Fencing is a Sport for All Ages
Amazing swordplay and high-action entertainment are not reserved for your favorite pirate epics. Fencing is a sport that offers all the thrills of swordplay from days of yore, without the macabre outcomes. The use of swords in battle goes back to the ancient eras, and by the middle ages, it had become particularly popular among the English gentry. Fencing evolved into a sport of its own, and within a few hundred years, rules emerged to define the sport. fencing equipment evolved right alongside the sport itself.
Fencing made its Olympic debut in 1896 when the governing body added to its roster of events one for the foil. The foil is the fencing gear used most commonly in the sport, both by experienced and beginners alike. Initially a training tool for smaller swords, the foil emerged in the 1700s. The torso of the body is the typical target for one using a foil. Later in the 1900s, the Olympic committee expanded their fencing events to include the epee and the saber. The epee is not considered wildly different from a foil, though it is heavier with a three-sided, stiffer blade. When engaging with the epee, the target area is not restricted to the torso.
The saber is a cutting and thrusting tool, and thus, the user can use the edge of the blade to earn valid touches while competing. In the case of the foil and the epee, where the point lands determines a valid touch.
Women’s saber fencing was introduced in 2004, and epee prior to that in 1996. Women have been competing in the foil fencing events going all the way back to 1924. Fencing continues into the London 2012 Olympics with some slight rule changes to make the sport more viewer friendly and was broadcast live for 2008 on NBCOlympics Web site.
Fencing gear is not just comprised of the weapons; protective clothing is vital in preventing injury. One should never fence without appropriate gear, since serious injury could otherwise occur. Gear typically used in practice and competition includes chest protector for women, gloves, jacket, mask, under-arm protector, shoes/socks, and pants.
Olympic fencing is an exciting competitive sport that has a long and storied past. By participating in this sport, you get a taste of history and tradition. You could be a participant in the middle of the action, or you could just be a fascinated observer; in any case, there is so much to enjoy about the exciting sport of fencing.