This week I taught a lesson on double hits, which saw a big improvement in the quality of fencing from the students. Whether this is long term remains to be seen, but students did say that the 'penny dropped' and that they gained a more intuitive understanding of when to attack and when to defend. I told them (truthfully) that the fencing they performed that day was the best from them I'd seen; very clean with a focus on not taking stupid risks and on finding the right moment to attack.
Paper, scissors
I started with a game of 'paper, scissors' (don't bother with the rock). Paper represents 'defend', scissors 'attack'. If you get two papers, that is a 'no exchange' so you go again. After a minute I noted that if we played this game 100 times (100 exchanges), we would expect there to be 33 doubles (scissors, scissors). If two fencers were similarly fencing with 'eyes closed', assuming they were equally predisposed to defend or attack, 1/3 of exchanges should result in a double hit. I asked how often they felt they double in fencing (some suggested 60% of the time). The solution is that we don't fence with 'eyes closed'.
Right of way
I then introduced a simple 'right of way' system. This wasn't to award a winner or loser (but it could, and we did do this during a brief winner-stays-on game), but to act as a framework to help the students understand when they should defend and when they should attack. We also used it to analyse 'what went wrong' when a double did occur. This came with the caveat that it assumes the person you are fencing is competent and non-suicidal, and that in real life your attacks need to be covered just in case they counter-attack.
(The term 'right of way' essentially means that your opponent's action is more important to you than whatever you were originally planning on doing.)
Rules - there are just two
When your opponent is making an attack, your priority is to not get hit. They therefore have 'right of way'. If you get hit it's because you failed to defend.
When your opponent has their sword already extended and pointing at you, and you make an attack that results in you getting hit, they have right of way, as you ran into their sword. Your priority should have been to get their sword out of the way before you attacked (or during your attack)*.
*These rules do not specify what techniques you should use, nor whether you should be using single-time actions or compound actions. They are a tactical framework, not a technique-focused one. The defence can be a separate action to the attack ('parry-riposte') or made as part of the attack ('single-time counter'). Below I therefore say 'defend before/during your attack' to cover both options.
In practice - tips to help you stay safe
A) If your opponent is moving towards you, they are preparing an attack. Defend against the attack, or threaten them to stop the attack.
Example at 1.37: Black is coming forwards to attack. Blue ignores this and attacks, leading to a double.
B) If your opponent has voluntarily gained your blade (e.g. a parry or a beat), they are preparing an attack. Defend before/during your attack! (Because of this, a redoubled attack (i.e. when you attack twice) often leads to a double hit if your first hit has been parried.)
Example at 1.21: Blue has attacked with a thrust, this is parried by black (black has therefore gained the blade). Black ripostes, but blue re-doubles the attack, leading to a double hit.
C) If your opponent has voluntarily disengaged from your blade (i.e. a disengage under or cut over of their point from one side of your blade to the other), they are preparing an attack. Defend before/during your attack!
Example at 0.17: Red shorts attacks, black parries, red shorts disengages from blade and attacks. This is a positive example, as black did try to parry and this did not result in a double hit.
D) If your opponent can attack you faster than you can attack them, because they have a smaller tempo, less distance to travel, etc., it is unwise to attack them without first controlling their blade or gaining a better position. They will probably attack into your preparation.
Example at 0.15: Black attacks with an overhead strike, blue is standing in a point forward guard, and thrusts into the strike. This is an example of both the counter-thrust being a faster tempo because it didn't need a step forwards, and of rule 2: if your opponent's point is forwards, your attack needs to deal with the point.
E) If your opponent is in a strong position and you are weak, e.g. they have their sword higher or have an overbind, it is unwise to attack without first gaining a stronger position. Defend or reposition before you attack.
Example: I was sparring with longsword, and I was on the attack. I made an attack on one side, when on the other, which was parried. My opponent had an overbind (i.e. their sword over mine). They disengaged and I made an attack to their arm or body, while they landed an attack on my head. This is an example of point C and point E.
F) If your opponent has 'right of way' but they have hesitated, then you can probably attack safely in their moment of hesitation. However, bear in mind other rules and tips.
Example: they have parried your attack, but have not made a riposte. You can, probably, safely make another attack.
H) Don't bet your life on your opponent:
fencing according to 'right of way rules'.
preferring to parry than to take a hit on the head or thrust to the body.
being a competent fencer.
If your attack is made in such a way that leaves you exposed to a simultaneous counter- attack, whether done by a skilled opponent who intended to do this, or an unskilled fencer reacting incorrectly, then you will likely double a lot, particularly against inexperienced fencers. All attacks that you make, where possible, should cover you against your opponent's most direct counter-attack, whether through position, angle of attack or other means. This is doubly true (pun not intended) if your attack is in itself a counter-attack. The first priority of a counter-attack is to defend first and hit second, even if both of these things are achieved in a single motion/tempo.
Example at 0.27: Fencer on left attacks to leg, and receives an afterblow to the head. He attacked the leg 'in revenge' because his opponent had just tried to attack his leg, but he was positioned to attack the head.
G) The rules of priority only matter when both of you get hit. If you break the rules of priority and manage to hit your opponent without getting hit, good for you! However, I bet you can only do this on 2 out of 3 occasions. The law of probabilities suggests next time you won't be so lucky.
Video:
This video inspired this lesson, and this blog post:
Helpful, thanks
Your blog post offers valuable insights into fencing strategy, but it lacks accessibility for beginners. The technical terms are not well-defined, making it hard for novices to follow. The structure is clear, but the content could be more engaging with the addition of visual aids and examples. The video is helpful but should be better integrated into the text. Overall, the post is informative but needs improvements to enhance clarity and engagement for a broader audience.