Footwork vs. Bladework

[Joan of Ark]

They are about even, but which do you you think is more important? Bladework or footwork?

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Bladework in epee. Footwork and in foil and saber.

[The0ne]

footwork in epee, foil, and sabre. Footwork is why fencing is beautiful, footwork is why fencing is painful, footwork is EVERYTHING in fencing!! The only thing more important in fencing is willpower, but that's not something you can work on physically! So yeah, my vote goes to footwork.

[Peach]

You don't hit with the weapon. You hit with the feet.

[mrbiggs]

A little redendant, but I think it's definately footwork. I don't know about epee or saber, but a foilist with sufficient footwork won't need more than basic beats and parries to win a bout. The best parries are made with footwork, and with good timing, disengages can be made as well.

On the other hand, my footwork sucks.
Oh, well.

[neevel]

Good fencing, at heart, is largely about control of distance and tempo, and good footwork is a key to that control. On top of that, good footwork makes good bladework, since any given type of blade action needs to be executed at the right distance to be most efficient and effective.

-Dave

[telkanuru]

It's all in the feet, which is why I used to lose. In epee, even bad weight distribution on your feet can cost you points, and regularly does. Sabre... parry with distance (duh). Foil... I dunno, anyone not see the 3 articles of the marching attack?

[MHS Fencer]

Bladework? In epee? BLADEWORK!?!?

Sorry, I mean, it does have it's place, and being able to do tight disengages is very very useful, but aside from that you don't NEED a lot of bladework. You can get by without many parries - just counter attack, but the key to a successful counter attack is distance and timing, both of which happen to be products of good footwork. If you ever saw Fabrice Jeannet fence you can see how much lethality can be done with tight point control and amazing distance control. You don't appreciate the true power of footwork until you see these top fencers use it to devastate you - then you learn how important footwork really is.

[HillBilly]

Footwork is the key. Í fence Epee, but i get slaughtered when my footwork isn't up to snuff. Rather pathetic really!

[Artisan]

Bladework? In epee? BLADEWORK!?!?

You can get by without many parries - just counter attack, but the key to a successful counter attack is distance and timing, both of which happen to be products of good footwork.

Chicken or egg?

I'm in agreement with the consensus regarding footwork - but at epee, often the difference between a single and a double is solely due to the bladework in making the hit. While foil may require finding the blade to get ROW, epee can require you to find it, control it, and dismiss your opponents blade, either by displacing it, opposing it or binding it. - and of course the distance / footwork has to be right first.

[noodle]

i agree with artisan.

just look at the extremes.
can you score a point not using any bladework, only holding the blade on guard and only footwork? theoretically not against a competent opponent. they would always know where you blade is and simply take it, parry it, etc.

can you score a point not using any footwork, only standing in place? its more likely than the former option, but its also a tough thing to do against a reasonably competent opponent. if you're not moving, they'll quickly find out their safety zone and stay out of it until they pick a weakness in your guard and mannerisms and exploit it until you change or they win. sure, if they make a mistake, you can score. but the same's possible on the other issue, as well.

you can have wonderful footwork or wonderful bladework as your trademark, but you have to have the other component on some lower-but-not-too-low level to excel consistantly.

[michelle-epee]

given the choice i would have to say footwork just about you can have the best bladework in the world but if you don't have the footwork to control the distance and the bout you will lose controled movement is everyting

[DangerMouse]

Try redoing the footwork example allowing extensions (which aren't really blade work). Watching videos of Milanoli, how many touches does he get with nothing more than an extension?

[noodle]

Try redoing the footwork example allowing extensions (which aren't really blade work). Watching videos of Milanoli, how many touches does he get with nothing more than an extension?

yes, but he does well timed extensions. that, in my book is bladework since tempo and timing are big parts of bladework (and footwork alike) and an extension is the simplest of attacks.

if you don't consider extensions (the simplest of attacks) bladework then would you consider an advance (the simplest footwork) footwork? an amazingly timed advance or retreat is really all you need to win, as well. especially if you have pristine bladework (i'm redoing the bladework example here a la your redo of the footwork one).

i guess it all comes down to how one defines footwork and bladework and why.

[esskreemr]

To me, they are like breathing (not meaning they come easily). You have many factors involved in breathing that are all essential parts. So take the two most easily categorized parts inhaling and exhaling. Which is more important? The answer is that they are both dependant on each other. Let's suppose that you're a better exhaler than inhaler, doesn't do much good does it? Yet there may be certain situations when your god-given talent for exhaling is more important than inhaling. Say you want to blow a birthday candle out. You must first inhale, but that's not enough; you're exhalation must be forceful and concentrated to blow the candle out.

Awww crap, where was I? Oh yeah... How does this tie into footwork and bladework in fencing?

Well, without the one, the other will suffer and yet there are certain circumstances in which one or the other is more important. So the moral of the story is always remember to breath while fencing...

[CarlKnoch]

Chris Carter, Reciever of the Vikings at the time was quoted as saying something like: Lots of people say "nice hands" when I make a great catch. But it's not my hands that get me under the ball to give my hands a chance at it, it's my legs. Legs are what make a great reciever, not hands.

[The0ne]

noodle:
you will score more touches moving just your feet with your point in the guard position than you would not moving at all. . . (in foil)

[noodle]

noodle:
you will score more touches moving just your feet with your point in the guard position than you would not moving at all. . . (in foil)

perhaps. not the case in sabre or epee though. doesn't that even it out?

[Inquartata]

The footwork is more important, but the fun is in the bladework!

[epeemike81]

yes, but he does well timed extensions. that, in my book is bladework since tempo and timing are big parts of bladework (and footwork alike) and an extension is the simplest of attacks.

tempo and timing DEFINITELY belong in the realm of footwork. the extension doesn't mean a thing without it. it's the footwork which a) created the opportunity and b) puts you in position to capitalize on it.

footwork, by far.

-m