Travail de lame

Blade Work

In this post I mention the different kinds of blade work used in fencing, and their uses.

Perhaps the most notable part of fencing, the use of blades sets the sport apart from the rest. Blade work can be defined as actions of a weapon's blade, stemming from the the grip from the fencer's fingers, wrist, arm, and body. For the most part the weapon is advanced and withdrawn from the target by the fencer's feet, with a few exceptions.

Blade Work Techniques

1) The Straight Thrust
The precursor of all blade actions, the thrust is the offensive presentation of the weapon to an opponent using only the extension of the arm as the delivery system, within striking or touch range to be effective. [1]

2) The Four Takes Of The Iron
             1) The Bind - semi-circular diagonal transfers, the principle ones are six, four, seven, and
                       eight, but two, three, five, and one can work just as well.
             2) The Cross - a mini-bind, usually taken from six, moving the blade down to eight. A
                        vertical semi-circular transfer.
             3) The Envelopment - a very small, tight motion, where the fencer moves the tip of their
                         blade around the opponent's bell guard, at the same time trapping/enveloping their
                          blade. Can be either clockwise or counterclockwise, depending on the location of the
                         opponent's blade. The main focus is to sweep the opponent's blade away from the
                          fencer's target area.
             4) The Opposition - the blade is used to shove aside the opponent's blade, can be taken in
                          six, four, seven, and eight. [1]

3) The Four Attacks Of The Iron
             1) The Beat - to beat or strike the opponent's blade, should be taken with the center of the
                          blade, which is the strongest part.
              2) The Expulsion - the center of the fencer's blade lies across the weak part of the
                          opponent's blade, and suddenly with great force snaps the opponent's blade downwards,
                          wrenching their wrist in a disarm.
               3) The Glide - when the fencer's blade runs quickly and lightly along the opponent's blade,
                           landing a touch in the same line.
               4) The Press - an attempt to push the opponent's blade aside or out of line. [1]

4) The Disengagement
An attack where the blade travels from one line to another, passing under the opponent's blade.
                Derobement - a type of disengage that is used to evade any of the takings of the iron, or
                           attacks of the iron.
                Trompement - a type of disengage that is used to evade an attempted parry. [1]

5) The Cut Over
A simple, indirect attack executed by moving the tip of the blade from one line to the opposite line over the top of the opponent's blade. [1]


Sources

1. Essentials of Fencing Technique. acfencers.tripod.com. Retrieved 2013-12-3.