About Fencing - Terminology
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| Attack |
The initial offensive action that is made by extending the swordarm and continuously threatening the valid target of an opponent. |
| Balestra |
A forward hop or jump, typically followed by an attack. |
| Beat |
An attempt to knock an opponent's blade aside with your own blade. |
| Bind |
An action in which you use your blade to force an opponent's blade into the diagonally opposite line. |
| Bout |
A single contest between two fencers. |
| Corps-a-corps |
"Body-to-body" - physical contact between two fencers during a bout (illegal in foil and sabre). |
| Counter-attack |
An attack made in response to an opponent's attack (may be out-of-time). |
| Coulé |
An attack or feint that slides along an opponent's blade. |
| Coupé |
An attack or deception that passes around the opponent's tip. |
| Croisé |
An action in which you use your blade to force an opponent's blade into the high or low line on the same side. |
| Deception |
An avoidance of your opponent's blade during an attempt to engage. |
| Disengage |
A circular movement of the blade that deceives an opponent's attempt to parry. |
| Engagement |
When the two blades are in contact which each other. |
| En Garde |
The initial stance assumed when preparing to fence (also known as 'On Guard'). |
| Envelopment |
An action in which you use your blade to sweep an opponent's blade through a full circle. |
| Feint |
An attack into one line with the intention of switching to another line before the attack is complete. |
| Fleche |
An attack in which you leap off the leading foot in an attempt to make a hit before passing your opponent at a run. |
| Insistence |
Forcing an attack through the parry. |
| Invitation |
Intentionally leaving open a line in order to encourage your opponent to attack. |
| Lamé |
The metallic jacket used in electric foil and sabre that detects a valid hit. |
| Line |
The main direction of an attack, often corresponding to the parry that must be made to deflect the attack (see Fencing Lines). |
| Lunge |
An attack made by pushing off from the back leg and landing on a bent front leg. |
| Opposition |
Using your blade to hold an opponent's blade in a non-threatening line. |
| Out-of-time |
An attack made against the right-of-way rule. |
| Parry |
Blocking or deflecting an attack with your blade. |
| Piste |
The linear strip on which a bout is contested (approx. 2m wide and 14m long). |
| Plastron |
A half-jacket worn for extra protection under the main jacket on the weapon arm. |
| Preparation |
The initial phase of an attack - before right-of-way is established. |
| Remise |
The immediate replacement of an attack that missed or was parried. |
| Reprise |
The renewal of an attack that missed or was parried. |
| Right-of-way |
The rule used to determine who wins the point in the event of a double hit in foil or sabre.
Basically, the first fencer to initiate an attack has the right-of-way and will be awarded any successful hit unless the attack is parried, in which case the opponent has the right-of-way to make a riposte (although it isn't quite as simple as that).
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| Riposte |
An attack made immediately after a parry. |
| Stop Hit |
A counter-attack that hits. |
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