Fencing why french

By Igor Chirashnya. On April 21, In Coaching. The point at which the fencer and the sword connect is the grip, and it is an important starting point for fencers. In fencing, the French grip is the simplest. It is a straight or slightly curved piece of metal, wrapped in some kind of cushioning material, with an enlarged piece at the end called a pommel. Other kinds of grips, like the pistol grip, are molded in various ways to fit into the hand, but the French grip offers no special finger support.

It is up to the fencer to create the structure of the hand. Because of this, the French grip is the most malleable and gives the fencer the most latitude in use. Epee fencers use the characteristic adaptability of the french grip to create a very distinctive fencing style. An epee fencer can hold close to the handguard or further down at the pommel.

How the fingers wrap around the grip is also variable, with fencers able to hold the grip any number of ways. Those are the basics of the French grip, but why is it so popular at the beginning of fencing training for both foil and epee fencers?

How you begin with anything sets a baseline for what you will do in the future, which is true for all areas of fencing. Although the use of swords dates to prehistoric times and swordplay to ancient civilizations, the organized sport of fencing began only at the end of the 19th century. Yes, classical fencing can be regarded as a martial art due to its various applications in combat and self-defense.

The classical form has far more in common with the martial arts than sport fencing, thanks to its scoring methods and physical demands. Often preferences are identified and a fencing weapon initially preferred. In general, the foil is regarded as a good entry weapon, but also suitable are the epee, and the sabre. Because the possibilities of a sabre are more extensive, beginners often prefer the epee. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel.

Skip to content Home Helpful tips Is fencing originally French? Helpful tips. Fencing has evolved over the years. Previously it had been practiced as a complex and highly technical art. Now its movements are more vigorous, with a greater emphasis on speed, accuracy, timing, agility, and stamina.

All equipment and protective clothing are now standardized. Dress includes a fencing jacket, wire-mesh mask with proper bib, leather glove, trousers or breeches and stockings, underarm protector, breastplates for women, and protective athletic supporter for men. White is usually the color of fencing uniforms and equipment. In recent years, however, the use of light pastel colors has become acceptable. Typical school in province was very ordinary. Often those schools were located on the first floor of the regular houses and had one a more or less large room with a dirt unfinished floor and a pair of small windows.

Through these windows onlookers and passers-by liked to watch through, getting excited about exercises and bouts. These schools were noticeable from the street because of the entrance sign with a hand and a rapier.

But of course fencing schools in aristocratic quarters such as Saint Germain in Paris, near the Louvre and the Royal Palace were up scaled with fancy facilities, designated smoking areas and best teachers. Musketeers had an average salary of livres per year. However rich people with solid income preferred to take private lessons at home. It was a common belief that a noble gentleman should hide how much effort and expense it took him to learn fencing.

Private lesson costs were about from two to four livres — almost as much as a month of training in a normal school of fencing. In addition to fencing a nobleman was obliged to be able to ride, so riding horses was part of the program. They also had a wide academic and cultural education.