Preparation?

[o4aversob]

What is a preparation? I see nothing good about them. From what I know it seems like it's a fencer advancing aggresively moving the blade around with a bent arm. What does this acomplish? If you are goign to attack, then attack. Don't make a "preparation" b/c you'll be attacked in the prep. Am I understanding what preparation means?

[Inquartata]

Sometimes, you WANT your opponent to attack a certain target or in a certain way. Thus the prep as invitation.

But apart from that, it's scarcely possible to fence well without ever preparing. A feint is a preparation, for example. So is a beat. You never do these things?

[downunder]

so is a step forward

[FoilyGeezer]

Essentially preparation is the "set-up" for an attack. An action, or actions immediately preceding the actual attack part of the attack. So Feints, beats, pumps, changes in line, movement into attack range, appels...etc.

Things that are not generally considered preparation parrys, retreating out of distance...etc.

[Craig]

A preparation is anything that isn't the attack. A beat on the blade is a preparation, a step forward is a prep. an invitation is a prep.

Attack on Preparation is what you can do when your opponent is making a preparation and doesn't realize that the distacne and/or timing favor you and not them. At that point, you can launch an attack and if you do the attack on prep. properly you will get a one-light touch.

That said, if your opponent is baiting you with their preparation you'll end up in a mistimed attack staring down their blade as the riposte / beat attack hits you.

In terms of high level fencers to watch - the videos of Sergei Golubitsky offer many examples of how to launch attacks into preparation.

Cheers,
Craig

[o4aversob]

When someone is advancing and waving there blade around laterally or in a circular movement and extends to attack; is this a preparation? Are they doing this to distract the opponent?

[Craig]

Originally Posted by o4aversob

When someone is advancing and waving there blade around laterally or in a circular movement and extends to attack; is this a preparation? Are they doing this to distract the opponent?

Simple, simple answer:

It's a preparation until it becomes an attack.

It becomes an attack once the point starts to move towards the target.

Have your coach show you as you can't really show the nuances of preparation and when you can attack into it on a discussion board.

Craig

[esskreemr]

As Craig explained (very well I might add), most of the initial actions are preparation.

Rather or not they're doing it to distract the opponent (probably), or doing it to imitate their favorite high-level fencer, or doing it because they know the director will allow them to march the entire strip, or doing it because they know their opponent will let them really depends on the skill level of the fencer.

Preparations are used to distract, decieve, generally cause the opponent to mistime as well as to get into proper distance to attack. In addition, they can also be used to decieve or avoid the opponent's blade and it seems sometimes just to impress spectators.

As a simple example:
If you and your opponent are within lunge distance:
A simple extension-lunge-hit is an simple attack. No Prep
An extension-lunge-disengage-hit, is a simple attack. No prep
An extension-lunge-disengage-disengage is a compound action.
The extension-lunge, and the first disengage are preps for the final disengage.

This is a very simplistic example that I hope others will build on (or correct). The difference between attack in prep, stop thrust in time, and counterattacking are more complex yet extremely important to understand.

Todd

[KShan5[PrFC]]

Preperations can also be used to avoid your blade from being beat while marching down and looking for an opening.

[jBirch]

o4aversob,

Technically, a preparation is any part of a compound attack except the last. It is designed to ellicit a reaction upon which the true attack will be launched and so is useful in getting your opponent to move their blade or their body into a position that makes it easier for your attack to hit. Hence, you are preparing your attack by doing things that cause your opponent to be easier to hit.

As a class of call (attack into preparation) it generally means that a touch was scored against the preparer at least a full tempo before their true attack was landed. If you want to break the phrase right down, it's actually any pure counter-attack in time.

Hope this helps.

[labouche]

Originally Posted by o4aversob

When someone is advancing and waving there blade around laterally or in a circular movement and extends to attack; is this a preparation? Are they doing this to distract the opponent?

There is a very big reason why people do this. Try attacking someone with a straight arm and see how many disengages you can do before you're parried. Chances are you won't get past 2, maybe 3. By moving your arm around you can set up your final attack, while still being ready to parry a preparation attack from your opponent. Preperation in this way is a very big part of fencing and you'll often find the fencer who sets up his preparation better comes out victorious.
-elijah

[Namir]

Originally Posted by o4aversob

When someone is advancing and waving there blade around laterally or in a circular movement and extends to attack; is this a preparation? Are they doing this to distract the opponent?

In your situation it is a prep untill you begin extension.

So all the "...advancing and waving there blade around laterally or in a circular movement..." is in prepration.

[Epeecurean]

o4aversob,

You are using the word 'preparation' too narrowly. As you can see it can refer to any number of actions to set up an touch. It likely holds a negative connotation for you because you hear directors call "attack in preparation" and inevitably the person preparing is getting hit. But directors are simply using the word as a catch-all for any action that is immaterial for right of way, like it is static noise rather than a clear signal of attack.

Think of preparation as the actions you do to set a trap. It can be holding a slightly wider parry position to invite your opponent to attack into the open line, a pressure on your opponent's blade to get them to press back and open a line or to disengage and attack you, or any number of things really. Setting traps is obviously a very good thing and doing it well will win bouts.

The key thing is that you don't want to get caught while you are setting your trap. This means knowing you are safe while doing the preparation -- you haven't stepped in too close and you're opponent isn't too ready to attack. If you are focused too much on executing the preparatory movements and not paying attention to your opponent you are in trouble.

Cheers,
Epeecurean