What Is Fencing?

Fencing is one of only five sports to be included on every modern Olympic program. The others are swimming, track and field, cycling, and gymnastics, but fencing is way cooler than all of those because it has swords!

The sport of fencing consists of three weapons: foil, sabre, and epee. Each weapon has four main parts: the tip, the blade, the guard, and the handle. Fencers tend to specialize in one weapon.

The foil is descended from fashionable court swords worn by courtiers. It is 43 inches long and has a small, round guard. In foil, fencers score points by touching their opponents on the torso with the tip of their weapon. Fencers can score only when they have right-of-way, meaning they are on the attack.

The sabre is descended from the sword carried by the cavalry. It is 41 inches long, with a large guard that covers the hand. In sabre, fencers score touches by touching any part of the body above the waist, including the head. Sabre fencers can score touches by hitting their opponents with the point of the blade in a thrust, or the side of the blade in a cut. Sabre fencers also must have right-of-way to score. 

The epee is descended from dueling swords used to fight to the first blood. The epee is 43 inches long with a large, round bell guard. Epee fencers can score points only by touching their opponents with the tip of the sword. The entire body is a target and there is no right-of-way.

Fencing bouts are fought either to five points in pools, or fifteen points in direct elimination bouts. Most tournaments include pool bouts and direct elimination bouts. Pool bouts determine the seeding for direct elimination bouts, which run like NCAA brackets. Once a fencer loses a direct elimination bout, he or she is out of the tournament.