Fencing. How to watch fencing in order to understand everything Differences between foil fighting

Fencing is one of five sports that are included in the program of all Olympic Games.

It appeared for the first time in the program in 1896, since 1900- Olympic tournaments were already held on all types of weapons used now.

When fencing became a sport

As the art of piercing weapons, swordsmanship was born in the 15th century in Spain... A little later in Germany and England were created associations of teachers of fencers.

In the 16th century in Italy first established the principles of fencing. A theoretical course was created to study it. This period can be considered the birth of fencing as a sport.

Its first international charter of rules was defined in 1914, although at that time fencing was already considered a separate sport, and was included in the program of the Olympic Games. In 1921 held the first world championship organized by a slightly earlier created International Fencing Federation.

Reference. The first competitions similar to modern tournaments were held 3 thousand years ago in Egypt, India, Ancient Greece, Rome, Japan and China. Ancient frescoes speak about it.

What kinds of this sport are there now

There are three types of weapons used in modern fencing: sword, rapier and saber.

Sword

It is a stabbing weapon. This type considered the most common. The duel is closest to the dangerous combat fencing.

Photo 1. Epee for sports fencing. At the end of the blade there is a special electronic tip that fixes the pricks.

This kind of fencing the heaviest of the three... In particular, the weight of the epee is more than 700 g.

This type of fight has the following features:

• Any part of the body can be affected: the torso, head, or limbs, and the swordsman's equipment and clothing. In this case, points are awarded for any injection.
• Points for shots that opponents inflicted at the same time to each other, both are counted at once.
• The fight of the swordsmen usually lasts a long time. due to the fact that opponents choose an expectant strategy, since it is very easy to get a shot and a point for it.
• Many believe that a tall athlete with long arms has the advantage in a duel. but this theory has no statistical evidence: fencers with different heights win in international tournaments.

Rapier

It is a stabbing sporting weapon. Among the three types, it is considered the safest, therefore women and children aged from 10 to 12 years old. She has a relatively low weight - 500 g, and the length is the same as that of the epee - 110 cm.

Differences in combat with rapiers:

• The surface of the body that can be hit with a rapier and get a point, the smallest among the three types of fencing... In particular, this is the torso and neck (the lower part of the tongue of the mask).
• There is a so-called concept of priority or "tactical correctness". This rule is that the enemy must first repel the attack and thus gain priority before striking back.
• If there is a mutual attack (simultaneous), points for possible injections will not be awarded.

Important! Foil fencing considered a basic species that all athletes must master. After that, they already choose another profile (epee or saber) or remain foil fencers.

Saber

Unlike the first two types (epee and rapier), the saber is not only a thrusting weapon, but also a slashing weapon. Its weight is the same as that of a rapier, but the length is different: 5 cm less.

The main feature of this type of fencing is that points are awarded here for both shots and strikes... In this case, the blow can be inflicted by the entire surface of the blade or by its butt.

Features of saber fencing:

• May be affected head (mask), arms and torso.
• Besides hitting for a point, priority must be given as with rapiers.
• Saber fencing is more dynamic and spectacular... Athletes perform all actions very quickly.
• In this view, the time is not recorded.

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Athletes who have achieved great results

The most famous fencers:

Among men:

1. Aladar Gerevich. In addition to the huge number of medals received at European and world championships, this Hungarian fencer could boast 10 medals at the Olympics. Among them were 7 gold. He is also known as a long-lived athlete who has lived 81 years... Died athlete in 1991.

Photo 2. Professional fencer Aladar Gerevich. The athlete holds a sports saber and a protective mask in his hands.

1. Edoardo Manjarotti is from Italy. In total, he conquered 39 medals at world tournaments and Olympic Games. He specialized in epee and foil fencing.
2. Nedo Nadia. This athlete received great respect thanks to 5 gold medals, which he won during one Olympic tournament. At the same time, he became the first swordsman who took gold in three types of weapons at once.

Among women:

1. Elena Belova... Soviet athlete who became Olympic champion four times... In addition, she has repeatedly won international tournaments and competitions in the USSR. Elena is the only Olympic champion in the history of Soviet fencing to have won individual bouts.
2. Maria Vezzali... This woman is considered one of the best fencers in the world thanks to 6 victories at the Olympic Games, 16 at the world championships and 13 at European tournaments. The athlete won 5 Olympic medals in one personal discipline.
3. Irina Embrich. Estonian fencer, was recognized as the best in this sport in her country in 2007... Irina is a multiple winner of world, European and Estonian championships.

