Your torso angle to your opponent (foil)

[Grasshopper]

What angle is your torso (chest) at in relation to your opponent? From 90degrees (perpendicular) to 180degrees.

[mrbiggs]

It shifts, but I'd say probably from 135 to 160 degrees. Probably 150 or so average.

[Chafunkta]

I'd have to go with about 160 or so. I'm definitely more on the plane (or 180). If you are 90 deg with your opponent it's harder to keep balance.

[keropie]

I'm pretty squared up myself... I'd say about 115-125 for myself. It varies, clearly, from person to person, and depends largely on the style of the fencer, and the dominant eye.

[Katman]

I can't say I notice. Whatever's comfortable for me.

[Sciurus-Rex]

A solid, general rule: If you keep the toe of your leading foot pointed at your opponent, and your leading foot at no greater than 90 degrees from that line (no obtuse angle, "bowlegged" stances!), your torso will be in a good position. This also assumes, of course, that you also have a decent en guarde in sixte and you're not clenching your weapon arm in toward your belly.

When the toe of your leading foot begins to rotate toward your inside line, away from parallel to the strip, it begins a series of connected mechanical corrections: your knee and thigh turns that way, followed by your hips and then upper torso. Keep your toe pointed in the right direction and you'll find that you need less effort to keep your weapon arm where it should be.

Specific angle numbers (150 degrees? 97.5?) don't mean much on a message board like this when you consider individual body composition and vaguely defined points of reference.

[mynameismudd]

Myself, More squared off than I probably should be.

My skinny little 12 year old with a chest protector approaches being perpendicular to his opponent. He becomes almost invisible and thanks to the new timing, the large angle causes a good number of weak repostes to a bounce right off his chest protector without registering. Attack, parry, reposte, remise, remise, remise, remise. It's aint pretty.

[Black Jeebus]

I often try to give a lot of shoulder to try and draw a flick, and then turn the shoulder away once my opponent is committed. My coach is much better at this than I am, but I think it will work pretty well once I get my timing down.