The ability to wield cold weapons, striking blows, but not receiving them, is called fencing in the most general sense of the word (including historical, scenic, real or combat, training, etc.). If earlier fencing was considered a martial art, now it has become an independent sport.
Instructions
Step 1
Sports fencing is a representative of the sport that was included in the game program at all modern Olympics. Both individual and group competitions are held. But all the same, all fights are held one-on-one, just in group competitions the results of all team members are summed up. Types of fencing are divided according to the weapon used in duels: foil, saber or epee.
Step 2
The goal of the fencers' competition is to strike (or, in the case of sabers, strikes) the enemy, trying to prevent blows from him. The winner is the one who, within a certain time, delivers the most injections or is the first to reach a certain number of injections. If earlier several judges were engaged in fixing injections, now an electrical circuit is provided that signals with sound and light about striking. The judges only record the observance of the rules and, accordingly, count or do not count the injection. With the development of technology, innovations have appeared: judges in controversial moments can resort to video replays.
Step 3
A duel takes place between fencers on a track with a width of 1.5 to 2 m and a length of 14 m. The track is made of electrically conductive material and equipped with markings: a central line is marked, after 2 m from it, the starting positions of the opponents, side borders and rear edges are indicated … Lines are marked on both sides 2 m before the edge of the path so that the participants, when retreating, can monitor their position and not go beyond the boundaries of the path. If during the fight the opponents went beyond the lateral boundaries, the fight is stopped. If the rear boundary is crossed, the fencer is penalized with a penalty shot.
Step 4
At the very first Olympics in 1896, medals were awarded only in foil fencing. The rapier is a type of stabbing weapon with a flexible blade, the length of which is up to 110 cm, and the mass of 0.5 kg; a round guard 12 cm in diameter is designed to protect the hand. In this type of fencing, only those pricks are counted that are applied to a special metallized or electric jacket. In a duel, some rules are important: the rightness of the attack (before starting your own attack, you need to repel the opponent's attack), the rightness of the defense (after actions with your weapon on the opponent's weapon during defense, the priority of the action goes to the one who defended). When the injection is fixed, the fight is suspended, and after the judges decide whether to score or cancel the injection, the fight is resumed.
Step 5
Already at the II Olympic Games, all three types of fencing were presented, including fencing with epee. The epee is a slightly heavier thrusting weapon than the rapier. Its blade is more rigid, and its weight reaches 0, 77 kg. The length of the blade is the same as that of the rapier. The guard is 13.5 cm in diameter. Injections can be applied to the entire body of the athlete, with the exception of the back of the head. The attacker or the defender has no action priority. The point is received by the one who will strike the opponent earlier. If the difference in striking is less than 0.04-0.05 s, then the shots are counted to both sides. The only exceptions are injections at the end of the duel with the same score (here the injection is counted to the one who made it first).
Step 6
Another type of weapon for fencing is the saber. It is a stabbing and chopping weapon that can be used not only to thrust, as in other types of fencing, but also to strike with a blade. Because of this, fights are more dynamic, since it is more difficult to resist punches than thrusts. Its length is 105 cm, weight is 0.5 kg, and the fencer's hand and fingers are protected by an oval guard with a special bracket. Strikes can be applied to the opponent's upper body (anything above the waist), including the mask. The only thing is that you cannot hit the hands below the wrist. The rules are similar to the rules of foil fencing: there is also the rightness of attack and defense, in a situation of simultaneous pricks from both participants in the fight, priority is given to the attacker, the opponents try to fend off someone else's attack before organizing their own.
Step 7
Before the fight, the referees must check the athletes' equipment (special protective white suit, mask with a net and collar, gloves, fencing shoes) and the availability of spare weapons. Foil players should wear a metallized vest over the suit, limiting the target surface, saber fencers - a metallic jacket, and epee fencers - nothing, since their entire body is the target surface. Electrical circuits run through athletes' clothing, which are connected to the fixation device either by a wired system or wireless.
Step 8
Fights are held in different ways depending on the stage of the competition. The preliminary stages provide for fights up to 5 injections and no more than 3 minutes. At the final stages, there are 3 rounds of 3 minutes each, with one minute breaks between them. If, as a result, a draw is fixed, another minute is added before the first injection. At the beginning of each round of the fight, the opponents take their starting positions and stand sideways to each other (one foot in front of the other), while the weapon is directed towards the opponent, and the free hand is pulled back. At the signal of the referee, the fight begins and continues until the command "Stop" or the signal for the end of time. The fight resumes every time at the signal of the referee.
Step 9
The judges monitor compliance with all fencing rules, taking into account the type of weapon, and also impose penalties in the form of fines or yellow and red (or black, which provides for removal) of the card in case of disciplinary violations: running attack, push or intentional contact with the opponent, turn to the opponent back, etc. The head referee is assisted by judges on different sides of the track.