Why sports fencing is useful

Sports are good for your health. Fencing is no exception. Fights with swords, foils or sabers are useful for the following:

• All muscle groups are trained, the figure of a man is tightened.
• Is developing speed of reaction, coordination, agility, endurance, attention.
• Begin to function well cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
• Due to the cyclical and dynamic work, the body dumps ballast in the form of excess body fat.
• The ability to make decisions quickly develops in difficult positions.

Fencing is a noble, very beautiful, graceful and romantic sport. However, it is an ancient martial art that is both beautiful and deadly. Fencing is a battle of characters, in which composure and nobility are not superfluous qualities. Today we will take a closer look at this fascinating sport and find out what fencing is, how and where it originated, what rules apply in it, what equipment is used, how competitions are held and whether Russia has succeeded in this matter. Fencing has distant roots, and let's start with them.

Historical excursion

Spain is considered to be the homeland of fencing. It was here that something similar to modern art and rapier was born. In Spain, the world famous Toledo blades were produced, which, being very light, had excellent strength characteristics. It was in this country, and later in all of Europe, that duels with melee weapons originated. It is believed that the first books that dealt with fencing were published in Spain. Men loved to fight with melee weapons, and women mastered fencing much later. Over time, the first fencing school appeared in the country. Italy, France and Germany were also not far behind. In the 1470s, a corporation of fencing teachers was established in Germany, and a fencers' association in England.

By the beginning of the 18th century, several global schools had emerged. Chief among them were the French and Italian fencing schools. It was they who gave the world the famous handles for bladed weapons.

In the 19th century, the formation of sports fencing began. And by the end of this century, the first competitions were organized, in their modern interpretation. In 1913, the International Fencing Federation was created, which in 1914 approved the rules of the fight. These rules are still being competed. Today the International Fencing Federation includes more than a hundred national federations.

Fencing in Russia

For the first time, interest in the art of fencing arose in Russia at the beginning of the 17th century. Peter I then made "Rapier Science" a compulsory subject for military and civilian institutions. In 1816, a fencing school for the training of teachers and instructors was opened in St. Petersburg. A fencing coach who came out of its walls was considered a respected person. In 1834, rules for fencing with bayonets were developed in Russia. Gradually, schools began to be organized in other cities.

From 1899 to 1916, the St. Petersburg athletic community once a year held a fencing championship, in which all of Russia took part. Fencing by Russian masters on the international arena took place for the first time in 1910. One of the Russian athletes then won third place. Two years later, the first Olympics took place in the career of Russian fencers. After that, fencing began to develop at a tremendous speed.

Later, the Soviet fencing school would become one of the best in the world. In the 21st century, blade masters from Russia managed to win several dozen gold medals and break the records of the Soviet national team. Today there is a fencing section in almost all cities.

Sports fencing

This sport combines three disciplines. The main difference between them lies in the type of weapon used. You can also fence with a saber. The main goal of sparring is to hit the opponent and protect yourself from his jabs. The winner is the one who manages to be the first to carry out a certain number of attacks or achieve the best results in a certain period of time.

Weapon

Fencing weapons consist of the following elements:

1. Blade.
2. Garda.
3. Pad.
4. Lever.
5. Screw.

There is a special tip on the edge of the blade. Weapons can be electrified or conventional. Electric weapons are connected by wiring to a device that fixes injections. The wire runs under the athlete's clothing. The tip of such a weapon has a special button.

The total length of the sword does not exceed 110 cm, and the weight is 770 g. The blade has a length of 90 cm. The diameter of the guard is a maximum of 13.5 cm. The weapon is a thrust weapon. The flexible steel blade has a triangular cross-section.

The rapier differs from the epee in such parameters as: weight - up to 500 g; the diameter of the guard is up to 12 cm - and the cross-section of the maple is tetrahedral. It makes fencing easier.

The saber has a length of no more than 105 cm. The length of the blade reaches a maximum of 88 cm. The weight of the saber is 0.5 kg. The saber belongs to and has an elastic steel blade with a variable trapezoidal section. The saber guard has a bow that connects it to the handle. The saber has no tip.

Affected surface

In a duel with swords, thrusts inflicted by the edge of the blade into any part of the opponent's body are counted. It is impossible to hit only in the back of the head, unprotected by the mask.

Now let's discuss the foil duel. In terms of rules, this is a more sophisticated swordsmanship. The rapier in the hands of an athlete requires more accuracy. In rapier sparring, punches only in the opponent's torso are considered, both in front and behind. Strikes to the head, arms and legs are prohibited. If the foil thrust is outside the permitted zone, the fight is suspended and all strikes in that episode will not count.

