Metropolitan Division of the U.S. Fencing Association Your Source for all Fencing in New York City   Home   New to Fencing?   NYC Clubs   Tournaments   Camps   Links   Division Officers   Meeting Minutes     Tournament Reminders   Do you want to be reminded a few days before each event? Join our mailing list!   Email Address   We will only notify you about upcoming tournaments and division news. We will not spam you or share your email address with others. What Is Fencing?   Fencing is a fast-paced and highly athletic sport incorporating speed, power, accuracy, mobility, endurance and fierce concentration.   Fencing at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece   The longest running sport in the modern Olympics, fencing was born thousands of years ago on the battlefield, in life or death duels, as sport and as art. Modern fencing developed in western Europe during the Renaissance. Intense one-on-one bouting continues the tradition and excitement today.   Object   The main object of a fencing bout (what an individual "game" is called) is to score more points than your opponent. Bouts in preliminary rounds are won by the first fencer to reach 5 points. In later direct-elimination rounds, bouts go to 15 points over three three-minute periods. Each time a fencer scores a touch, he or she receives a point.   Foilists at battle   The Weapons   Épée, foil and saber are the three weapons used in the sport of fencing. New fencers generally choose to develop their skills in one weapon, although competing in multiple is common.   Épée and foil, which are descendants of classical dueling, are point-thrusting weapons, meaning points (called "touches" in fencing) are scored with the tip of the weapon. Saber, which derives from the calvary sword, is a point-thrusting weapon and a cutting weapon, meaning points can be scored with the tip or edge.   Besides differences in the weapons themselves, the target area also differs in each. General rules are shared across all three, but each weapon also has specific rules which apply to it alone.   Épée   The épée (pronounced "EPP-pay") is the descendant of the dueling sword. At about 43 inches long, the épée has a stiffer blade and is slightly heavier than the foil and saber. Touches are scored with the point of the épée, and the entire body is target (head-to-toe). To protect against hand touches, the épée has a large guard.   The rules in épée are very simple and based on the basic rules of a duel: whichever fencer hits the other first gets a point.   An épée bout   Foil   The valid target area in foil is the torso, from the shoulders to the groin, front and back. It does not include the arms, neck, head and legs. The foil fencer's uniform includes a metallic vest (called a lamé) which covers the valid target area, so that a valid touch will register on the scoring machine.   The rules in foil incorporate a concept known as "right-of-way", which balance hitting the other fencer with attacking or defending when appropriate.   A foil bout   Saber   The saber is the modern version of the slashing cavalry sword, and is similar in length and weight to the foil. The major difference is that the saber is a thrusting weapon as well as a cutting weapon (you can hit with the side, or "edge" of the weapon). The target area is from the waistline upwards including the arms and head, simulating the cavalry rider on a horse. The saber fencer's uniform includes a metallic jacket (lamé), which covers the target area to register a valid touch on the scoring machine.   Like foil, saber incorporates a concept known as "right-of-way", which balances hitting the other fencer with attacking or defending when appropriate.   A saber bout   Right-Of-Way   One of the most difficult concepts to visualize in foil and saber fencing is the rule of right-of-way. This rule was established to eliminate apparently simultaneous attacks by two fencers.   In essence, right-of-way is the differentiation of offense and defense, made by the referee. The difference is important only when the scoring machine indicates that both fencers hit each other at the same moment. When this happens, the winner of the point is the one who the referee determined was on offense at the time the lights went on.   Épée does not use the right-of-way in keeping with its dueling origin - he who first gains the touch earns the point. Or, if both fencers hit within 1/25th of a second of each other, both earn a point. However, it is equally important to have a sound defense for épée, since the entire body must be protected from a touch.   Olympic Silver - Never the goal   How to Follow the Action   For those new to fencing, it is difficult to follow the lightning speed of the fencers' actions. To become more comfortable in watching a fencing bout, focus on one fencer. The fencer being attacked defends himself by use of a parry, a motion used to deflect the opponent's blade, after which the defender can make a riposte, an answering attack. Thus, the two adversaries keep changing between offense and defense. Whenever a hit is made, the referee will stop the bout, describe the actions, and decide whether or not to award a touch.   Fencers seek to maintain a safe distance from each other, that is, out of range of the other's attack. Then, one will try to break this distance to gain the advantage for an attack. At times, a fencer will make a false attack (called a "feint", like in boxing) to gauge the types of reactions by the opponent that can be deceived in the real attack.   As you become accustomed to the speed of the game, the tactics and strategies become more apparent, and you will gain a better understanding for the finesse and fascination of fencing!   The Equipment   Fencers wear tough protective clothing generally made out of cotton or nylon. As fencers advance their skills, they may buy a higher-end outfit made out of kevlar or ballistic nylon (the same materials used in bullet-proof vests) which are required for international-level tournaments.   