Mission Statement
The mission of the Eastern Kentucky University Fencing Club is to encourage and
enrich the mental and physical progress of Fencers of all ages. The EKUFC is
committedto providing physical exercise along with developing the speed of the
mind. The EKUFC is dedicatedto providing excellent training and knowledge in the
area of Foil, Epee and Sabre.

Vision Statement
The Vision of the Eastern Kentucky University Fencing Club is to provide the world
of tomorrow with well trained and experienced university fencers. The EKUFC is
committed to providing well trained and athletic leaders for the world of tomorrow.

Equipment
Adidas Shoes
Body Cords
Epee
Pistol Grip
Foil
French Grip
Glove
Jacket
Lame
Long Socks
Mask
Plastron
Pants
Sabre
Women's Plastic Chest Protector

Terms

A
Absence of blade: When the fencers' blades are not touching, either by a refusal to engage, or by one fencer's deliberate avoidance of the opponent's attempt to make blade contact.
Abstain: Neutral response by a member of the jury when questioned about the validity of a touch.
Advance: To move toward the opponent by stepping forward with the leading foot first, followed by the rear foot.
Aids: the middle, fourth, and little fingers of the weapon hand, used to control the movement of foil or epee and to vary the strength of grip
Aller: (French, "go") Director's command telling the fencers that they may begin fencing.
Angulated attack: a thrust made with the blade held or moving at a marked angle, with the weapon hand in a direct line toward target
Angulation: Moving the weapon to the target at an angle, rather than in a straight line, so as to avoid the opponent's weapon or to attack the flank
Appel: Striking the floor sharply with the front foot.
Appel-advance: Striking the front foot slightly forward on the floor followed by an advance.
Appel-lunge: Striking the foot on the floor followed by a lunge.
Appuntata: (Italian, "on point") A remise from the lunge position with a tap of the front foot on the floor. A renewed attack consisting of a stop thrust or time thrust into an anticipated delayed riposte--an immediate continuation of the attack.
Arrêt : (French, "stop") A stop-thrust or stop-cut.
Assault: A fencing bout, esp. where no score is kept.
Attack: Initial offensive action, executed with the weapon arm extending and point or blade threatening the valid target area with a progressive forward motion.
Attack, Circular: Offensive action consisting of a disengage followed by a circular disengage.
Attack, Compound: Offensive action preceded by one or more feints, or actions on the blade.
Attack, Cut-Over: Simple indirect offensive action which passes from one side of the opponent's blade to another by passing around the tip of the opponent's blade.
Attack, Disengage: Simple indirect offensive action which passes from one side of the opponent's blade to another by passing around the opponent's bell guard.
Attack, Direct: Simple offensive action executed in a straight line.
Attack, False: Simulation of an offensive action.
Attack, Indirect: Offensive action executed in a line other than the one in which it originated.
Attack, One-Two: Compound offensive action consisting of a disengage feint followed by a disengage and thrust.
Attack, Simple: Direct or indirect offensive action, executed in one tempo.
Attack, Simultaneous: Offensive actions launched at the same time by both fencers.
Attack, Straight: Simple direct offensive action.
Attack-in-time: A stop-hit.
Attack-in-preparation: An offensive action made while the opponent is setting up to attack.
Attack on the blade: Actions executed on the opponent's blade (e.g., beat, press, glide, expulsion).

B
Balestra: (Italian, "crossbow") A jump executed by raising the front foot and jumping forward with the rear foot, landing with both feet at the same time and striking the strip sharply with the front foot. Can also refer to the jump-lunge.
Barrage: A fence-off between two or more fencers who are tied, to determine a winner.
Bayonet: One type of electrical body cord connector used for foils, which requires a push-and-twist rather than a plug-in action to insert into the socket on the weapon.
Beat: A sharp tap on an opponent's blade to initiate or threaten an attack.
Bell guard: The protective part of the weapon above the grip.
Belly cut: (Sabre) A horizontal cut to the opponent's stomach.
Bib: The protective fabric attached to the mask, protecting the throat.
Bind: An attack which engages the opponent's blade and moves it diagonally to the opposite quadrant (i.e. from the inside high to the outside low, or outside high to inside low, etc.). See Transfer, Diagonal.
Black card: A card from the referee signifying a fencer has been expelled. See the Schedule of Offences and Penalties for more information.
Blade: The main part of the weapon.
Blade, taking of: See Transfer.
Body cord: Electrical wire worn by the fencer to connect the weapon to the reel cord.
Bout: A contest in its entirety between two fencers.
Bout committee: The group of officials which oversees a tournament.