In a saber duel, it is allowed to make jabs and blows to any part of the body that is above the belt, except for the back of the head. If the saber fencer hits outside this zone, he does not receive points for the blow / thrust, but the fight continues.

In saber-fencers and foil-fencers sparring, a thrust / blow delivered outside the permitted zone is sometimes counted. This happens if the athlete, who is defending himself, deliberately covered the affected part of the body that was not affected. For example, with the foot, which can often be seen when watching non-professional fencing. The rules also prohibit the special contact of the weapon with conductive surfaces, including your own suit, because this causes a false operation of the electrical system.

Equipment

We continue to study fencing. What is a swordsman costume? It is a white suit consisting of a jacket and knee-length trousers with suspenders. The jacket is called a tunic. The swordsman's clothing is made of dense fabric that can withstand blows up to 800 Newtons. These suits are used in international competitions. For simple workouts, a fabric capable of withstanding an impact force of 350 Newtons is sufficient.

Long white leggings and special shoes are put on the swordsman's feet. It differs from simple sports shoes with a flat sole, as well as a reinforced toe and heel. There are low and high models. The latter are used when there is a need to fix the ankle.

The mask is another important attribute, without which fencing cannot be imagined. What is face protection? This is an extremely important aspect in such a beautiful but harsh sport. The protective mask should not only cover the face from blows, but also not interfere with the athlete to see the opponent well. Therefore, the mask has a metal mesh in the eye area. A special metal collar protects the neck.

For epee fencers, the metal mesh is insulated with plastic shock-resistant pads on both sides. And the collar is made from a material that can withstand an impact force of 1600 Newtons. For training, this figure is 350 Newtons.

Foil players use the same masks, only with an electric collar. It all depends on what kind of blows this or that fencing allows.

The saber, as already mentioned, can hit in the face, so saber masks have an uninsulated mesh that conducts electricity. In general, the entire saber mask, together with the collar, is made of an electrically conductive material.

A glove is put on the hand holding the weapon. In the case of saber fencing, it has an electrically conductive cuff.

Under the suit described above, sideboards are worn, which also withstand impacts of 350 or 800 Newtons. To avoid bruising, plastic protection is additionally pushed under the sideboards.

Since the target surface of epee fighters is the whole body, the described protection is quite enough for them. The rapier players additionally put on a vest made of conductive material on the jacket. It displays a surface that can be hit. For saber fencers, in addition, a mask is connected to the vest.

Strike registration

When a thrust or blow is applied (for saber fencers), the recording apparatus lets you know about it by turning on the green light. If the attack was made according to all the rules, then it is counted and the attacking athlete receives a point. If a blow / thrust was delivered outside the permitted area, a white light comes on. If the green and white light bulbs lit up at the same time, then there were two hits, and the first one was invalid. Consequently, the second hit does not count. Since swordsmanship permits any strikes, there are no white lights here. If the lights come on at the same time on both sides, each player gets a point.

The swordsman's costume can be connected to the recording device, either wired or wirelessly. For the electrical system to detect a shock, the pressure on the arrowhead must be at least 4.9 Newtons or 0.5 kg for a rapier and 7.35 Newtons or 0.75 kg for an epee. As for the saber strike, it must be brought to its logical conclusion. A simple touch does not earn points here.

It is hard to imagine, but there was a time when strikes were recorded exclusively visually. This important mission was given to the four referees who surrounded the battlefield on all sides. In 1936, for the first time, the rules came into force, according to which the jabs of epee fencers began to be recorded with the help of electrical devices. In 1957, foil fencers began to compete on this system, and in 1988, saber fencers.

Fencing track

Sparring takes place on a fencing track. Its length is 14 meters, and its width can vary from 1.5 to 2 meters. As in any other sport, the battlefield is marked. In this case, it is represented by 5 lines perpendicular to the track. The first line is the central one. The battle line is located at a distance of 2 meters from it on both sides. Two more lines are located seven meters from the center line and are called back border lines.

Thus, at the beginning of the fight, being on the battle line, the athlete has 5 meters to retreat and 9 meters to attack. Along the sides of the track are 2-meter segments that allow the athlete to determine exactly how much room they have left to retreat without turning around.

How is the fight going

We already know in general terms what fencing is. We also know what a fencing suit is and what markings the battlefield has. Therefore, it's time to move on to the fun part - the fight process.

