The Sport Of Modern Fencing
Kyle Bachner
The sport of fencing has been included in every summer olympics since the inception of the modern Olympics in 1896. Fencing will be another exciting sport to watch during the upcoming 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, where teams from all over the world are set to compete.
The term "fencing" originates from the self-defense skill of swordsmanship. The current sport's history traces back all the way to the 12th century, which saw the publication of the first books on swordsmanship. In the 17th century, fencing changed from a crucial self-defense technique to a widely practiced martial art that had fans watching the sport in an arena. Preparing for duels was common, especially in men from the upper economic echelon, till the beginning of the 20th century, when it lost popularity.
Fencing is a sport that requires hand-to-hand combat with two competitors. They use weapons that are held in the hand, not thrown or tossed which would immediately take control of the opponent. This sport also encompasses foil, eppe, and sabre. The fencing gear (http://shop.fencing.net/) has it own rules that goes with it in it's class to differentiate between weapons.
Designed for thrusts rather than cuts, the Epee is the heaviest fencing sword (http://shop.fencing.net/category_s/4.htm). The Sabre is designed for both thrusts and cuts, while the Foil is a light, thrusting weapon. All other hand-held stabbing and cutting weapons of similar design and use, such as knives, are also encompassed by the sport of fencing. But in modern standardized competition, the epee, the sabre, and the foil are the only weapons still used.
Participants in the sport of fencing are evaluated on the amount of hits scored with accuracy on specific parts of the opponent's body. Previously, judges were people who counted hits to determine the victor, like those in the sport of boxing. Today, bigger competitions primarily perform scoring using electronic sensors that are part of the competitor's apparel, as well as "fencing gear" which provides protection. Additionally, sensors are located on the weapons, as a human referee checks for violations of rules.
The strategy and tactics used in fencing are quite similar to those used in hand-to-hand martial arts. The goal of the competitor in fencing is to attempt to simultaneously defend themselves by closing lines of attack while opening lines of attack upon their opponent. Hits can only be scored if they are made by certain parts of the weapon. When thrusting, the tip must be used, and when cutting the fencer must use the blade. The blows must also land only upon certain body areas and strike with at least a minimum level of force.
Since the action is so quick and precise, there is a need for electronic scoring aids to be woven into the fencing gear. This will assist in judging during such matches. The body armor and fencing mask (http://shop.fencing.net/category_s/26.htm) are also vital in protecting competitors from sharp blows which they may take.
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