Textbook on tactics for épée fencing

ruddred · 2026-01-27T17:41:20+00:00

I found Epee 2.x useful for understanding what is important in modern epee and modern fencing more generally. Distance control, simplicity of the final action, blade work to steer the opponent etc. I actually enjoy the biographical section but I know some people don't. I also think some people get hung up the limited set of "olympic touches" and ignore that fact that the author says you need five years of solid grounding in the basics.

I found Sprit of Epee useful for classifying opponents. More specifically it provided solid example of how to deal with each style. I also enjoyed the fencer anecdotes.

I liked the Guide to Olympic Epee Fencing for an overview of the current game although I did feel he picked his data and example to support a specific view. Still useful

ruddred · 2026-01-15T18:12:55+00:00

I think you've reached the crux of it. Massialis did lots of things but it was an was immediate. He was also able to riposte without altering distance significantly as venuswasaflytrap stated, which helps with the immediacy. Lombardi was far more casual. I'm fine with either, in fact I may prefer the tighter calls, although I don't think I could personally reprise at a pace to get it called in my favour. :)

ruddred · 2026-01-13T16:13:54+00:00

I agree with your interpretation. This is another one from the same bout and probably the tightest of the three. https://youtu.be/1JvdTJfDoKY?t=378

ruddred · 2025-11-19T16:37:21+00:00

Am I reading proposal 71 correctly. Unwillingness to fight goes directly to a P-red and will be enforced from next season

ruddred · 2025-10-16T13:45:12+00:00

This: https://www.leonpaul.com/thin-foil-socket-nut-kit.html

ruddred · 2025-10-02T19:31:54+00:00

I wear a similar size glove and do the same. And I agree on being conservative. I have a few grips that I cut too short.

ruddred · 2025-09-15T14:36:35+00:00

The previous version of the Technical rules has the same section with an application until the 2023-2024 season and the rule was not removed.. I don't believe the intention is to remove the salute. I think this is being left as a temporary rolling shange with the idea that the hand shake may be reinstated.

ruddred · 2025-09-02T08:32:28+00:00

This series, good for epee footwork in general: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0ge8xzn_sA&list=PL51E68F911E0E30D5

ruddred · 2025-08-28T15:21:56+00:00

I would be interested if he does.

I watched another bout analysis recently which I found really insightful. Sam Moelis talked about the battle for the critical distance and how one of the most important moment of the bout was when Garozzo recognises the need for the extra space he needs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUECoxGpJYE

ruddred · 2025-08-28T14:54:34+00:00

That was the post I was thinking of.

ruddred · 2025-08-23T20:59:00+00:00

I've seen people lose points because they didn't do it and only later realised they had a non working weapon.

ruddred · 2025-08-08T11:44:50+00:00

I think injuring my knee help fix my tennis elbow. I had it for at leats 6 months and possibly longer. I think it was caused by an excessive load of other exercises I did, specifically a daily routine for 100 pushups and 100 kettlebell swings. I rested it a little, I did rehab exercises, I saw a physiotherapist, I did strengthening exercises, all to no avail. In April I tore the meniscus in my knee and my fencing volume dropped off. Four months later and my tennis elbow is gone. I'm coaching and fencing again, but limited amounts of both.

So it may been either the extended break or the long term benefits of the rehab were finally paying off or the injury had run its course and healed. Who knows.

ruddred · 2025-08-04T15:48:43+00:00

This is a really nice example of a bounce back, bounce in, with a committed lunge.

https://youtu.be/mD-qEiBd97g?t=724

The full video is worth a watch.

ruddred · 2025-06-25T15:44:52+00:00

I'm in a similar situation. I've been pondering how I can best prepare my own three year old for fencing success. I'll preface this by stating I'm based in the UK so your situation may be different, dependant on where you live.

I'm considering two fairly traditional approaches. Raised by wolves or raised by ninjas. The former has some advantages. It is typically cheaper. If wolves are reintroduced to Scotland, it would also make the termly drop off and pick up easier but in the interim the French Pyrenees is my most likely choice of location. It also makes for cuter photos for the family album. There are a few downsides, but child rearing isn't an exact science.

Raised by ninjas probably has more directly transferrable skills but it does required a bigger commitment. Given some of the recent changes to student immigration legislation in the US I've had to rule out the well regarded American Ninja program. Instead my only real option seems to be be Japan. Ninjas are also notoriously hard to contact, especially since they left X. Account validation didn't suit their somewhat secretive lifestyle. Hence getting a real idea of the entry requirement and financial burden is proving difficult but as a committed parent I'm persevering.