So, at the beginning of the battle, the opponents stand on the line of the starting position sideways to each other. In this case, one leg crosses the line. The weapon is aimed at the enemy, and the free hand is wound behind the back. The fight begins and ends when the referee gives the appropriate command. However, the end of the bout can also occur if the signal sounds to indicate that the round has expired.

Traditionally, judging is carried out in French. Before the start of the fight, the referee gives the command "An guard!", Which translates as "To fight!" He then asks the athletes the question, "Hey woo pre?" To see if they are ready. When both fencers answer, the judge gives the command "Alla!" If you need to stop the fight, he says the word "Alt!", Which translates as "Stop!" When awarding points to one or another fighter, the judge says: "A druat", "A gosh" or "Ku double". This means: "right", "left" and "both", respectively. When registering an invalid strike, the judge says: "Pa Conte!" - "Don't count." After scoring, the opponents return to their original positions, and the battle continues. And if the fight was stopped without being awarded a hit, then it is resumed in the same place where it stopped.

An individual duel is divided into three rounds of 1 minute duration. The break between rounds is also a minute. The winner of the round is the athlete who scores 15 points first or leads the score at the end of the round. If at the end of three rounds the score indicates a tie, an additional fourth round will be awarded. At the same time, before it starts, a draw is carried out in which a winner is selected in case the extra minute does not help.

Now let's look at team fencing, the rules of which are slightly different. If the competition is a team event, then each fencer must fight with each athlete of the opposing team. Since a team consists of three people, a match between two teams includes 9 individual fights. In this case, the first battle ends when one of the sides gains 5 points, the second - 10 points, and so on up to 45.

The swordsman, who attacked first, receives the status of the attacker, and his opponent, respectively, the defender. With simultaneous strikes / thrusts, the attacking athlete gains the advantage. Alternately, the priority of the action is transferred from one fencer to another. If the electronic system detects a blow / thrust, but it was delivered in violation of the priority of the attack, no points will be awarded. In case of mutual hits, the referee acts according to the situation. A blow / thrust inflicted after the command “Stop!” Is counted only if the movement began before the command.

Briefly about the technique and tactics of battle

Let's look a little deeper into such an exciting sport as fencing. This is the interaction of blades, which implies a lot of subtle, cunning, verified movements and techniques. This is the main difference between fencing and fights with heavy weapons.

When a direct attack is not possible, the swordsman tries to neutralize the oncoming attack and counterattack. And in order to eliminate the threat, it is not necessary to dodge, you can repulse the blade and immediately strike back.

In fencing, deception plays an important role. This can be: disguise, which helps to hide the intentions of the athlete; feints, which are threatening movements; a challenge that provokes the enemy into decisive, but not always deliberate actions, and so on.

Modern fencing, depending on the type of weapon used, has some differences in technique, tactics and rules, due to the history of the origin of the weapon. The saber originated from the blade that the cavalrymen used. They fought in equestrian duels, so chopping blows were applied above the belt. This fact predetermined the size of the target surface in sport saber fencing.

The epee is a dueling weapon by its origin. The outcome of a duel could be determined by a prick in any part of the body. Therefore, it was extremely important to apply it first and protect yourself from a retaliatory attack. The same principle has been carried over to modern fencing.

The rapier was originally created as a training weapon. Therefore, the fighting conditions of the foil fencers are the most sparing. It is with the foil that fencing begins. Women once had the right to fight only with rapiers. Since the weapon is lightweight, even children can handle it. By the way, we will consider fencing for children a little below. Such a concept as "tactical correctness" also arose from the needs of a training fight, which was supposed to prepare a person for a real fight.

Penalties

If the athlete steps over the sideline of the fight with at least one foot, he will be awarded a penalty of 1 meter. This means that the bout is resumed at a distance of 1 meter from the place of violation towards the offender. Thus, he has one meter less space to retreat. If the fencer stepped over the back line, one point is awarded to the opponent. This is called a “free kick”. In fencing, the following are not allowed:

1. Running attack.
2. Intentional body contact.
3. Push the opponent.
4. Turn your back to the enemy.
5. Striking the floor with a weapon.
6. Any action with the free hand.

It is forbidden to remove the tip from the weapon, try to repair it or carry out other actions without the permission of the judge. It is also impossible to leave the field and take off the mask without the appropriate command. For deliberate violations of the rules, athletes receive penalty cards.

A yellow card is given if a warning is given to the fencer. If an athlete breaks the rules for the second time, he receives a red card. It doesn't matter here whether he repeated his violation or committed something else. The red card, in contrast to the yellow card, not only warns, but also punishes by means of a penalty shot. A black card is given for gross violations of the rules, unsportsmanlike behavior and if the fencer repeats the violation for which he was awarded a red card. A black card indicates a disqualification.