C
Cadence: The rhythm of a fencer's movements; related to tempo.
Ceding parry: A yielding parry allowing the attacker to keep control of the blade during a prise du fer; as the prise du fer is completed, the defender then bends his arm into the line in which the prise du fer has carried his blade. By doing this, the attacker's point, during his final thrust, falls into the forte of the defender's blade and is deflected from the target.
Center line: A line across the piste, or field of play, dividing it into two equal halves.
Change beat or bind: A beat or bind preceded by a circular motion, passing under the other side; a circular beat or bind.
Change (of engagement): The act of engaging in a new line; a reorientation of the relative positions of yours and your opponent's blades made by moving your blade from the engagement, via a circular motion, to the new line of engagement.
Chest cut: (Sabre) A diagonal cut to the opponent's chest.
Circular attack: See Attack, Circular.
Closed line: A line of engagement when the defender's weapon is protecting the line to a straight thrust.
Composed attack: See Attack, Composed.
Compound: An attack or counterattack involving several moves.
Conversation: Back-and-forth blade play in a bout, composed of phrases separated by periods of no action.
Copertino: A false coupé, made without changing the line.
Corps-à-corps: A move involving body contact, where two fencers are engaged in a way that allows neither to use his or her weapon.
Coulé: A glide. A type of opposition attack or counterattack.
Counter-attack: An attack against an attack.
Counter-coupé: A coupé which deceives the opponent's change of engagement.
Counter-disengage: A disengage which deceives your opponent's change of engagement.
Counter-parry: A parry made by moving your point in a circular motion such that your blade returns to the original line of engagement.
Counter-riposte: A riposte made after parrying the opponent's riposte.
Counter-time: An action made against an opponent's stop thrust or stop cut; a second intention attack.
Coup d'arrêt: A stop thrust.
Coupé: A simple attack, made in one motion by lifting the point over the opponent's point and extending the weapon arm so that the point threatens the opponent's target; a cutover.
Coup lancé: A launched hit; an attack that starts before, but lands after the halt is called -- a valid hit except when time runs out.
Croisé: A defensive action which engages the opponent's blade and moves it vertically to the opposite line, typically done by reversing the hand from a quarte parry into a seconde parry and finishing in a low line. The croisé is the same movement as a bind except that with a croisé there is no lunge; the croisé is a simultaneous parry and riposte rather than an attack.
Cross: An advance or retreat made by crossing one leg over the other, as in a passé avant (forward cross), a passé arrier (backwards cross) or a Russian Lunge.
Crossbar: The projecting parts of the Italian hilt which provide leverage to the grip.
Cuissard: That part of the fencing jacket protecting the groin.
Cut: (Sabre) An offensive slice or chop with the edge of the blade.
Cutover: A disengage that passes over the point of the opposing blade; see coupé.
Cutting the line: Interrupting an opponent's feints with a sweeping action of the blade.

