The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to fencing:
Fencing – family of combat sports using bladed weapons. Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games. Also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing.
What type of thing is fencing?
Fencing can be described as all of the following:
Form of combat (fighting) – purposeful violent conflict meant to weaken, establish dominance over, or kill the opposition, or to drive the opposition away from a location where it is not wanted or needed. Form of hand-to-hand combat – lethal or non-lethal physical confrontation between two or more persons at very short range (grappling distance) that does not involve the use of firearms or other distance weapons. Martial art – codified system and tradition of combat practices, which are practiced for a variety of reasons: self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, entertainment, as well as mental, physical, and spiritual development. Sport – form of competitive physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants or spectators. Contact sport – involve a degree of player-to-player or player-to-object contact. Combat sport – competitive contact sport where two combatants fight against each other using specialized rules of engagement, typically with the aim of simulating real hand-to-hand combat in some way. Competitive sport – sport in which one or more participants or teams compete against one another. The one that is the most successful in achieving the objective of the game or sport event is the winner. Amateur sport – competitive sport in which participants engage largely or entirely without remuneration. Individual sport – sport in which participants compete as individuals. Recreational sport – sport engaged in as a leisure time activity. Spectator sport – sport that is characterized by the presence of spectators, or watchers, at its matches. Spectator sports are a form of entertainment.
Types of fencing
Foil fencing – uses a foil, a light thrusting weapon, targeting the torso, including the back, but not the arms. Touches are scored only with the tip; hits with the side of the blade do not count, and do not halt the action. Touches that land outside of the target area (off-target) stop the action, and are not scored. Only a single hit can be scored by either fencer at one time. If both fencers hit at the same time, the referee uses the rules of right of way to determine which fencer gets the point. Sabre fencing – uses a saber, a light cutting and thrusting weapon, targeting the entire body above the waist, excluding the off hand. Hits with the edges of the blade as well as the tip are valid. As in foil, touches which land outside of the target area are not scored. However, unlike foil, these off-target touches do not stop the action, and the fencing continues. In the case of both fencers landing a scoring touch, the referee determines which fencer receives the point for the action, again through the use of "right of way". Épée fencing – uses an épée, a heavier thrusting weapon, targeting the entire body. All hits must be with the tip and not the sides of the blade. Touches hit by the side of the blade do not halt the action. Unlike foil and sabre, Épée does not use right of way, and allows simultaneous hits by both fencers. However, if the score is tied at the last point and a double touch is scored, nobody is awarded the point.
History of fencing
History of fencing
Predecessors of modern fencing weapons
Khopesh
Bronze Age sword
Rondel dagger
Longsword
Rapier
Small sword
History of the foil
History of the épée
Historical European Martial Arts
Italian school of swordsmanship
Bolognese Swordsmanship
French school of fencing
Ecole Française d'Escrime
German influence
Fechtbuch
German masters
Johannes Liechtenauer
Paulus Hector Mair
Joachim Meyer
Classical fencing
Academic fencing (or "Mensur") History of dueling History of martial arts