Olympiad

Fencing has long been an integral part of the Olympic Games. At the modern Olympics, the country is represented by 18 athletes, two of whom are substitutes. The team consists of both men and women. The Olympiad program includes individual and team competitions in all three types of weapons that modern fencing allows. Women, as well as men, can fight with swords, foils and sabers. The program includes 10 numbers, 6 of which are personal and 4 are team. At the last Olympics in Rio, Russian fans watched fencing with pride. Men won two awards, and women - 3 gold, one silver and one bronze. In the overall medal standings, the Russian fencing team was in first place.

Children's fencing

Fencing for children today is developed no less than other sports. The section usually accepts children from 9 years old. In good schools, they are taught not only the technique and tactics of combat, but also tolerance towards the enemy. There is a decent fencing section in every major city. Without this, fencing sparring would have turned into a simple battle with blades.

There are only a few days before the Russian championship. It's time to figure out how the saber differs from the rapier and what the judges shout in French. Team Russia guide will not leave any questions.

History

Fencing is one of the four sports that have been included in the program of all Olympic Games since 1896. But his history goes back much deeper. Since the days of Ancient Egypt, people from different countries and cultures have loved to practice fighting with cold weapons. As the art of sword and foil wielding, fencing began to take shape in the 15th century in Spain. At that time, a light and thin weapon was gaining popularity, with which it was possible to hit an opponent dressed in armor, falling between the joints in armor. This is how the sword appeared, and then the training weapon - the rapier. This sport acquired a peaceful character only after the advent of automatic firearms. The first modern international rules were formed in 1914 and refined throughout the 20th century.

Costumes and weapons

Both the equipment and weapons of athletes were improved. White suits of fencers are a tribute to tradition. It is now the blows are recorded by an electronic system, and before the identifier was black paint, which was applied to the tips of the weapon, and it was easiest to determine the number of blows on white.

The material of the costumes has also changed. Even 30-40 years ago, cotton fabric and cotton wool were used for their manufacture, but they did not always provide full protection from damage. Therefore, they were replaced by Kevlar - a light and very durable material from which body armor is also made. Now the swordsman's costume can even withstand pistol shots.

Blades for rapiers, sabers and swords used to be made only of high-carbon spring steel, which allowed the weapon to quickly return to shape. But the turning point was the 1982 World Championship, or rather, the duel between the Soviet athlete Vladimir Smirnov and Matthias Berg from Germany. The German's rapier broke, and its fragment, breaking through Smirnov's mask, inflicted a brain injury on him, which turned out to be fatal. After this incident, specialists began to look for material for replacement and eventually came to Maragene steel, which is also used in the production of gas cylinders for space stations. It is much stronger than high carbon and together with a protective suit provides the athlete with safety during training and fights. Now the fencer can only get injured if he does not wear any of the items of equipment.

French terminology

Fencing is traditionally refereeing in French. But in order to understand the referees, it is not necessary to master them perfectly, it is enough to know the main commands of the referee:

En garde- For battle. Command the participants to take their positions.

Et woo prh? (Êtes-vous prêt?)- You are ready? Question before the start of the fight to both participants. If one of them is not ready, he must give the appropriate signal to the referee.

Alla! (Allez!)- Get started! Team to start the fight.

Alto! (Halte!)- Stop! Stopping the fight.

A droite (À droite)- To the right. A point is awarded to the fencer to the right of the head judge.

A gauche (À gauche)- To the left. A point is awarded to the fencer on the left.

Coup doubles- Both. Simultaneous thrust counts for both fencers.

Pa Conte! (Pas compter!)- Don't count. Invalid hit.

Rapidity

It is not for nothing that fencing is compared to rapid chess - an athlete has literally a split second to make a decision. Sometimes everything happens so fast that it can be quite difficult to keep track of events on the platform. In this case, video replays and commentators will help to understand why the injection was counted in this way and not otherwise.

General rules

Fencing matches are held on a track 14 meters long and 1.5-2 meters wide. If an athlete crosses the border behind him, he will be awarded a penalty shot. In the group stages, fights last up to five points, at the final stage, the fights are divided into three rounds of three minutes each, but they can end earlier if one of the opponents scores 15 points. In team competitions, each competitor must fight each of the three members of the opposing team. In total, there are nine individual fights, in which the score is up to five injections and all the team's points are summed up.

