French grip questions

[Monsieur le Comte]

The club I started fencing at showed me how to fence using pistol grip foils. I've been wanting to learn to fence with the French grip though.

I have two main questions:

Are French grips left or right handed? Or is it the same for either hand?

and

Can anybody tell me how to properly hold a French grip (which side does the curve go on)?

Thanks!

[RITFencing]

Do a search... french grips are not ambidextrous; they are held so that they curve slightly to the inside, and unless you're using it to train your fingers, there isn't much point to using one in modern foil.

[keropie]

For future reference, use the search button. I'm not about to regurgitate everything that is written on this forum about the french grip. However:

French grips are either left or right handed. They are not ambidextrous. Leon Paul makes an ambidextrous grip, but it's a tennis racket grip. Almost literally.

The outside of the curve [i.e, this part --> ( ] goes into the palm of your hand. Honestly, one way should feel MUCH better than the other way.

In reality, all grips are held the same way. Once you know where the top of the grip is (i.e., curve into your hand for the french), pinch the top and the bottom between your thumb and forefinger, respectively. Let your other fingers fall wherever it is they may. The end. Unless you have some really strange hands, your other fingers will fall where they should.

And you can hold your french grip further back from the guard (known as pommeling or posting). Use the search function to learn more.

[Go? Fencing?]

French grips are either left or right handed. They are not ambidextrous. Leon Paul makes an ambidextrous grip, but it's a tennis racket grip. Almost literally.

Well, LP makes two ambidextrous grips. In addition to the tennis racket one (which I believe DEST uses), they also make the Universal grip, which is the same size as a normal French grip, but can be used in either hand (which I use).

[keropie]

I wonder how many people would consider either grip to really be a 'French' grip? I mean, the tennis racquet grip can't be, imo, but the universal grip is at least more questionable. . .

Though of course either should be perfectly legal for posting/pommeling. . .

[piste off]

Not sure I agree that french grips have to be right or left oriented (guards obviously are another thing).

For a long part of my epee fencing career I used a Negrini saber handle that was straight down the middle and perfectly symmetrical on both sides. That fact that it was a saber handle was immaterial. Everyone referred to it as a "french grip."

Rick

[edew]

I have a saber grip as well on my foil for lessons. That way, I can switch off between left and right handed without getting another foil over. I hate using an off-hand pistol grip just to give lessons. It doesn't do my hand any good and doesn't give my students the proper tempo and movement that a real grip would give.

[striker]

..................................................
Can anybody tell me how to properly hold a French grip (which side does the curve go on)?

Thanks!

Please click on the following pdf document from the web site of the
Canadian Fencing Federation. You need to install the Adobe Acrobat
reader software on your PC first. Please read page 33 of the document.
There are several illustrations showing you step by step how to
properly hold the French grip. I hope this helps.

http://www.fencing.ca/coaching_manua..._intro_eng.pdf

[HDG]

Just for reference, here's the LP ambidextrous grip.

79B_web.jpg

[edew]

Looks like a Brancusi sculpture.