Fencing is the art of combat as a regulated sport using rapiers, foils, epees and sabers. Originating as military combat and dueling as a way of resolving matters of honor, fencing is now an exercise of coordination, speed and resolve in which people engage at every level of expertise. Once considered a sport of the elite, fencing is now available to everyone.
Origin of the Sport
Modern fencing evolved from the practice of dueling as a way of deciding matters of honor and law as far back as ancient Egypt. This practice was often lethal and at times would cause repercussions among groups that escalated into long feuds. In Europe, it was not until the late middle ages that this changed. As a way of reducing quarreling among noble families, King Ferdinand II of Spain passed laws in 1480 prohibiting dueling. This gave rise to the practice of fencing as a way of practicing swordsmanship and as an exercise in social refinement.
Modern Fencing
The Spanish spread the popularity of the sport, but the first formal school of fencing developed in Frankfurt, Germany in 1478. Over the course of the next 300 years, improvements in techniques and equipment produced the rules of engagement, the allowed weapons, and the required safety equipment.
Fencing has been part of the Olympics since the first games of the modern era in 1896. Since then, many high schools and colleges around the world have offered it as a class or part of gym instructions. There are fencing clubs and societies in almost every city in the world, with members who span all ages and social strata.
Equipment
The rules of fencing strictly regulate not only the type of equipment used, but its quality and condition. The masks must allow full vision, cover the entire head and protect the neck. Gloves are required to cover the hand and wrist to a certain point on the wearer's forearm and be of certain minimum thickness. The body wear has to cover the entire upper body and, in some cases, the thighs.
For safety, the fencer inspects his weapons at the start of every match to ensure that there are no cracks or bends in the blades that could cause breaks. There are three types of blades allowed, each with its own rules regarding contact and point scoring.
The foil is the lightest type and made with a triangular blade. The tip is flat and padded to prevent serious injury to either participant. The next in weight is the epee, followed by the sabre. The sabre is the only one of the three that scores points with the edge as well as the point.
Scoring
Prior to the advent of electronic point scoring equipment, a common way to to determine points was by having a pad of water-based dye on the point of the weapon. The dye showed touches that resulted in scores. After the match, the dye rinsed out.
Today, a touch triggers a sensor in the tip of the foil or epee, and along the edge of the sabre. This removes any guess work on the part of judges and participants. For regulation matches, the winner is the fencer who scores 15 touches or has the highest number of touches within three minutes. In team events, each fencer faces three opponents from the other team. The first team to reach 45 points, or the higher total for nine matches, wins.
Physical Requirements
The only requirements for fencing are that the participants be able to see and handle their equipment within the rules. This has given rise to participants in wheelchairs being able to compete. While there are no official matches between wheelchair participants and others, there is a bond and recognition between these athletes.
Mixes matches between genders is not part of the Olympic sport, but these are common in many schools and clubs. There are no weight or age categories in fencing. This makes this sport, once a practice of the elite, a universally open activity for all people.
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