Training of a Champion: Epee Fencing

Basic actions

Action 1: Simple attacks and attacks with a feint to the forearm. Advance is executed in a lunging position.

Action 2: Attacks by prise de fer. Preference is given to beat attacks. A fencer initiates fencing phrases and he executes attack on the preparation.

Action 3: Counter attacks and remises are direct or with disengagement to the forearm at the top with opposition. A fencer arbitrarily retreats and performs a lunge or a fleche.

Action 4: A fencer delivers direct upper parries (quarts or sixte) with a direct riposte to the forearm and body, or a direct counter-riposte with the opposition.

Action 5: Upper circular parries with riposte. Preference is given to a circular parry of sixte.

Action 6: Lower parries. Mostly a parry of octave or of seconde is executed. A parry of septime or prime are used at close quarters.

Action 7: Attacks with taking-of-the-blade are performed by two successive pries-de-fers to the upper and lower engagements. Ripostes with a lunge to the lower sector of the body or to the leg are executed in an identical manner.

Action 8: Attack with a thrust to the outside sector of the forearm. The guard is moved to the top and to the right. Counter-attack while retreating with sweeping over to the forearm to the top.

Thrusts to the body and to the forearm with opposition

Exercise 1: Direct thrusts to the body and forearm are mostly practiced from upper engagements. Opposition is obligatory. The weapon position is fixed.

Exercise 2: A fencer delivers a thrust to the forearm while the coach's weapon may be in any position taken before the attack.

Exercise 3: A fencer executes a series of counter attacks and remises to the forearm. The coach arbitrarily alternates engagements, feints and displacements of the weapon arm and blade.

Training of Parries with Riposte and Counter-Attack. Choice Among Alternative Actions

Situation 6: A fencer executes direct upper parries (sixte or quarts) against coach's attacks. The coach arbitrarily alternates direct attacks with attacks by disengagement or with beat and direct hit (by disengagement).

Situation 7: A fencer parries simple attacks of a coach and delivers ripostes. He counter-attacks with a deep advance.

Situation 8: A fencer parries the coach's simple attacks and delivers ripostes. He parries unexpected ripostes and performs counter-ripostes.

Situation 9: A fencer parries coach's deep attacks and delivers ripostes.

He does not react to false advances, series of feints or beats.

Situation 10: A fencer parries coach's deep attacks, then delivers ripostes.

He does not react to short attacks but parries a remise and executes a riposte.

Situation 11: A fencer parries deep attacks and delivers ripostes from a standing position. He parries short attacks and delivers direct ripostes with a lunge.

Situation 12. A fencer parries deep attacks and delivers direct ripostes. He parries short attacks and performs ripostes with disengagement, or attacks in return.

Combinations of Different Actions

Combination 1: Attack to the forearm and remise to the forearm (leg).

Combination 2: Counter-attack to the forearm and remise to the forearm while retreating.

Combination 3: Attack with a thrust to the inside sector of the forearm and an outside flesh redoublement.

Combination 4: Circular parry of quarte and a counter-attack with a thrust to the top of the forearm. (Second parry and riposte).

Combination 5: Semi-circular parry of sixte followed by a circular parry of sixte and a direct riposte.

Technique of fencing at close quarters

Guards jostling and proximity of combat conditions are frequent. Thrusts to the inside sector of the body with the guard raised, thrusts to

the leg from lower positions (parries); with the body in a semi-turned position are advisable.

Maneuvering and preparative blade movements

Exercise 1: A fencer and a coach are bouting with blades and are executing threats to hit to the forearm.

Exercise 2: A fencer and a coach maneuver, arbitrarily approach to the middle distance, changing the initial weapon position.

Exercise 3: A fencer and a coach maneuver arbitrarily execute false attacks and counterattacks with a thrust to the forearm and false parries.

