th century. It has most commonly been used as a dueling weapon or for the calvary. It has a flexible blade with a flat cross section. The guard of a sabre is different from the foil in that it has a rounded square shape and a curved knuckle guard that protects the hand from attack. The sabre is a cutting weapon. It is used to cut a target area, which is generally the upper torso, arms and head. The point is not used, so it is folded back against itself.

The Epee is a thick, heavy weapon with a heavy blade and triangular cross section. It also has a grove in the center of the blad. The guard is curved like the foil and sabre but it has a dome shape. The Epee is a point weapon, and can be used on the entire body ad a target area. This is possibly the hardest fencing tool to use because the fencer must protect his whole body at any given time. Fencing with the Epee is a thinking man’s game because fencers must analyze their opponents weaknesses and they do so by stepping back and assessing the situation before striking.