Lesson 3: Disengage and beat attack

In this class we turn our attention back to the attack. Up until now we have only dealt with straight attacks and direct ripostes, but in this class we will start to mix things up. The straight attack can sometimes be more effective if there is first some type of preparation on the opponents blade. The simplest such preparaion is the beat attack. Secondly, when you attack, a normal reaction for your opponent is to parry. Why not try to evade the parry in some way and continue the attack? Well, such moves are common in fencing, and the disengage is one of them.

Warmup

Jumping jacks - just a few minutes to get arms and legs warm
Neck rolls - note: don't roll back! It is bad for your neck.
Arm circles - both ways, getting bigger
Arms circles - big, arms going opposite ways (I like this one since I can do it :-)
Hip bends
Partner stretches - get to know people in the club! :-)
- Ham strings - partner is behind you and assisting
- Right-left ham strings - partner is to the side and assisting
- Butterfly's - partner is in front of you and assisting, partner also provides resistance

Footwork warmup

1 line drills
- Say footwork
- Follow the leader
2 line drills
- With switching sides in the middle
- With mask in hand (fun)

Lesson 2

Beat attack
- A crisp spank of the blade
- Not too hard
- Not a glide, come off the blade
- DON'T OVER USE
Disengage
- Point of foil makes small V
- Distance very important
- Hard to get right first off
- Make action as small as possible

Drills

2 line drills
- One side lunges and hits
- One side lunges and the other parries
- One side lunges and the other parries and ripostes
- One side beat attacks
- One side beat attacks and the other ripostes
- One side attackes with disengage
Game
- One side is defender, other side gets attack to do, offense gets points for hits, defence for parries

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redrod@glue.umd.edu

Last modified: Wed Dec 4 20:24:10 1996