Traditionally, the uniform is white in color (black being the traditional color for masters). However, recently international rules have been relaxed to allow colored uniforms.   Fencing equipment includes:   Mask Made of a strong metal mesh that allows for vision and breathing but can easily deflect the hardest of hits. All competitor's masks are strength-tested using a special tool before most competitions. Jacket Form fitting and covering the arms, neck, torso and groin. Half Jacket Called a "plastron", this secondary layer is worn underneath the jacket for extra protection on the sword-arm side which is more exposed to hits. Covers half the torso and the upper arm. Knickers Pants, similar to those warn in baseball, that go from the waistline down to just below the knee. Socks Any knee-length white athletic socks Shoes Specialized fencing shoes are made by Adidas as well as many fencing equipement manufacturers, and various types (high-tops, low-tops, etc.) exist. Special fencing shoes are not a necessity and many fencers choose to wear other types of athletic shoes instead. Glove Fencers wear a single glove on their weapon hand. The glove protects the hand and forearm, provides a good grip on the weapon, and stops the opponents blade from going up the sleeve of the jacket. Cup A plastic cup worn by men for additional protection. Chest Protector A plastic plate worn by woman for additional protection. Body Cord This cord, which connects the weapon to the scoring machine, runs from the weapon through the sleeve and out the bottom of the back of the jacket.   Please note that most clubs keep equipment for use by beginners, and often all that is needed is a basic workout outfit (tshirt, sweatpants, socks and gym shoes). Therefore it is generally not necessary for beginners to invest in equipment in order to start fencing.   Competitions   There are many different types of competitions in fencing. While some are open to any competitors, others are age, gender, or level specific.   The format of each competition is decided by its organizers, but generally there are initial rounds called "pools", in which the competitors are split up into several groups. Each competitor in a group will have a 5-point bout with all the other competitors in that same group. All fencers are then ranked based on their relative performance, and move into the "direct elimination" rounds. Here, fencers go one-on-one for 15 points, with the victor moving on and the loser going home. With each round the field is cut in half (similar to the playoff format of most major sports) until a single champion remains.   An epeeist stretches out before a bout   Common Questions   Do you actually hit each other with the weapons?   Yes.   Does it hurt?   This is a very common concern amongst beginners. New fencers quickly adjust to the feel of receiving touches, and before long don't feel them at all. Children and seniors often compete with adults, getting hit just as hard and handling it without any problem.   Is it dangerous?   No, in fact fencing is statistically one of the safest sports. Fencers wear protective gear to ensure safety, and the infrequent injuries that do occur are generally minor and common (bruises, twists and sprains).   How young? How old? What is the optimum age?   Children can begin fencing at a very young age. National-level youth fencing incorporates under-10, under-12 and under-14 events. International competition for children includes two categories, cadet (under-17) and junior (under-20). Fencing is unique in that fencers generally keep competing until late in life, with veteran events including over-40, over-50 and over-60 categories. The prime age for Olympians is generally from the early twenties to mid-thirties. New fencers can begin at any point in life with great success.   Is fencing for men or women?   Both! Although there are seperate men's and women's events at the national and international levels, local events often involve "mixed" events. U.S. women are highly successful internationally, including Olympic gold and bronze in women's saber.   Is it anything like what I see in the movies?   No. Modern fencing is a far cry from the choreographed bouts you see on film or on the stage. Instead of swinging from a chandelier or leaping from balconies, you will see two fencers performing an intense athletic dance on a six-feet-by-40-feet strip. The movement is so fast the touches are scored electrically.   Are there little rubber balls at the end of the weapons?   No. Fencing weapons are 100% steel including the tip, however the tip is somewhat blunt and will not penetrate the protective clothing or skin. On épées and foils the tip has a small metal button, about the size of a pencil eraser, which allows the scoring machine to know when fencers hit each other. Sabers don't have this button as hits are with the tip or side of the blade.   How are points awarded?   Because actions in fencing are so quick, scoring is done electronically and competitors are hooked up to a scoring machine. When a fencer hits the other fencers on valid targe area, the scoring machine instantly registers the hit and lights up. In foil and saber, lamé jackets are worn over valid target area which allow the scoring machine to know when they have been hit in that region. Since the entire body is valid target area in épée, no lamé jacket is needed. A valid hit is always worth one point, regardless of where the hit landed. A referee controls the bout just like in other sports, awarding points when scored and giving competitors warnings when they break the rules.   How would I get started?   Visit our club page and identify one or two clubs that interest you. Contact them to learn more and sign-up for introductory classes. The clubs generally lend equipment to beginners to help them get started. New fencers constantly get involved, so don't be shy, there will be lots of other new fencers and you won't be alone.