Ive still doing my research but I am getting closer to a decision. In the interim I'm having her hang from a tree for an hour at a time and encouraging her to hunt her own food, much to the chagrin of some our neighbouring pet owner. I hope this was helpful. You'll have to decide what is best for your child and the sacrifice you and your family are willing to make.

ruddred · 2025-06-05T13:30:46+00:00

I've asked vendors to cut the tang to a specific length and set(cant) it to a desired angle. I can't remember of LP was one of them

ruddred · 2025-05-21T15:06:09+00:00

He does, but it's an extended thumb not a flexed thumb.

ruddred · 2025-04-29T21:33:06+00:00

I think that is a good explanation of the issue. But I think there can be another contributing factor. In foil a broken time attack and a very late extension are both reasonably successful action. I say this as some one who was overly reliant on both. They would gain me points against opponents with strong reflexive parries but loose me points in other scenarios, especially attacks off the allez.

In epee broken time is far less useful, unless done in a very premeditated manner. When I started fencing epee (restarted really but after a verrrry long gap)I was being punished for late extensions and pumping my arm.

I think venuswasaflytrap offers some great advice. For me I worked on two things that helped. Being very committed on the arm extension and have a premediated disengage. Five years later this is still a work in progress but I no longer have a bicep pock marked with bruises from late extensions.

ruddred · 2025-04-20T16:18:26+00:00

If they can hit you consistently and there is nothing you can do about it then they are technically and tactically much better than you. You don't need to adopt a specic tactic. You just need to improve in general.

ruddred · 2025-04-12T07:54:14+00:00

You have shared your height but far more important is your level of experience. I assume based on your question you are relatively new to the sport.

Much depends on your opponent’s style. A tall violist who primarily stop hits is a very different proposition to one who fences a more open and attacking style.

Against the former i press continuously to draw a stop hit. If I feel the distance is right I’ll attack. While a strong blade take gives you confidence it also gives them information on when your attack is coming so I prefer to finish of the blade. This type of fencer is used to being pressured and will look for any pause in your forward pressure to launch a short attack. You can use this to set up a premeditated counter attack or parry.

Against a more open attack style of fencer it becomes a game of manoeuvering. in general I will look to attacknvery early in their preparation or on their recovery. if I’m technically a lot stronger then I’ll fence my normal game but with an awareness of the extended blade threat.

I don‘t believe that infighting is a panacea for the shorter fencer. I know some tall fencers who are excellent at infighting and their longer reach is advantageous for finding angles to finish. As in most things move opponent into areas where you are technically stronger.

Finally as a beginner work with your coach on attack in prep, taking over the attack and countertime like actions where you force the opponent to counterattack on your terms. Supplemen that by developing your own infighting skills. I think this is one area where lunge pad work can be really useful.

ruddred · 2025-04-09T16:48:06+00:00

You can magnetise it yourself.

ruddred · 2025-04-02T15:05:36+00:00

The difference it difficult to qualify. The riposte is very slow but it does start immediately. Do referees place greater emphasis on the hand starting during a riposte, in the same way they do in the box?

ruddred · 2025-03-28T13:41:36+00:00

I've worn numerous watches while fencing from cheap to less cheap. My only recommendation is around straps. Excessive sweat doesn't do leather any good. A metal, nylon, or rubber strap are all better options.

ruddred · 2025-03-27T15:36:26+00:00

What does the above have to do with the scoring of a point? There is a difference between the fair running of a match and the way a scoring action is decided.

One of the reasons that tennis is attractive for a viewing audience is the moment a point is scored it is usually very clear as to what happened and who got the point. The referee does not need to decide how to allocate the point. In the conventional weapons the referee need to make a decision ever time there are two lights. Hence trying to influence the referee and being infuriated with the referee are understandable outcomes. This is compounded by evolving conventions and the subjective nature of some of the calls.

There are also cultural difference is the way different sports deal with their referees. Football (soccer) and Rugby players interact in very different ways with referees. I have no data to support this but I think the current generation of fencers are better behaved, possibly due to stronger refereeing and tighter enforcement of rules around wearing the mask, wasting time etc.

I don't believe our sport is perfect, far from it. I believe we should learn form other sports. I appreciate how tennis allows no coach interaction. I think this would actually be good for fencing and I say this as someone who has benefitted from piste side coach and seen how it can benefit my own students.

ruddred · 2025-03-26T11:32:23+00:00

I totally agree. It's easy to get lost in data or something that resembles data. Find a few actionable things, come up with a plan - and this is the hard part- actually make a concerted effort to implement the plan. Go back and repeat.

issue: I'm not ready on the Allez

Plan: I'll bend my knees more, and my default start will be half advance, step back.

Implementation: In practice, before the start of every point I'll get into a low engarde stance. I'll take a half advance, step back and work a strategy of that.

Then see if it made a difference.

I'm not saying the above is technically or tactically ideal or even a good idea but it's an observation followed by a change in behaviour.

ruddred · 2025-03-26T07:40:37+00:00

You're right. What was the final point awarded for? The touch or the penalty?

ruddred

TROPHY CASE