Introduction and question about epee en garde

[JacoKierkegaard]

'ello everyone, I'm Will and I'm new.

I just got into fencing this year. My university offers a P.E. course with a fencing lab, so I've taken that and loved it. Since then, I've joined/helped form the brand new UNCW Fencing Club, and I've just started going out and fencing at our local club, where my P.E. teacher is the head coach. We fence foil in class, so that's where I've learned all the basics, but for my actual weapon I'm still kind of deciding between sabre and epee, leaning toward epee.

Which brings me to my question. Several people have advised me that I'm giving up touches by having my arm out of position and exposing target. They are, of course, right. Having trained on foil, I've previously tended to adopt an en garde position with my elbow bent and the grip in close to my body. The people I fence with are advising me to use an en garde position with my arm almost totally straight, elbow just slightly bent. This makes sense, keeping my wrist and arm in line with the bell guard to protect them and whatnot.

However, I've watched a lot of pro-level bouts on YouTube, and it seems to me that all those epeeists, as well as some others at the club I've fenced with, are using a LOT more bend in the elbow than I'm being advised to use. I suppose I'd feel a lot more comfortable holding the weapon closer in like they do, not to mention the fact that holding a (relatively) heavy object that far out in front of you for long periods of time starts to suck after a while.

So, my question isn't so much about disputing the advice of a lot of people who know more than I do as it is about just wondering how they're all getting away with keeping their swords in a position that I'm advised not to use. Are people just giving me this advice because I'm a beginner? More specifically, am I being advised to take this position temporarily to minimize the hits I take right now until I've figured out the proper distance and got a feel of when and where attacks are coming from, or is this generally good advice for all levels of epee even though I'm not seeing a lot of widespread use of it?

[Mr Epee]

So, my question isn't so much about disputing the advice of a lot of people who know more than I do as it is about just wondering how they're all getting away with keeping their swords in a position that I'm advised not to use.

Well, as you already mentioned, they're pros. Their sense of timing, distance, and situation has been honed over many years of training. While I don't know exactly who you've been watching, private lessons, and competitive experience are certainly a factor in developing a more relaxed style.

Are people just giving me this advice because I'm a beginner?

To a certain extent, probably so.

More specifically, am I being advised to take this position temporarily to minimize the hits I take right now until I've figured out the proper distance and got a feel of when and where attacks are coming from, or is this generally good advice for all levels of epee even though I'm not seeing a lot of widespread use of it?

I don't know your coach/instructor, but I'm guessing this is, as you suggested, a temporary suggestion to help locate yourself, while adding an additional layer of protection to an exposed target.

Remember: in order to explore the more interesting parts of fencing (the real reason people like it), you'll have to learn the techniques that help you avoid giving up lots of super easy hits.

For now, go ahead and keep your arm slightly more extended than you might normally. Eventually, you may choose to continue this approach, or do something else entirely. Eventually.

[Fencergrl]

Mr. Epee is right on the money... him and a few others are folks you should listen to here.

[ccoppola]

Hi Will!

I'm pretty new too: only fencing 3yr with Epee.

My coach gave me the same advice:

straght line from elbow, to wrist, to tip of epee.

Tuck in elbow a little, wrist out a little, tip in a little (to opponents L shoulder)

It felt a little unnatural at first, but after doing it a thousand times, you stop thinking about it, and you get the protection from the bell guard like a tube up your whole arm.

Here is the best trick I ever found: practice in front of a mirror: you can see instantly when you are exposing your arm in en garde or extend.

Have fun and get touches!

C

[Hauptman]

I fence epee with my arm in both positions, bent or extended, depending on the situation. But in either case it is the angle of my forearm that is most important.

In foil you may have a bent arm and not care about the angle of the forearm; it could be almost vertical and will not hamper your defense. But in epee I want my forearm more horizontal even if my elbow is bent; this way my advanced target (hand/forearm) is more protected behind my bell guard.

I hope I explained that clearly.