D
Deceiving the blade: Any action which deliberately avoids contact with the opponent's blade.
Degagement: A disengage.
Demi-contre: A half counter-parry (e.g., from fourth to seventh, or sixth to eighth lines).
Demi-disengage: A half disengage (e.g., from the high to low, or low to high lines).
Demi-volte: A half turn done with one foot (90 degrees of a full 180 degree turn).
Derobement: A movement of the blade which avoids the opponent's attempt to make blade contact.
Development: A simple thrust and lunge, executed as one movement.
Director: The presiding judge of a fencing bout; also called the "president".
Disarm: Forcing the opponent to entirely release his grip on his weapon.
Direct attack: See Attack, direct.
Direct elimination: A form of competition in which a fencer retires after losing one bout.
Disengage: To break contact between blades, done by one fencer passing his or her blade under the opponent's blade.
Disengagement: A simple attack, or riposte, which moves from the line of engagement to the opposite line by passing under your opponent's blade.
Distance: See Fencing distance.
Dolté: Using small movements with index finger and thumb to control the weapon.
Doublé: An attack consisting of two disengages in the same line, deceiving a counter-parry.
Double disengage: An attack involving two disengages in the same line and a disengage to the opposite line, deceiving a counter-parry and a lateral parry.
Double hit: Successful contact with the sword by both fencers within .04 of a second; counted as a hit only in epee competition.
Dry fencing: Fencing without electrical scoring equipment.

E
Engage: To make contact blade-to-blade.
Engagement: When two fencers' blades make contact with one another.
En garde: (French, "on guard") The position that fencers take before a bout begins or after a break in the action.
Envelopment: Taking the opponent's blade by describing a circle, with both the fencer's blade and the opponent's, such that they return together to the original line of engagement.
Épée: One of the three fencing weapons. The épée is a thrusting weapon having a triangular-shaped cross-section. Épée target is the entire body of a fencer.
Escrime: French term for "fencing".
Esquive: Any body movement made, other than covering target, to avoid being hit, such as ducking, side stepping, withdrawing, etc.
Extension: Thrusting with the weapon arm so that the elbow is completely straight.

F
False attack: An attack, usually involving a lunge, made with no intention of hitting; intended to test the opponent's defensive reactions, or to finesse the opponent into parrying and riposting so that the fencer can parry and counter-riposte.
Feint: A false attack designed to force an opponent into a reaction that opens the way to a genuine attack.
Fencing distance: The space between two fencers at any given moment.
FIE: Fédération Internationale d'Escrime. The regulatory organization which governs all international fencing.
Finale: The last movement of an offensive or defensive action.
Finta in tempo: (Italian, "feint in time") A stop thrust, usually made against an attempted prise du fer.
Flanconnade: An action directed against the opponent's flank.
Flèche: (French, "arrow") An attack initiated by crossing the back foot over the front foot with the arm extended, and often running past the opponent.
Flick: A wide coupé, usually to the opponent's back or shoulder, which relies on the flexibility of the foible of the blade to bend and strike with the point on target.
Flying parry: A parry and riposte made in one motion, usually as a coupé.
Foible: The flexible forward part of the blade near the tip; the weakest part of the blade.
Foil: One of the three fencing weapons. The foil is a thrusting weapon, having (in cross-section) a quadrangular-shaped blade. Foil target is restricted to the torso, groin, and back.
Forecut: (Sabre) A stop cut.
Forte: The part of the blade nearest the bell guard; the strongest part of the blade.
Froissément: An attack on the opponent's blade with a strong, sharp, accentuated glide along the blade so as to deflect it; a graze.

G
Glide: An attack executed by engaging your opponent's blade and sliding along it straight to the target; a coulé.
Glove: A protective garment worn on the weapon hand. The fencing glove must cover the opening of the jacket sleeve and extend at least halfway up the forearm.
Graze: A glide (coulé) forcefully executed.
Grip: The manner in which the weapon is held; also, the handle used to hold the weapon.
Guard: The protecting part of the hilt of your weapon; the bell guard.

H
Handle: The grip (sense 2), the part of the hilt you hold in your hand; e.g. French, Italian, Russian, Belgian, Visconti, or a wide variety of other molded styles.
High line: That part of the target area above an imaginary horizontal line drawn through the center of the target.
Hilt: Collectively, the part of the weapon composed of the bell guard, handle, and pommel.
Hit: A point scored by a touch with the tip of the blade or, in sabre, the edge of the blade against any part of the opponent's body in the target area.
Homologated: In reference to fencing equipment, certified for use in FIE (international) competitions (e.g., 1600N and 800N clothing; maraging blades; etc.)

