"Fencing, the art of swordsmanship, has been practiced for centuries. First, it was to train for deadly combat – the duel. Now, it is for Olympic Gold. Through fencing you can acquire the reflexes of a boxer, the legs of a high jumper and the concentration of a tournament chess player. The sport develops agility, strength, speed and cunning. And because of the speed of its action, fencing is considered the fastest martial sport. But, most importantly, it’s fun." - USFA (United States Fencing Association) 

The Sport of Fencing

Fencing, the art of swordsmanship, has been practiced for centuries. It began as a training exercise for military combat and duels of honor. Mention "fencing" today and most people picture the flashing blades of Errol Flynn or the Three Musketeers. Through the centuries, however, fencing has evolved into a fast-paced, challenging, modern sport that retains all the drama of the duel. It is a physical game of chess that relies on a combination of speed, agility, creativity, and control; fencers must move and react quickly to fend off attacks and to seize opportunities to strike. One thing that duelling and fencing share is passion; whether fighting for your life or for a medal, fencing requires focusing all your mental and physical energy on defeating the opponent.

Fencing is a sport for all ages and levels of athletic ability. Because it ultimately relies on skill and not merely physical prowess, it allows people of all ages and strengths to compete equally. Fencing is also one of the safest sports; modern protective equipment and rules that stress safety and sportsmanship make injuries rare.

Fencing was one of the original sports of the modern Olympic Games when they began in 1896.  

Types of Fencing

The three styles of modern Fencing are Foil, Epee and Sabre. Each style has its own distinct sword, rules and personality. All three styles are fenced in the Olympics, and are open to both men and women. The rules for Fencing are governed by an international organization, and are basically the same world-wide. 

Foil: Touches are scored with the weapon’s point on the torso of the opponent. Points cannot be scored on the opponent’s arms, legs, or head. Foil emphasizes strong defense and fast, precise actions. The foil descends from the 18th century court sword and has a thin, flexible blade and a small bell guard.

Epee: Touches with the epee are scored with the point, anywhere on the opponent's body. Epee technique emphasizes timing, point control, and a good counter-attack. Similar to the dueling swords of the mid-19th century, epees have stiff blades with a triangular cross section and large bell guards to protect the fencer’s hand.

Sabre: The sabre is easily recognized by the knuckle guard on the hilt that surrounds the hand. Sabre touches can be scored with the point and the edge anywhere above the opponent's waist. Sabre technique emphasizes speed, feints, and strong offense. The sabre is derived from cavalry swords of the late 19th century and has a light, flat blade.

What is a fencing match like?

Modern fencing bouts do not resemble the sword-fights in the movies, where there’s lots of clashing steel, flashing blades and bad guys dropping to the ground. Still, fencing pits you against your opponent directly, to hit first without getting hit in return: no ball, no goalpost; no net! The goal of fencing is to cleanly score points on your opponent and not to hack them into pieces!

Fencing is an intense mental game, in addition to being physically challenging. Fencers score touches by either attacking, or by hitting after a successful defense. Fencers jockey for an advantage, trying to find the best time to launch an attack, and, at the same time, the other fencer is searching for weaknesses, ready to attack or defend. This is a case of doing unto your neighbor before he (or she) does unto you! It requires tremendous concentration, since a wrong movement may yield the advantage. Like Chess, fencers have a set of moves that they can apply in different strategies. The difference is that the time between fencing moves or turns is measured in milliseconds!

Facing an opponent on the fencing strip can be intimidating. There are few opportunities in our society where you can face someone in a fight like this. There is no blood, and you walk away friends. But there is no question that, facing each other on the fencing strip, it is a contest of wills. The weapon is an extension of the fencer’s arms and body. Physical strength does not ensure victory, nor does speed, height, or intelligence. The winner will have used the tools he or she knows, used psychology and mental games, used cunning and craftiness, used distance and timing better than his or her opponent. This is a fight that requires your whole body, mind and spirit.

Of course, these are talents and skills that few people are born with. Fencers rarely show up to class and begin winning matches immediately. It takes time to develop the reflexes, timing and tactical skills. Being in good shape helps, naturally, but fencing does NOT require great strength or speed. It does require discipline and practice to develop the skills and to learn to use your body to its best advantage.

What is the best weapon for a beginner to start with?

Foil is the most common starter weapon. It is an excellent weapon to begin with if you have no preferences or want to learn generalized principles of sword fighting. Transitions to the other weapons from foil are relatively straight forward. Foil is an abstracted form of fencing that emphasizes proper defense and cleanly executed killing attacks. Historically it was a training weapon for the small sword, so it is well suited for the purposes of learning. However, it is far from a simple weapon, and many experienced fencers return to foil after trying the others.