Fencing for many people evokes scenes out of romantic or action movies. Great ones include Captain Jack fighting the sword-maker's apprentice in Pirates of the Caribbean and the light-saber duels in Star Wars. Actually, dueling with swords, which dates from the Middle Ages, has been practiced ever since, even in America. The popularity of martial arts training has brought fencing Lancaster PA back into fashion.
The Spanish get the credit for formalizing the science of sword play in the fifteenth century. Spanish prominence faded as the Italians and French perfected the skill. It became more of a hobby and less war-like when the English aristocracy took it up in London in the mid 1700s. Every Olympic Summer Games has had fencing contests since they began in 1896.
Today it's a little confusing for novices, because there are two types popular in America. One is called 'classical' and focuses on self-defense. The main objective in this method is to avoid being touched by the opponent's weapon. Olympic-style is based on the skill of penetrating the opponent's defense. The object is to get more hits in with the point of a sword than the opponent does. Scoring is done electronically, with special vests recording each touch in the allowed areas of the body.
Olympic style is thought by many to be more competitive, while classical is believed to focus more on form. However, fans of the classic style say that their contests in reality would be life or death, that every hit could be dangerous if not lethal, and avoiding any thrust from the opponent's sword should be the goal. In this case, parrying a thrust, which is a purely defensive move, takes precedence over scoring a hit.
Both styles are fun ways to attain physical fitness. Like other martial arts, they develop focus and concentration, as well as character and self-confidence. In addition, they are both great for promoting agility and endurance. Both styles have protective gear, like hand guards on the sword hilts, padding for chest and arm, and face guards.
There are three types of weapons in modern fencing: the foil, the epee, and the saber. The foil is the lightest in weight, with all contact being done with the tip. The heavier epee is also a thrusting weapon. The saber is the heaviest and is both a thrusting (with the point) and a cutting sword. Points may be scored with either the tip or the edge of the blade when using a saber.
The sport is open to men and women and also to children. Part of its appeal is its historic nature and its formal terminology. The attack, the riposte, and the parry are fencing terms that have found their way into the language. Many people love being part of the heritage of dueling like a pirate or a Musketeer, or leading a cavalry charge with up-raised saber.
It's easy to find local lessons by going online. Lancaster has several lesson sites within easy driving distance. All studios will let prospective clients view classes, which can be helpful when deciding which style appeals most or choosing the type of sword to use.
The Spanish get the credit for formalizing the science of sword play in the fifteenth century. Spanish prominence faded as the Italians and French perfected the skill. It became more of a hobby and less war-like when the English aristocracy took it up in London in the mid 1700s. Every Olympic Summer Games has had fencing contests since they began in 1896.
Today it's a little confusing for novices, because there are two types popular in America. One is called 'classical' and focuses on self-defense. The main objective in this method is to avoid being touched by the opponent's weapon. Olympic-style is based on the skill of penetrating the opponent's defense. The object is to get more hits in with the point of a sword than the opponent does. Scoring is done electronically, with special vests recording each touch in the allowed areas of the body.
Olympic style is thought by many to be more competitive, while classical is believed to focus more on form. However, fans of the classic style say that their contests in reality would be life or death, that every hit could be dangerous if not lethal, and avoiding any thrust from the opponent's sword should be the goal. In this case, parrying a thrust, which is a purely defensive move, takes precedence over scoring a hit.
Both styles are fun ways to attain physical fitness. Like other martial arts, they develop focus and concentration, as well as character and self-confidence. In addition, they are both great for promoting agility and endurance. Both styles have protective gear, like hand guards on the sword hilts, padding for chest and arm, and face guards.
There are three types of weapons in modern fencing: the foil, the epee, and the saber. The foil is the lightest in weight, with all contact being done with the tip. The heavier epee is also a thrusting weapon. The saber is the heaviest and is both a thrusting (with the point) and a cutting sword. Points may be scored with either the tip or the edge of the blade when using a saber.
The sport is open to men and women and also to children. Part of its appeal is its historic nature and its formal terminology. The attack, the riposte, and the parry are fencing terms that have found their way into the language. Many people love being part of the heritage of dueling like a pirate or a Musketeer, or leading a cavalry charge with up-raised saber.
It's easy to find local lessons by going online. Lancaster has several lesson sites within easy driving distance. All studios will let prospective clients view classes, which can be helpful when deciding which style appeals most or choosing the type of sword to use.
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