What are the movements in classical fencing?

I am writing a book and my characters are learning how to use a sword, but I do not know anything about classical fencing, what kind of movements are there in classical fencing?|||Well, I would go with the basic foot work. The are pretty much all the same. I'm going to "tell" you how to actually do these things so that you can experience the movements and how they feel...they pretty weird at first, so don't worry.


(I'm a sport fencer, so if you have any questions...I may be able to help you, I should be able to cover foil, sabre, and epee)





Ok...





En Garde (on guard): this is the "at the ready position". Stand with your feet together pointing forward, then make a right angle by putting your lead foot (your dominant side, if your right handed, put your right foot in front) in front of your back foot, which you will now point toward the side(left foot pointing left if your are a RIGHTIE, and right foot pointing right if you are a LEFTIE) and so that your heels are touching. Now, lift up your lead foot and place it so that your heel is where your toes were. (your feet should be just shoulder width apart) Bend your knees slightly...This is En Garde position, this position is where everything starts in fencing.





Advance (step forward): From En Garde....lift up your lead toes, and slightly kick up on your lead heel, now bring your heel to where your toes were...as you bring the rest of your lead foot flat to the floor, move your back foot underneath you...it should be one motion...if you look at your position...you should be back in the basic En Garde





Retreat (step backward): From En Garde...push off your lead foot and slightly lift your back foot, move your foot back ward and as your back foot lands on the floor bring your lead foot backwards as well (your toes should be where your heel was)....your should be in En Gadre again!





Lunge: From En Garde lift your lead foot up so that you are on the heel, then "kick" out your lead foot as far as you can and land on your heel, then put your toes on the ground. (it's like a reach and roll)...your back leg should be completely straight.





Recover (back to En Garde from the lunge): simply bend yur back knee and pull yourself backwards into the En Garde position








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These are the basic footwork movements. Basic blade movements are attacks and parries (parry riposte)...(parry=defend; riposte=attack after a parry)


I am a fencer (3 years now) and am also an aspiring writter...I would be more than happy to see what you have written about the dueling training so far and to help you with it. ;-)


The best way for you to experience fencing would be to actually do it...


you could go to a local fencing club and tell them what you are doing, I'm sure they would love to help you out, we fencers love to talk about our sport since we are really a small group.


Here is a website that gives a list of all US fencing clubs and schools!


http://fencing.teamusa.org/content/index鈥?/a>


Good luck!|||This is not a simple question to answer. What period are your characters in? Where are they based? Classically there were three key "schools" of fencing in Europe, French, Italian and Spanish. Spanish was poor and fell by the wayside and for many years French and Italian techniques were taught. Non-Europe will give you Japanese and Chinese amongst many others....





Your period will also determine what sword your characters will use. Foil is a sport sword, rather than a "real live" sword and you may find that your characters need to use a Rapier or somesuch, if they are learning "for real" in historical times..





As for movements then there are many, but beginners usually start by learning the on-guard position (these days the French school is almost exclusively taught - I used to teach Fencing and I never came across any other school). You then learn to move and to lunge. You will move to simple attacks, then learn to parry and then to riposte.





Depdning on where you hold your blade you will be in Quarte, Sixte, Septime or Octave (there are others for the more advanced) but these four positions cover the main defenses across the trunk of the body. Quarte and sixte are the most used and are what you would call "normal" positions - how you would imagine a fencer to stand. Septime and Octave are used to protect the lowe body and the blade is angled downward.





Other movements:


Ballestra (small jump and then lunge) - used to get extra reach.


Flesche (fr. for arrow) - A launched attacke culmiating in a hit as you run past your oppoenet. Make it count as to miss means that you will be wide open to a riposte.


Parry - to deflect an attack


Riposte to attacke directly after a parry.


There are loads more. See the link for some books that might help you out. No. 6 on the list might be the best.





Other swords not mentioned might include Epee, Sabre and for "real" ones - cutlass, shortsword... the list is endless!