Seminole Fencing Club - Frequently Asked Questions

What is fencing?

A: Fencing is an olympic sport that is based on the ancient art of swordplay. The term fencing can actually mean many different things: it can refer to the martial art of wielding a sword, the modern olympic sport, or the coreography of using swords in stage play.
What are the different types of fencing?

A: There are 3 primary types of fencing that are practiced: combat/historical, sport, and theatrical. These 3 types of fencing have some common similarities, but their objectives are radically different. These differences of purpose mean they are taught in completely different ways and with different techniques and strategies.
Combat fencing is the ancient martial art of using sword in real battles or duels. Because swords in modern warfare are ineffective and blood duels are now outlawed, combat fencing is often referred to as historical fencing because its purpose (to kill people) is not acceptable in modern society. The objective of combat fencing was to kill and not be killed. Form and technique were not as important as staying alive, so combat fencing often relied on simply overpowering your opponent. At times, it was more effective to wrestle one's opponent to the ground so that you could stab them instead of dealing a graceful blow.

Sport fencing is the modern olympic sport that can trace its roots back to historical fencing, but was developed as a safe way to practice sword play without getting injured. Over time, however, different schools developed for this practice and the sport itself developed out of the competition between schools. The objective in modern sport fencing is to score a touch on your opponent and not have touches scored on yourself. Touches are determined by referees and the rules of officiating, so form and technique play a strong role in determining one's success in the sport.

Sword fights in movies and stage plays are often highly captivating and this is due to the art of theatrical fencing. Theatrical fencing is the type of fencing developed specifically for show. The purpose of theatrical fencing is to look exciting to an audience, so this sets it far apart from combat or sport fencing. A careful observer may notice that theatrical fencers are often not trying too hard to harm each other or, in some cases, even aim for their opponent. You can see poor fencing coreography when fencers swing their swords more often at each other's blades than at each other's bodies. Okay, I admit, I'm not a fan of most theatrical fencing. That's only because there's so much bad fencing out there. Some movies have some good fencing coreography - The Princess Bride comes to mind first.
Seminole Fencing Club practices the modern olympic sport, but even this sport is based largely on the principals of fencing that are used n actual battles. In fact, the footwork used in fencing is very similar to the footwork used in most martial arts.
Is it safe?

A: Fencing can be one of the safest sports around as long as the participants follow some basic safety guidelines. We insist that fencers in our club take a beginners' class or have demonstrated experience primarily for safety reasons. The safety gear and blunted tips used in fencing make serious injury from the blade a rare occurance. Most injuries in fencing are muscles sprains that are the result of insufficient stretching and warmup. Injuries in fencing can be avoided if proper safety procedures are followed.
What types of weapons are used in fencing?

A: There are 3 types of weapons used in fencing - foil, epee and saber. The fencing community calls them "weapons" but even that term is misleading as that is not their purpose (and if you travel on a plane, please do not refer to them as such!)

The foil is a weapon that was developed as a practice weapon based on the short sword. Just because it is a "practice" weapon, however, does not mean it is inferior to the other two! It was developed as a practice weapon, but the skills learned in foil carry over very easily to the other two weapons. This is the primary reason that most coaches begin their fencers in foil before letting them decide which weapon is best for them. When fencing foil, fencers must establish right-of-way and hit the torso are of their opponent with the tip of the foil. Right-of-way is a set of rules that determine who gets a point when both fencers land on their opponent.

The epee is the modern decendant of the dueling rapier used in one-on-one blood duels. Like the foil, fencers must hit with the tip of the weapon (the rapier was only sharp on the top 2 inches). Unlike foil, however, the entire body is valid target area. This is why the bell guard (the round metal between the blade and the grip) is larger and curves back a little in epee - it has to protect the fencer"es hand! In addition, epee has no right-of-way - it is simply a matter of who hit first. If both fencers hit at the same time, they both get a point. This is because the old blood duels were not to the death, but to first drawn blood. Whoever drew blood on their opponent first, won the duel. Epee fencers are often the most patient because one mistake can cost them the point. Epee fencing has often been described as, "trying to be more perfect than your opponent.

The saber is the modern decendant of the cavalry sword used on horse back. Unlike epee and foil, saber can score a touch with the edge of the weapon in addition to the tip. The target area in saber is everything from the waist up. This dates back to the cavalry days, when it was considered cowardly to attack a person's horse, so attacks below the waist were not done. Saber is the fastest of the 3 weapons, and is often the most aggresive, since precise point control is not as vital.
What are the benefits of fencing?

A: Fencing is a unique sport that exercises both body and mind. Because of the form of the fencer, simply moving or even being en garde is an exercise to muscles that most people do not even realize they have! In addition to exercise, fencing can be a fulfilling experience and a great motivator.

Physically, fencing primarily develops the leg muscles, since movement in fencing is fast and furious. The main position in fencing, known as en garde, is a stance similar to that in other martial arts. The fencer bends his/her knees so that they have a low center of balance. Most attacks are done with a lunge - a sudden acceleration that straightens the back leg and has the forward leg straight up from the ground to the knee. This movement develops the power, speed and balance of the fencer's muscles.

Mentally, fencing is a sport that sharpens your senses and develops mental strategy. Fencing is often considered a combination of boxing and chess because of the physical athleticism combined with the constant strategy and maneuvering. The movements of the fencing blades also force fencer to analyze their opponents in a calculated way. Paying attention to how an opponent moves their blade, fencers can calculate the optimal deflection of an attack and the quickest way to score a touch.

As an individual sport, fencing offers opportunities that many sports do not. When competing there are no benchwarmers in fencing. Each fencer is solely responsible for their own results, and even novice fencers can compete and get just as much play time as an experienced fencer. Fencing is a sport where you get out of it what you put into it. The more effort and time you put into practicing and refining your skills, the more you will see your skills develop and your results improve. Success in fencing does not depend on age, gender, build or height. It depends on skill, experience, speed, and an understanding of the game.
What are the age requirements?

A: The age minimum is 10 years old. The reason for this minimum is that once a fencer is done with their beginner's classes, they have the option of becoming a full member of the club. When they join as a full member, they are expected to be responsible enough to fence on their own without supervision. This requires a certain degree of responsibility and maturity on the part of the fencer. Also, just because a student is 10 years old does not guarantee that they are mature enough to fence on their own responsibly. The beginner's classes offer the coach an opportunity to get to know the student so that he can assess how safely a student fences. If a student demonstrates irresponsible behavior, the coach may refuse to let them become a full member.
When are classes?

A: Classes are currently held on Thursdays at the Seminole Rec Center between 6:30 pm and 9:00 pm.