All injections are recorded by an electronic system, while a sound signal is sounded and a special lamp lights up. If the injection was inflicted in violation of the rules, the judge has the right not to count it. When making a decision, the arbiter can use the video replay, the athletes themselves can ask him to review the moment.

The rules differ depending on the main thing in fencing - the type of weapon.

Rapier

The rapier is a thrusting weapon no more than 110 cm long and weighing no more than 500 g with a quadrangular blade, thinned towards the end, and a 9-12 cm guard (a round plate that protects the fencer's hand). In fights on foils, only punctures applied to the metallized jacket and the collar of the mask are counted. For all other injections, the lamp lights up white.

The main thing in foil fencing is the right of attack or the factor of tactical rightness. This means that the opponent's attack must be repelled before the retaliatory action begins. The athlete who starts the attack first is considered the attacker. If the opponents hit at the same time, the attacker has the advantage. If the defensive athlete parries the thrust and retaliates, priority is given to him.

general information:

• The "Blade and Vine" club teaches historical fencing - fencing with a blade weapon that has analogues in the past. Training is divided into several areas: fitness fencing, historical fencing (including costume history), and target cutting.
• Our club brings together areas of complex reconstruction, which means full immersion in the era (VII-XII and XVII centuries). As a bonus - training in horse riding, archery and maritime business on the road (the participants choose the region on their own).
• Since 2018, we have begun to study the traditions of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA).
• We are members of the "Sports Sword Federation". We conduct classes for children on soft weapons.
• Sportswear for training in the gym. At club trips - according to the era for which the trip is organized.

• Classic fencing with one weapon.
• Epee and dagger.
• Sword and shield.
• Ax and shield.
• Spear / Brodex.
• Sword / saber.
• Long sword.
• Dueling fencing.
• Teamwork (threes, fives).

Club city: Moscow.

Year of foundation: 2010.

Supervisor: Pavlyukova Ekaterina Dmitrievna.

Instructor staff: Pavlyukov Alexey (since 2009), Kamshilin Alexander (since 2008), Pavlyukova Ekaterina (since 2009).

• The annual festival of historical reconstruction in the early Middle Ages "Varangian Sails": boat battles, training in maritime affairs, participation in the reconstruction of the Baltic rite "Creation of the World" (2015-2018).
• Annual inter-epoch festival of historical reconstruction "Helga": combat program, organization of throwing shooting ranges and trade, refereeing (2014-2018).
• Historical fencing tournaments "Holmgang" (2016).
• Cutting tournaments on replica bladed weapons "Singing Blade" (2016-2017).
• The annual festival of historical reconstruction in the early Middle Ages "Heroic Power": refereeing, organizing a tournament within the framework of the festival (2013, 2015-2016).
• The annual festival of historical reconstruction "Gnezdovo": organizing shooting ranges, organizing and conducting master classes, refereeing (2013-2016).
• Annual festival of historical reconstruction "Primal Rus": organization and holding of the tournament within the framework of the festival, refereeing (2016).
• The annual festival of historical reconstruction "Epic Coast": demonstration performances and master classes in felling, organization of throwing shooting ranges (knives, axes, sulitsa), refereeing, boat crew (2015-2016).
• Annual festival of historical reconstruction "Rusborg": demonstration performances with an equestrian program (2016).
• International exhibition "Blade - Traditions and Modernity", "Blade on the Neva", knife exhibitions in Moscow and St. Petersburg: demonstration performances in fencing and felling, master classes in felling, (2016-2019).
• The annual international exhibition "Horse Russia" at the Bitsa sports complex: a demonstration equestrian program (2016).
• Closed Cavalry Competition of KSK "Atamanets" (2015).

Don't go on the attack! Don't go back! Don't take protection! Do not counterattack! Don't get lost! Don't put a straight hand!
- And what to do?
- Fechtuy!

Additional Information

• Former name of the club: SKIR Khoroyar.
• For fencing, we use large-sized (not sharpened) copies of historical weapons. Fencing technique is restored according to historical manuscripts and fencing books. Fencing takes place in analogs of historical costumes with the obligatory correspondence to the swordsman's weapon.
• Our club took part in the filming of fencing scenes for music videos of musical groups: Imperial Age (participation), Rarog "Trouble" (participation and staging), Kalevala "Came upon" (participation and staging of fencing scenes).

