FENCING FOR WOMEN

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 18, 29 April 1908, Page 35

FENCING FOR WOMEN

BY

MARY CLIFTON-HADDAN.

THE art of fencing of late years has made extraordinary progress, not only amongst the ‘'lords of creation,” but amongst our own sex. who can boast of their own Ladies' London Fencing Club, the Ladies' Cercle d’Escrime, and other centres of meeting in the provinces. So much has this been the case that sit Hurlingham, the aristocratic centre of sport, nearly every year during the season, a display of fencing by ladies is arranged for. and this year all will be .eclipsed by the Championship meeting arranged by the doyen of fencers, Captain Huttoil, for a prize consisting of a hat-pin, modelled exactly from an old rapier in his collection of ancient arms, for which prize, in addition to the honour of the Championship, 37 ladies have been accepted as aspirants. Royal patronage is not wanting, for Princess Henry of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein have each included fencing amongst the attractions of the bazaars and fetes at which they are presiding. The object of this article, which, owing to considerations of space, must necessarily be limited in extent, is to say a few words on this now popular pastime for the benefit of such readers as may contemplate giving a trial to what is not only a particularly healthful recreation, but one tending largely to beautify the form and give an elegant carriage and deportment, and, if taken in moderation, to aid even those of weakly constitution: whilst for such as lead sedentary lives it affords valuable results. It has, moreover, the advantage of not requiring any companion in its study, as all the preliminary practices and positions can be acquired alone, and possibly, by giving attention to the details that follow, my readers may dispense with professional assistance for some months until such progress has been made that the later stages of fencing are reached, when such assistance will become necessary. Now it goes without saying that as one must walk before one can run, so it is necessary first of all to thoroughly acquire the preliminary positions and

movements, and the better this is done, in the first instance, the more perfect and easier of attainment will be the performance later on, when actual foil practice is reached. There is no short cut to perfection, which can only be attained by diligent study and practice, and when it is mentioned that to correctly master the "lunge” (to be described later) six months may have to be devoted, this might at first sight tend to deter aspirants from learning to fence; but in reality it is not so, because the time devoted to correct style and position plays such an important part in the subsequent stages that the time so given is profitably spent, and returns a four fold interest to the conscientious student.

With these few preliminary remarks we will now proceed to enumerate the positions to be learnt. Ist Position.—The heels to be closed together, toes turned out an angle of 90 degrees, body turned half left from the true front, with the chest advanced, head erect looking to the true front, and the arms folded behind the back. 2nd Position.—Bend both knees until they are just over the toes advancing the right foot 14 to 16 inches, the weight of the body, which is to be kept erect, being borne by both legs, arms remaining folded behind the back. This is practically the “Guard” position. It is most essential that the right foot be advanced in a direct straight line to the proper front, and that the left foot remain planted firmly and flat on the ground, pointing directly to the left, and therefore at right angles to the advanced foot. 3rd Position. —Advance the right foot yet another 14 or 16 inches, and at the same time straighten the left leg —this is the position of the “lunge” without foil, already referred to. Now "recover" to the second position, then to the first, and practise this movement of advancing and retiring the right foot until the same moves always in a direct line straight to the front, for which purpose a line may be chalked on the floor. Extension Movements. —At the same time that the right foot is advanced for the second time in the lunge referred to.

bring the arms smartly to the front, with the baack of the wrists together (fingers pointing downward) on a line with the shoulders; then throw out both arms, the right direct to the front, palm uppermost, as high as the eyes, the left hand pointing, palm uppermost, direct to the rear, about as high as the middle of the chest; then, keeping the arms thus extended, straighten the advanced right leg, and bend the knee of the leg in rear, transferring the weight of the body (by

drawing it baek) to the rear leg—the trunk being still kept erect. When the above have been fairly mastered, the foil may be taken in hand, and the learner takes up the position of “guard,” the position of the body being as in the second position, except that the left arm is now raised about the height of the top of the head, the whole arm and extended fingers being in a continuous curved line for gracefulness. The right arm is extended in front, the elbow being about 8 inches away from the right side, whilst the forearm and the foil