I
Imbroccata: A time thrust in the outside low line.
Impression: Use of a fencing movement to mislead the opponent as to true intent.
Incontro: A double touch.
Indirect attack: A simple attack into the opposite line of engagement.
Induction: A fencing action intended to provoke a desired action from the opponent.
In line: Point in line.
Inquartata: An evasive maneuver made by pivoting on the front foot and making a demi-volte with the rear foot to the outside line; often accompanied by a stop thrust.
Inside line: That part of the opponent's target, toward the unarmed hand, from an imaginary vertical line drawn through the center of the target.
Insistence: Forcing an attack through the opponent's parry.
Intention, first: An action made with conscious intent to score with that action.
Intention, second: An action made with intent to draw a planned response from the opponent in order to score with a subsequent action, such as a false attack intended to draw the riposte.
Invitation: An opening or action made to provoke, or invite, the opponent to attack in a predictable manner; e.g., opening the line in quarte to invite an attack in quarte.

J
Judge: In non-electrical competition, an official whose job is to watch the fencer and determine if a touch has or has not landed.
Jump: See balestra.
Jury: In non-electrical fencing, the four judges and the director responsible for conducting a competitive bout.

K
Kluge: A poorly-executed action or sequence of actions, which nevertheless scores.

L
Lamé: A metallic vest (in foil) or jacket (in sabre) which covers the fencer's target area; used in electric fencing.
Liement: A bind.
Line: The main direction of attack: high-outside, low-outside, high-inside, or low-inside. The line may be "open" or "closed", depending upon the relative positions of the attacking blade, the target, and the defending blade.
Line of engagement: The line on which the fencer's and the opponent's blades come into contact.
Lunge: The basic attack in fencing where a fencer closes the distance between foes by moving the front leg forward while the back leg remains stationary and straightens out.

M
Mal-parré: A weak parry, which fails to prevent an attack from landing.
Manipulators: The thumb and forefinger; used to control the motion of the blade.
Maraging steel: A specially-formulated steel used in making fencing blades; stronger and breaks more cleanly than other steels. Maraging blades are required in FIE (international) competition.
Mask: The protective wire-mesh headgear worn by all fencers.
Martingale: A short strap around the grip which restrains the weapon from being deflected and keeps it in a safe position.
Measure: The distance between fencers.
Middle: The middle third of the blade, between forte and foible.
Moulinet: (Sabre) A complete circling action of the blade, forward and then away from the body, pivoting on the elbow, used as a drill and as a means of delivering certain cuts in combat. (Foil, épée) A thrust delivered with an overhand swinging motion from the wrist.

N
Neuvieme: (French, "ninth") An unconventional parry, sometimes described as blade behind the back, pointing down (an octave variant); other times similar to an elevated sixte. Also called "septime haute" (high septime).

O
Octave: (French, "eighth") The eighth parry of the French school, defending the outside low line, with the hand held supinated.
Off-target: In foil and saber, a touch made on the non-valid surface (non-target area) of the fencer.
One-meter penalty: A penalty where the action is moved a metre further back on the piste for the offending fencer before a bout is restarted.
One-Two: An attack consisting of two disengages in laterally opposite lines.
One-Two-Three: An attack consisting of three disengages in laterally opposite lines.
On guard: En garde. The position a fencer assumes at the start of a bout; also, a Director's command telling the fencers to assume the en-garde position and prepare to fence.
On-guard line: A line on each side of the centre line where a fencer stands to begin or resume a bout after a hit has been awarded.
Opposition: An action in which the fencer's blade keeps contact with the opponent's blade and pushes it aside.
Orthopedic grip: Pistol grip; any molded handle.
Outside line: That part of the target toward the armed hand from an imaginary vertical line drawn through the target's center.