• Club workshop and interviews with candidates: st. Olkhovskaya, 14, building 4, room 13 M (metro Baumanskaya / m. Krasnoselskaya).
• Training hall address: st. Nizhnyaya Krasnoselskaya, 35, building K (metro Baumanskaya / M. Krasnoselskaya).
• To sign up for the first training session, fill out the form in the VKontakte group: “

Fencing in Moscow - an overview of various directions

Today in Moscow there is a fairly significant layer of various fencing schools in various directions.

The main mass of fencing schools in Moscow today is occupied by clubs and knife fighting schools. In general, this is understandable. By itself, knife fighting is one of the most popular areas of fencing, in demand at the household level.

Everyone wants to be able to wield a knife. Everyone cherishes the dream of putting a gopnik on a knife in a dark alley, but someone also cherishes the dream of putting a decent citizen and his "sworn friend" on the knife, by the way, there are quite a few of them. They all go to knife fighting schools. The main schools of knife fighting in Moscow are, in fact, people from hand-to-hand combat.

That is, their technique is just a modernized version of hand-to-hand combat, when instead of a fist or a boxing glove, you have
hand a knife. What is it fraught with? And here's what. It is no secret for connoisseurs that hand-to-hand fighting and knife fighting are very different things. They are different in everything, in the stance, in the strike technique, in the muscles involved in the strike, in the movements, in the ideology of the fight, finally. What is acceptable for hand-to-hand combat is completely unacceptable for knife fighting. A knife fight is one accurate strike. This is an axiom.

If you run up and try to poke a person with a dozen blows, then almost 100% guaranteed to get at least one blow, but in return. And the problem with a knife is that even one missed blow in it can often be lethal. Consequently, the basis of a knife fight is an instant entry, defeat, and no less instant exit, everything else is nonsense, leading to a mutual defeat, which is not just undesirable, but death is similar in the most direct sense.

Katana Club adheres to the technique of only pure defeat, with maximum safety for itself - this is what makes us strikingly different from other knife fighting schools in Moscow, and in general from fencing schools in Moscow.

The second point, or rather the curse of a knife fight in Moscow, is tournaments.

That is, like all nonsense, they were conceived as a test of the strength and dexterity of the participants, and how all nonsense in a couple of years reached the apogee of stupidity. Their rules are designed for a tournament, and not for a real fight on the street, which instructors usually tell beautifully, luring newcomers.

It's no secret that the rules of tournaments are as far from real combat as Jupiter is from Earth. Tournament rules for most clubs in general
they welcome punches and kicks, although in a real knife fight on the street this almost never happens, and the one who, out of stupidity, waved his foot into it, gets a guaranteed knife blow into it and loses the fight and often life.

Tournament rules develop a complete lack of fear of the opponent's blade to the point of debelism - well, of course, this is just an imitation, which is what they are afraid of. As a result, people climb onto the blade without disassembling the ford, receive multiple blows and inflict themselves, not realizing that in a real battle these are two corpses that fell off each other with holes in their belly.

Another point is the training weapon itself. Short wood blunt imitation.

This type of training equipment is common in most clubs in Moscow. Than it is bad. Well, first of all, weight and length. The piece of wood is extremely short and light. If you make it bigger, you need more serious, SIGNIFICANTLY more serious protection than just a fencing mask. These are unnecessary expenses not only for the participants, but also for the clubs, including the safety of the classes. Heavy and long wooden weapons can be easily killed. In a very real sense, I'm not kidding. Or violently maim. Even the weapon that is usually there is a danger to the enemy in case of damage to the neck, abdomen, hands, if they are poorly protected. Up to death. If you hit the liver or spleen with a blunt piece of wood with all your might, you certainly won't pierce a person.

But, in addition to a hefty hematoma, he can get a rupture of internal organs and

Die from extreme blood loss before the end of the workout. Especially considering that, out of pure bragging, 90% of the participants do not wear protective vests. This is on the one hand. For this it is enough

It is common practice to weaken the blow at the end point so that you do not inadvertently get a load of 200 and a decent time in jail.

On the other hand, the low weight and size do not allow you to properly fill your hand, training with such a weapon. Some techniques are generally impossible to train with a light knife weight, for example, quick blows to the hand. A knife of such a weight and such a weight does not fly forward, although even taking an ordinary one in hand
folding knife you get a very different picture.

Katana Club uses in its training and sparring non-traumatic mass and dimensions of real knives, heavy ones - from 200 - 250 grams or more, for example, Raja 2 or Ontario. Our simulations are non-mutilating, although it is quite possible to get bruised on your fingers if you come to spar without gloves. All sparring participants must have protective helmets that protect against concussion and reliably cover their faces and gloves. In addition, women are advised to wear bibs to avoid chest injuries.