itself form one continuous straight line from the elbow to the tip of the foil—which should be about the height of the chin from the ground. This is the general position of the guard, and cannot be too correctly acquired. Starting from this last position, in order to attack and hit an adversary, the lunge must now be practised. The position of Hie body has already been described in the third position, except that the left hand is now lowered be-

hind, fingers pointing downwards, whilst the right arm is advanced to its full extent, with the hand on a level with the eyes, the foil being pointed perfectly horizontally on the same level.

The "recover” consists in throwing up the yeft arm to the position of guard, withdrawing simultaneously the riglht foot sharply 14 or 16 inches, at the same time lowering the right arm until the foil and elbow’ revert to the guard position described.

Before leaving the subject of the at tack it may be mentioned that in deliver

ing the lunge it is not only necessary to advance the right foot and foil, as your opponent would only have to step back "out of range" to escape a hit, but it is necessary to follow up an adversary so retreating, and this is done by rapidly advancing the right foot in short steps, following immediately with corresponding short advance with the left foot, the body otherwise remaining exactly in the same lunge position. Similarly if you are vigorously attack-

ed, and you desire to withdraw out of range, you “retreat" (this is not a thing English ladies like to imagine, but it must be practised) by rapidly drawing back the left foot a short pace, following this up instantly by a corresponding short step backwards with the right foot. The combatants, therefore, in actual foil practice, are constantly shifting their places backwards and forwards, though the positions of the lunge or guard are always respectively 'maintained. For all “attacks" there are, of course, corresponding “defences” called “parries” but as this necessarily implies .having an adversary to attack you, it will be better to leave the practice of defence to the actual instruction of the professional teacher.

It may be interesting to give a couple of illustrations of the correct position of two of these parries, showing how the body is thoroughly protected in the first place, and then by a slight movement of the wrist your foil deflects the point of the attacking blade, saving yourself from a hit, and leaving the opponent’s body open to a instantaneous “return attack” bv vourself.

The wrist plays an important part in fencing, as once the foil has been pro-

perly' grasped, the fingers never change 1 heir position under any circuin. stances, every change of position of the foil being carried out by the supple wrist. The eye is, of course, always kept fixed on the eye of the opponent. When all the movements and positions with and without the foil have been mastered with the right hand, the same

should be practised) with the left. All fencing displays are preceded by what is known as the “Grand Salute,” which is simply an exhibition of all the positions and movements of attack and defence respectively by the opponents, but with the foil point reversed and directed towards one’s self, this being an act of courtesy’ towards the adversely and showing that no “evil intent” is meant. The spectators are, therefore,

able to realise the beauty of the true positions andi movements of the art of fencing, after which the friendly opponents proceed to a trial of skill between themselves in “loose play.” In concluding this article, it may not be out of place to say a few words on the antecedent weapons in use before the rapier or small sword arrived at its present state of perfection, the foil being merely a means of practice for the rapier, which in play would be a dangerous weapon to handle, notwithstanding the protection of the mask for the face, the gauntlet for the wrist, and the padded jacket for the bodly, which with a pair of foils forms the requisite outfit for all fencers. When armour went out of fashion, the sword and bucklei came into vogue, and continued in use in England until good Queen Bess was fairly seated on the throne, at which period an enterprising Englishman returning from his travels abroad, introduced an Italian or Spanish duelling sword which gradually became the rapier. The Court gallants

took to the novelty in such guise that special officials had to be placed at the City gates to break off the tip of the rapiers when they exceeded the length of a yard. In fact, in those days the mark of the exquisite was the length of his rapier, and the depth of his ruff; but the former was handled in deadly earnest, and duels were of daily occurrence on the slightest pretext. Now nous avons change tous cela, and the practice with the rapier only survives in the friendly encounter with the foil in modern fencing,