P
Parry: A defensive action where a fencer blocks or deflects the opponent's blade.
Pass: An attack made by crossing the feet (e.g., a flèche, a Russian lunge, etc.); also, when the fencer moves past an opponent.
Passé: An attack that passes the target without hitting.
Passato sotto: An evasive action by a defending fencer, executed by placing the unarmed hand on the floor and, at the same time, doing a reverse lunge.
Pattinando: An advance-lunge, in double-time.
Phrase: An uninterrupted series of fencing actions (e.g., attack/riposte/counter-riposte).
Penalty hit: A hit credited to a fencer when the opponent commits an offence after a warning.
Piste: (French, "strip") The field of play for a fencing bout.
Pistol grip: Any of the molded handles used in foil and épée; an orthopedic grip.
Plaqué: A point attack that lands flat.
Plastron: Protective clothing worn under a fencer's jacket.
Plate: The fencing strip.
Point: The theoretical piercing tip of the fencing weapon; also, what the director awards in foil and sabre when the fencer having the right-of-way hits the opponent's valid target; in épée, when a fencer scores a valid hit first in a fencing action.
Pointe d'arrêt: In foil or épée, an attachment to the tip of the weapon that aids in registering hits (either electrical or non-electrical).
Point in line: When the fencer aims the point of his or her blade at the opponent's target area by extending his or her weapon arm in a straight line from the shoulder.
Pommel: The end of the hilt, which acts as a counterbalance to the blade and holds the weapon together.
Pool: A grouping of fencers who fence each other to determine relative ranking.
Pool unique: A form of competition where everyone fences everyone to determine relative rankings.
Preparation: The initial phase of an attack, before right-of-way is established.
Presentation: Offering the blade for engagement by the opponent.
President: The director of a jury.
Press, pressure: A blade attack made by contacting the opponent's blade and pressing it (varying degrees of pressure can be applied); a lateral press on the opponent's blade.
Prime: (French, "first") A position that covers low and inside, with the thumb toward six o'clock, and the hand over-pronating with the weapon's point down.
Priority: (Sabre) A system of awarding touches when a simultaneous attack occurs in which the right-of-way cannot being clearly established.
Prise du fer: (French, "taking the iron") A "taking" or contacting of the opponent's blade in an offensive or counter-offensive action; taking the blade.
Pronation: The position of the hand with the palm facing downwards: used in the second, third, and fifth parries in foil and épée.

Q
Quarte: (French, "fourth") The fourth parry or guard position, defending the inside high line.
Quinte:(French, "fifth") A defensive position that covers (protects) the inside high area, the weapon point being higher than the hand, which is pronated.

R
Radoppio: A reprise d' attack executed by lunging and immediately recovering forward, then lunging again.
Rassemblement: Withdrawing from the on-guard to a standing position; used in épée as a defensive movement.
Rear-lunge: See reverse lunge.
Recover: To return to the en garde position after lunging.
Red card: A card from the referee signifying a penalty hit has been charged against a fencer for a rules violation. See the Schedule of Offences and Penalties for more information.
Redouble, redoublement: To attack an opponent a second time after the opponent fails to counterattack.
Remise: To attack again immediately after the opponent has blocked an initial attack.
Repêchage: A form of competition where the losing fencer in a bout, eliminated from directly qualifying to the next round, fences another losing fencer for a second chance to qualify.
Reprise d'attack: A new attack executed immediately after a backward or forward return to on-guard.
Retreat: To move away from the opponent by stepping back first with the rear foot, followed by the front foot, keeping the orientation of the feet constant relative to each other; to step back.
Reverse-lunge: A lunge, executed without forward motion, by extending the rear leg and weapon arm into the lunge position.
Ricasso: The flat part of the blade above the crossbar suitable for gripping; on an Italian foil or épée, the flattened part of the blade (tang) within the bell guard, between the bell guard and the crossbar.
Right of way: A rule established to eliminate virtually simultaneous attacks between two fencers in foil or sabre by allowing a referee to determine who was on offence at that moment and had "right of way" to score a point.
Riposte: A counterattack by a fencer who just has blocked an attack by the opponent with a parry.

