Thanks for the tutorial, it helped a lot, I'm slightly confused with the distinction between 7th and 2nd though and why only 2nd was shown. At 4:46 7th and 8th are shown on the drawing
Glad to hear you found the tutorial helpful. Apologies for the absence of 7th and 8th, the tutorial was only intended to cover the basic essentials for the weapon and 2nd is typically a stronger parry at a Beginner level. 2nd has a full pronation of the hand while keeping the blade level with the floor. 7th and 8th have the thumb push the blade down so as to have the tip drop enabling a low line parry.
Point in line retreat and point in line advance the students is advancing in each example. Are you showing the move from the coaches perspective in the first one and the student in the second?
Quite right! The lesson was shot over two separate days and someone apparently hung the picture upside down for a laugh on the second day. Completely forgot about it until you pointed it out - good eye!
Historically I like the practicality of sabre but for sport epee seems to be best for spectators. I wanted to like sport sabre but it's nothing close to real sabres like epee is to epee de combat. I know there is HEMA but sport sabre seems very far removed when compared to foil/epee:smallsword/epee de combat.
Good observations. Olympic fencing is certainly removed from its traditional roots and has evolved into a very fast moving and dynamic sport. That said, it is quite marvelous in what it has evolved into. Best to view Olympic fencing as a sport rather than a martial art.