Choice of attacks. Ideomotor training

Exercise 1: A fencer executes a preparative approach (tries to perform a beat) or a false simple attack. A coach is inactive with the blade or reacts with a parry. Then a fencer attacks with a feint and hits to the forearm.

Exercise 2: A fencer executes a false attack with a feint or attacks with a prise-de-fer. The coach reacts with a counter-attack. Then the fencer attacks with opposition or parries the counter-attack and performs a riposte

Masking of attacks

Situation 1: A fencer independently maneuvers forward and backward.

Then attacks with a step backwards or a step forwards.

Situation 2: A fencer independently executes changes of positions (engagements), false beats and attacks to the forearm, then attacks.

Situation 3: A fencer executes false counter-attacks (parries) retreating from the coach's attacks. In the next phrase he attacks the coach while the coach returns to the initial position after a lunge.

Situation 4: A fencer executes a false attack with a lunge to the forearm (or to the hip). In the next phrase he repeats a false attack, then continuously executes a redoublement.

Situation 5: A fencer retreats from the coach's deep attack. In the next phrase he executes an attack on the preparation - a beat and a direct thrust (disengagement).

Masking of counter-attacks and parries with riposte

Situation 6: A fencer’s blade is in the upper position, on-line position, the lower position. A coach performs a series of attacks. A fencer retreats reacts with a false parry, chooses an appropriate moment for a counter-attack.

Situation 7: A fencer executes a false direct parry with a step backward.

In the next phrase he uses a counter-parry and riposte.

Situation 8: A fencer executes a false parry with a step backward. In the next phrase he uses a counter-attack with opposition.

Situation 9: A fencer executes a false parry with a step backward. In the next phrase he counter-attacks with the thrust to the forearm from the top (or to the mask) and takes in the front standing leg backward.

Invitation of counterattacks

Situation 10: A fencer executes a rapid and deep approach with the coach, then performs a parry with riposte or an attack by priese-de-fer.

Situation 11: A fencer executes a deep false attack on a retreating coach. In the next phrase he performs a simple attack with opposition or an attack by priese-de-fer.

Situation 12: A fencer executes an approach and a false beat. In the next phrase he performs an attack with a beat, parries the coach's counter-attack and executes a riposte with a lunge.

Independent choice of actions in standard situations

Model 1: A fencer alternates attacks to different sectors of a forearm, leg or body.

Model 2: A fencer alternates a valid attack with a false attacks and counter-riposte.

Model 3: A fencer alternates different counter-actions to counterattacks. Model 4. A fencer alternates feint attacks with attacks by prise-de-fer, a beat in different engagements.

Model 5: A fencer alternates a direct parry with a circular parry or a lower parry and riposte.

Model 6: A fencer alternates a parry and riposte with a counter-attack. Model 7. A fencer alternates a parry and retreat with a parry and advance, or a standing riposte with a riposte in a lunging position.

Model 8: A fencer alternates a direct riposte with a riposte by disengagement.

Model 9: A fencer alternates a riposte of first intention with a riposte of second intention and a counter-riposte.

Model 10: A fencer alternates a direct parry against a riposte and a circular parry. He executes direct counter-riposte, counter-riposte by disengagement or double-feint.

Model 11: A fencer alternates a parry and riposte with a two-time attack on a retreating coach.

Combinations of actions with probable tactical decisions of an opponent in the fencing phrase

Combination 1: A counter-attack with opposition to the forearm from the top. A high parry with an alternative choice and riposte.

Combination 2: A counter-attack to the forearm from the top. An attack with an inside disengagement to the body, second parry from the coach’s remise and riposte.

Combination 3: An attack to the forearm with a step and a lunge. Then a repeated flesh attack a beat in the forth engagement and a thrust to the body.

Counteractions to the opponent's straight arm

Exercise 1: A fencer attacks by prise-de-fer to the sixte and septime, then delivers a direct thrust to the hip.

Exercise 2: A fencer attacks by prise-de-fer to the quarte and octave and delivers a direct thrust to the hip.