Sabre Fencing Is An Exciting Sport
- Date: 2008-08-02 - Word Count: 389
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In the sport of fencing, saber fencing is the most like the sword battle of yore. Sabers weigh the most and are the biggest of all fencing equipment. The saber is truly a sword with a honed edge along the sides, different than the epee and fencing foil.
The only parts of the body that do not score a strike in sabre fencing are the back of the head, hands and wrist, and below the waist. Double touches are also prohibited. Because side touches are allowed, fencers must adapt. Defensive strategies become complex and the scores tend to be much higher.
Swords were originally built for warfare. This explains the design of the sharpness of their blades and tips. Today, the sabre blade that is used in fencing is similar in form and function except that it tends to be less flexible than other swords.
Fencing is an unusual sport in that it depends less upon brute strength, and more upon agility and strategy. This unique aspect makes this sport accessible to many more athletes. Women can even compete with men since mere size provides little advantage. However, greater arm length can be an asset in this sport.
Equality in fencing strategies and equipment is almost total, with the exception being an option for women to don a specially-designed protector to cover their breasts during battle. Perhaps due to a perceived notion of non-aggressiveness, the epee and foil tend to be the preferred weapons of women fencers.
Sabre fencing is based on the same type of strict rules and etiquette that govern all other forms of fencing. The person who will start the fence is chosen by way of the rules of "right of way". An attacker aggressively uses slashes and thrusts. To counter him, the defender uses moves called parries. When someone scores, it's called a touch. Even though epee and foil fencing require a lot of footwork, the footwork is even more crucial in sabre.
Sabre fencing is popular as a high school and college sport as are epee and foil. It is an Olympic event. As a team sport, teams are usually three people with an alternate available but only able to fence if one of the three is injured or otherwise must withdraw. There are time limits to matches, with a common one being three minutes or eight touches for sabre.
The only parts of the body that do not score a strike in sabre fencing are the back of the head, hands and wrist, and below the waist. Double touches are also prohibited. Because side touches are allowed, fencers must adapt. Defensive strategies become complex and the scores tend to be much higher.
Swords were originally built for warfare. This explains the design of the sharpness of their blades and tips. Today, the sabre blade that is used in fencing is similar in form and function except that it tends to be less flexible than other swords.
Fencing is an unusual sport in that it depends less upon brute strength, and more upon agility and strategy. This unique aspect makes this sport accessible to many more athletes. Women can even compete with men since mere size provides little advantage. However, greater arm length can be an asset in this sport.
Equality in fencing strategies and equipment is almost total, with the exception being an option for women to don a specially-designed protector to cover their breasts during battle. Perhaps due to a perceived notion of non-aggressiveness, the epee and foil tend to be the preferred weapons of women fencers.
Sabre fencing is based on the same type of strict rules and etiquette that govern all other forms of fencing. The person who will start the fence is chosen by way of the rules of "right of way". An attacker aggressively uses slashes and thrusts. To counter him, the defender uses moves called parries. When someone scores, it's called a touch. Even though epee and foil fencing require a lot of footwork, the footwork is even more crucial in sabre.
Sabre fencing is popular as a high school and college sport as are epee and foil. It is an Olympic event. As a team sport, teams are usually three people with an alternate available but only able to fence if one of the three is injured or otherwise must withdraw. There are time limits to matches, with a common one being three minutes or eight touches for sabre.
Related Tags: sport, recreation, fencing equipment, sabre fencing, sabre bladefitness
Kyle loves swordplay for both the stage and the sport and has been sharing his passion for fencing for several years. Among the favorite sites for getting more fencing information and news is www.fencing.net/. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
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