Such an approach of Katana Club to training makes it possible not to weaken the blow at its extreme point, for fear of crippling a person, but to inflict it with full force. This forms a reflex in a person to ALWAYS hit exactly that way, hard and brutally, avoiding blurred blows. Secondly, the real weight distribution allows you to deliver fast, accurate and powerful blows, in contrast to a light wooden imitation.

Another direction of fencing in Moscow, which is quite popular, is duel fencing. Here the choice of clubs and schools and directions is very wide. From fencing with two-handed swords, from sabers and broadswords to

Heavy historical swords. All of them are united by one thing - as a rule, a weapon made of textolite, weighing more than 1.1 kg, although sometimes there are clubs fencing on steel blades.

The main difference in this direction is its extreme injury hazard. The textolite blade, in contrast to the steel, is practically
does not bend. They beat them, as a rule, in full force and with all the foolishness. This type of fencing forces you to have a rather expensive protective armor, a fencing mask, modernized, because if you get a direct blow to the face in a standard sports fencing mask, then the consequence is a face cut with a net and a broken nose, it is good if it is broken so that it can be assembled.

However, protection does not guarantee against minor injuries, such as broken fingers, hematomas from injections, joint injuries, and so on.

One of the most unpleasant phenomena in duel fencing is its terrible isolation from real life. Tournaments that are held on points do not give any real combat skills, moreover, they erode this skill in a person. In general, everyone knows that the weapon is not real, the blows are not fatal, and in order to earn points, they climb without looking at the enemy blade. The same picture is repeated as in the knife fight. Even worse. Moreover, the practice that has developed in duel fencing does not bring almost anything from sports fencing, and in vain, in sports fencing, despite all its embodiment, there is a lot to learn.

Katana Club takes the best from sports fencing in its training, we try to learn the techniques of sports fencing masters and thoughtfully transfer them to heavier weapons.

Fencing in aikido, kendo and other training in techniques with a katana stands apart.

Unfortunately, today's kendo is very far removed from real combat fencing. There are a number of techniques in it - for example, prohibited

Stabbing blows to the face, there is no way to retreat during the fight, and much more. Aikido is not doing much better.

From its original version of sword fighting, today's aikido is as far as heaven from earth. I'm not even talking about the fact that sword sparing is not practiced in modern aikido. In addition, all these schools do not teach combat with different weapons, practicing techniques only for a two-handed sword - the katana, and leaving aside techniques with a short sword and knife.

Another problem is armor for the same kendo. But the cost is very high, so today it is a sport for very wealthy people.

In its practice, the Katana Club focuses on a thorough study of the practices of oriental martial arts, with different weapons, both two-handed and one-handed, short and long, unifying and modernizing the classics of sword fighting. Katana Club brings to it elements from sports fencing, which, by the way, have never been used in the classic Japanese martial art, but which are most effective.

Another area of ​​focus is reenactment fencing in Moscow. The undoubted plus of this fencing is the historical surroundings. There are a lot of cons.

Firstly, these are rather strict restrictions on buhurts (demonstration battles such as a knight's tournament) on the types of blows, weapons, and fencing techniques. For example, on steel weapons, piercing strikes are prohibited, even with blunt blades, for fear of inflicting cruel
injury, injury or even kill participants.

Secondly, there is an extremely high risk of injury. The blades are generally blunt, but they hit them heartily, so steel armor often does not save. Often, someone gets injured, incapacitating a person for many weeks. Thirdly, even greater isolation from life than dueling fencing. Well, will you ever meet a person dressed in heavy armor in your life?

In contrast to these areas, Katana Club, as a fencing school in Moscow, teaches its students such techniques and strikes that, being aimed at an unarmored enemy, are completely universal - it does not matter what weapon you have in your hands - a stick, a sword, a machete, knife, saber, broadsword or tourist hatchet.

You will be able to successfully defend yourself with ANY weapon. Secondly, all of our techniques are applicable to self-defense, and include all
an arsenal of blows - both chopping and stabbing. The versatility of muscle movements develops the ability to use any object as a weapon of self-defense. Our techniques are not pretentious, not artificial, for example, dueling fencing often sins, we use the most effective techniques combining both sports fencing, both historical techniques, and techniques from oriental fencing schools, including the classics.

In Katana Club, you can learn the most effective fighting style, while using different weapons and without retraining separately the techniques of knife fighting, fighting with a machete or a sword - both two-handed and one-handed. After training at the Katana Club, any item will become your weapon, any item in your hands will help you defend yourself on the street.