Vaksman Fencing Club
Vaksman Fencing Club
78-495 Calle Tampico
La Quinta, CA 92247
ph: 425-444-9603
fax: 206-984-1770
alt: 425-444-9611
fencing
Glossary of Fencing Terms
| Glossary of Fencing Terms | |
| 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 | 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. |
Copyright 2010 Northwest Fencing Club. All rights reserved.
Vaksman Fencing Club
78-495 Calle Tampico
La Quinta, CA 92247
ph: 425-444-9603
fax: 206-984-1770
alt: 425-444-9611
fencing
