The history of Fencing

Fencing first originated in preparation for duels between men for warfare.  Throughout human history, man has fought with weapons.  When technology changed so did the weapon and consequently the tactics.

A picture of a fencing “match” was uncovered on an Egyptian temple dating back to approx 1190 B.C. The Babylonians, andcient Greeks, Persians, and Romans all had some type of fencing.

The use of armour during the Middle Ages made swordsmanship almost obsolete.  The broadsword was in regular use but caused minor damage against armour, it only resulted in a hacking weapon requiring brute strength rather than skill,  making armour almost redundant.

The development of firearms brought swordplay into prominence during the 15th century.  Soldiers learnt skills with the sword, and fencing also emerged as a pastime for the nobility.  Fencing masters organized guilds, which taught secret moves to students.

The swords of this period were heavy, more effective in cutting your opponent with the edge.  The sword was a defensive weapon against thieves, and included tactics such as wrestling holds and disarming or immobilizing with tricks to set up for the killing blow.

Fencing as a “sport” requiring skill and speed, began when the longer and lighter rapier was developed during the 16th century in Italy. Because of the length of the rapier, opponents had to fight at a distance with quick controlled lunges, attacking the opponent with the point of the sword.  But the rapier wasn’t a good defensive weapon, so the fencer often had to use the left hand with a gauntlet to parry his opponent’s thrusts.  This lead to the “challenge” of ones opponent by hitting him with the gauntlet.

Under Louis XIV in France, with fashion changing so developed a new kind of sword. The rapier didn’t “fit” with the brocaded jackets of the era, nor the breeches, and silk stockings, so French courtiers adapted by wearing a shorter sword known as the court sword.  This turned out to be an excellent weapon for fencing because it was both lighter and stronger than the rapier, so it could be used for defense as well as offense.  As a result, the classic modern one-handed fencing technique we use today developed, with the left hand and arm used for balance.

A version of the court sword, the Foil, was developed for practice.  Another type of sword, the colichemarde, had been created for dueling.  The blade had a triangular cross-section, with slightly concave sides to reduce weight without reducing strength. The colichemarde evolved into the modern Epee.  The Three musketeers used this single weapon style defending the King and thus being the best fighters in the Kings guard.

The third  fencing weapon, the Sabre, was introduced into Europe in the late 18th century adapted from the scimitar of Turkey, by the Hungarian cavalry.  It was so effective that other armies began using it and it evolved into the cutlass, becaming the standard weapon for the navy.

The Sabre was a very heavy, curved sword, but changed into a lighter weapon with only a slight bend in Italy, late in the 19th century for dueling and fencing.  The modern Sabre is straight, like the Foil and Epee, but it still retains one cutting edge which can be used to make hits on an opponent.

Olympic Fencing

Fencing one of the first Olympic sports that has been on every modern Olympic program since 1896.  The Men’s Foil and Sabre events were on the 1896 program and the Epee was added in 1900.  Because of major disagreements about the rules, France and Italy refused to compete in 1912. The Fédération Internationale d’Escrime, (Standardised rules in 1913), is the governing body for international fencing, including the Olympics.

The Women’s Foil competition commenced in the Olympic program in 1924.  Only Foil was fenced for many years, until the Epee was added in 1992, and in Athen in 2004 an American won the first ever gold medal won for the USA.

There are 3 different sets of rules for the three weapons, relating to the differences in technique evolved out of their history.

 In Foil and Epee, a touch can only be made only with the point.  The entire body is valid target for the Epee, but in Foil a touch is scored only on the torso. In Sabre, a hit is made with the edgo or tip, only on the torso, arms and mask.  Fencing due to its speed is a difficult sport to judge, since it’s necessary to determine, first, whether a hit was made and, second, which came first when the two fencers score hits almost simultaneously.  The electrical Epee was introduced at the 1936 Olympics to score hits automatically.  Electronic Foil was added in Melbourne in the 1956 Olympics, and Sabre at the 1992 Olympics.

Fencing Clothing

Glove – The glove protects the weapon hand (the rear hand doesn’t need a glove).  The glove provides a non slip gripping surface.

Jacket – The heavy protective garment that protects the torso. Made from heavy canvas, quilted cotton, or Kevlar, fencing jackets are usually closed with zips. The front of the jacket dips into a v-shaped groin protector, with a strap that runs between the legs to hold the groin protector in place.  You “step into” a fencing jacket.

Plastron – The added protection under a jacket, in the form of a single or double-sleeved Kevlar undershirt.  Required for most competitions

Chest protector — Molded plastic breastplate, worn by women under the jacket

Mask – The wire-mesh helmet of fencing.  Never fence without your mask, as modern fencing weapons are predominantly dangerous only to uncovered eyes.  The wire mesh is darkened on the inside, to allow your eyes to focus past the grill.

Breeches – Suspender-based fencing pants. Required for high-level (national and international) competitions. Not required for training or classes

Bib – The heavy fabric below the mask, which protects your neck.

Socks – Not unlike Football socks the Fencing sock is knee high and traditionally white, Most Epee socks have a reinforced panel in the front shin section of the sock.

Shoes — Like every other sport, Fencing has its own shoes. Light and flat soled with a rolled heel.

Modern Fencing
Electric fencing was redeveloped In the 1970’s and has had slight modifications since.  The scoring apparatus has 3 options for each weapon, and are universally used in every Fencing Nation.

 Unlike historic battles modern fencers don’t harm their opponents but try to hit their opponent as many as 15 times and thus require more technical and tactical depth.

Fencing consists of 2 competitors who face off in a “bout”, they compete to score points on each other with their weapons. To beat an opponent, a fencer must use bladework, footwork, tactics and strategy. Fencing bouts are characterized by flurries of speed, highly aerobic movement, and lightning-fast blade movements.

Fencing Weapons

Fencing has three weapons, each derived from an historical ancestor.  Modern fencing weapons are lighter, safer sporting versions of the real thing

All weapons used in Fencing range from 90 – 100cm long, and typically weigh under 500 grams. There are a set of requirements to which each weapon must conform, for reasons of safety and fairness.

The Epee
 The Epee is a descendant of the dueling Rapier, and has a large hand-guard and a blade which has a V-shaped cross-section.  Epeeists often train to hit the opponent’s hand toe and leg, since these are the closest targets. 

The Sabre

The Sabre is descended from the curved cavalry sword. It has a basket-shaped hand-guard that completely covers the hand, and a blade which is Y-shaped in cross-section.  Sabreurs often train to hit the opponent’s hand, since it is a close target, and the opponent’s head, since it is easy to hit with an edged weapon.

The Foil

The Foil is a synthetic weapon. It was originally designed by Fencing Masters as a lighter, safer training substitute for real weapons.  The Foil has a small, round hand-guard and a blade that is rectangular in cross-section. Foilists train to hit the chest, but a school of technique is also built around hitting the opponent’s back with a move that bends the blade in a curve (the “flick”).

Starting weapon

When teaching fencing, instructors often start new fencers with the Foil.  Because of its origin as a training weapon, the Foil comes with a set of rules, technique and conventions that translate easily to the Epee and Sabre.  As students become comfortable with the concepts of fencing, they can switch to the other weapons. Many students choose to stay with Foil, however, and it is frequently the most popular weapon at tournaments.

In recent times, high-level fencing has been increasingly taught by weapon specialists, and the “Foil-first” approach has been challenged by the successes of fencers who only ever fenced Sabre or Epee.