S
Sabre: One of the three fencing weapons; a cutting and thrusting weapon. The hilt has a knucklebow on the guard to protect the hand. Target is the entire body above the hips.
Salle d'armes: A fencing school.
Salute: A courteous gesture to opponent, jury, and audience, at the beginning and end of the bout; the blade is raised so that the blade is perpendicular to the field and the bell guard is close to the face; the blade is then dropped. Required of competitive fencers at the beginning and end of bouts; penalties are applied for failure or refusal to salute.
Seconde: (French, "second") The guard or parry defending the outside low line with the weapon hand in pronation; a position that covers the inside low area, with the weapon's point lower than the hand, which is over-pronated.
Semi-circular parry: a parry that moves in a half circle from the high line to the low line (moving from the high line to an octave or a septime)
Sentiment-du-fer: (French, "feel of the iron") A sense of the blade, or feeling for the opponent's blade.
Septime: (French, "seventh") The guard or parry defending the inside low line with, the weapon hand in supination.
Sforzo: The froissément.
Simple: In one move, as in an attack or riposte involving a single move. See Attack, simple.
Simultaneous: When both fencers launch attacks which occur so close together that the director is unable to establish who had the right-of-way; actions occurring at the same fencing "time.".
Sixte: (French, "sixth") The guard or parry defending the outside high line with the weapon hand in supination.
Steal the time: An action taken to touch the opponent's target before the opponent's final movement.
Stepped-on flèche: A flèche which begins with a vigorous step by the front foot, followed by a slower crossover.
Stop-cut:
Stop-cut: (Sabre) A cutting action made at the moment the opponent initiates some action (usually an attack).
Stop-thrust: A sudden counterattack made by extending without lunging.
Straight Attack: see Attack, straight.
Strip: The fencing floor area: 14 meters long by 1.5 to 2 meters wide.
Substitution of target: (Foil, sabre) Replacing or covering valid target area with invalid target (e.g., covering part of the lamé with an arm). Hits made on the substituted surface may be scored as valid hits.
Supination: The hand positioned with the palm facing up.

T
Tac au tac: A riposte made immediately after a percussive parry by bouncing forward off the opponent's blade.
Taking the blade: Making contact with the opponent's blade in preparation for an attack; includes prise du fer, envelopment, croisé, bind, and the glide.
Tang: The part of the blade which is inserted into the handle.
Target: The area of a fencer's body specified by the rules as the legitimate scoring surface.
Tempo: A general term describing time relationships of fencing actions, related to cadence.
Temps perdu: Fencing actions, usually composed, executed with a pause or syncopation.
Three-prong connector: an épée body cord connector.
Thrown point: A flick.
Thrust: A simple attack, made in one motion, where the point of the weapon moves directly toward the target with a full arm extension.
Tierce: (French, "third") The guard or parry defending the outside high line with the weapon hand in pronation.
Time: The time required to perform one simple fencing action. (There is no clock measurement of this time; it's subjectively determined by the director.
Touch: A hit with the point of the weapon or a cut with the edge of the sabre, scoring a point.
Transfer (transport): An action on the opponent´s blade that moves it from one line to another while maintaining contact with the blade; a croisé, bind, or envelopment.
Transfer, diagonal:
Traversone: (Sabre) A diagonal chest cut.
Trompement: A deceiving of the opponent's attempt to parry.

U
Underarm plastron: see plastron.
USFA: United States Fencing Association, the governing body for sport fencing in the United States. Website: http://www.usfencing.org
USFCA: United States Fencing Coaches Association. Website: http://www.usfca.org

V
Valid: A touch scored on target area.
Vest: see lamé.
Volta: A turning or rotating of the fencer's body.

W
Warning: Formal notice made by the director to a competitor that a rule infraction has taken place and that penalties may be applied.
Warning line: A line two meters inside the rear line warning a fencer he or she is near the end of the piste.
Whip-over: (Sabre) A touch resulting when the foible of the blade whips across the opponent's bell guard or blade when parried.

Y
Yellow card: A card from the referee signifying a warning has been issued to a fencer for a minor rules violation. See the Schedule of Offences and Penalties for more information.
Yielding parry: A parrying technique which uses the opponent's pressure on the defending blade to divert the defending and attacking blades into another line where the line is then closed; see ceding parry.

Z
Zone theory: A tactical theory which proposes that one's location on the strip determines one's choice of fencing actions.

Thanks to the BlueGrass F.C. for the Terms resource.