Grip Guide | Fencing Tutorial (Foil, Epee )

Рет қаралды 10,967

Жыл бұрын

Hi All,
This video is about grips. Hitting with a French Grip teaches one to use their index finger and thumb to control the tip of the blade. "Controlling the tip" in this context could also be thought of as keeping the blade (base of the blade and handle) parallel to the ground, resulting in the tip always traveling forward towards the target in a trajectory that will make the tip compress (even if the blade were to be bent downward).
Belgian grips should be used to understand what it means to support the blade with the middle finger. Almost every person with a Belgian grip has a blister on the bottom of their middle finger, resulting from this being the third resistance point to stabilize their blade. keeping the middle finger activated in this way allows for stronger blade movements, whether they stem from the wrist or fingers (tip). Because the Belgian grip widens one's hand, it allows for more forceful, slicing movements, where the blade and forearm move in the same direction,
Visconti grips allow for all the same benefits to be applied, but with a wider possible amplitude of movement (IMO). This is because while using a Visconti grip, the middle finger has more liberty to press upwards or downwards when compared to the flatter Belgian grip. The Visconti grip allows for deflection, where the blade and forearm move in different directions (as in the case of parry 1 and parry 2). This allows for more "flowery" fencing, filled with flicks and flourishing movements.
Please make sure to try them all out and let us know what you think in the comments!
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Пікірлер: 36

@OlympicFoil Жыл бұрын

7:37 yessss PBT type "A" grip the true king of fencing grips 😍 imo Belgian grips are actually way too big for most people, especially on the women's foil side. The "A" is in most aspects like a size "small" belgian grip, and so you can keep the benefit of letting the prong save your grip strength and take the burden off your fingers when making a forceful action, while still having it actually be maneuverable in your hand like a visconti. I've noticed the benefits and amazing control feeling of the grip don't really come though unless you put a quite severe inward cant on your foil personally. So if people who like a big inward cant are interested I would recommend trying it, at the very least you'll have fun experimenting

@s-class8871 Жыл бұрын

I completely agree. Unless you're over 6' tall, you probably shouldn't be using the black Belgian grips. This is a great point! Belgian grips require a much more intense tang (bend downwards and to the left side) for right-handed fencers.

@ArK0niX 2 ай бұрын

Is this kind of grip as easy to handle with the fingertips as a visconti? Especially with the index finger on the sides of the grip?

@Hermantoothrot604 11 ай бұрын

Literally the only KZfaq video I could find explaining very clearly and succinctly the different grip styles. Thanks for this (Vancouver)!

@henryzhuo7437 Жыл бұрын

the return of the king.

@s-class8871 Жыл бұрын

Why weren’t you at practice!

@henryzhuo7437 Жыл бұрын

@@s-class8871 class.

@VanessaDMusic Жыл бұрын

This is a great and very helpful video, thanks so much

@superflip1729 Жыл бұрын

he's back

@s-class8871 Жыл бұрын

We never left, just been super busy (might even have to make a video about what else we've been up to) ;D

@gbennett58 Ай бұрын

Several times I lost track of which grip he was demonstrating. It would have been more helpful if, when he switched over to a different grip, he said which grip it is.

@zerocool6370 9 ай бұрын

I fenced with a French grip in foil for years though I would switch it up in competition depending on who I was fencing to a Belgian grip the only grip I really didn't like was a pistol grip I only used it a few times when fencing epee so it kind of ruined the sword for me and I mainly stuck to foil and sabre

@zerocool6370 9 ай бұрын

Also my French grip was right handed and red with a silver pommel 😅 might have thrown new opponents off thinking I was left-handed

@alberthodge631 4 ай бұрын

beginners should start with a french. we have to many hack artists in the game.

@albertbresca8904 3 ай бұрын

it really confuses me that clubs let beginners use pistol grips... they start using their wrists without knowing it... sigh

@CZOV 6 ай бұрын

If your glove is size 9,10 or 11 dont bother with the pistol grip and get a belgium one for both epee and foil.

@BetterExplanation 10 ай бұрын

Do you think that at the highest levels of foil fencing, a great fencer with a French grip could still be a top ranked fencer?

@s-class8871 10 ай бұрын

Honestly, no. At least not in foil. While there are some niche examples of relatively high performance with a French grip, foil is dominated by pistol grips because angulation matters so much. The pommel, when held properly, restricts wrist movement and give you a different leverage on the blade rendering flicks all but useless with a French grip. In epee, however, there are many examples of high level French grip users, many of whom employ a technique known as pommeling, where they hold the tail end of the blade (the pommel). This grants them extra reach. Can you train and teach a high level with French grip? Yeah, I’d say probably, but I think you’d need to come up with some really clever adaptations to make it viable in foil

@BetterExplanation 10 ай бұрын

@@s-class8871 thanks for the response, really appreciate it. I think you’re 100% right. And loving the content. Keep it coming!

@simulki7108 10 ай бұрын

Please help me out. I just started fencing, foil to be specific. I hold the foil and put my elbow tight into my body, then turn my wrist inwards to my foil?

@s-class8871 10 ай бұрын

Hello happy to help just not quite sure what you’re asking? Are you asking for the proper way to hold the foil?

@simulki7108 10 ай бұрын

Sir. Thank you for replying. I know how to hold the foil itself, but the proper way to stand on guarde, is it to tuck the elbow in to your body and turn your wrist inwards? @@s-class8871

@simulki7108 10 ай бұрын

When holding the foil. I stand on guard, face the oponent with my foil. I hold the foil correcly. The next step is? So I heard that your elbow should move into your ribs, then turn your wrist inwards or something like that. When I trained with a guy, when he held his foil, he said that my foil should always touch his blade, then I do it correcly but I forgot. I have not been able to train for two weeks.

@s-class8871 10 ай бұрын

@@simulki7108 the first thing I’d focus on is what your fingers are doing. Make sure the index finger and the thumb are punching the very base of the grip. Some people apply a claw grip where they punch the base with 3 fingers. Either option is fine. Next make sure the angle of the wrist is correct. The pommel of the French grip should rest in line with your forearm. Finally, we teach that there should be a small gap between your elbow and your body. You don’t need your elbow to be touching your rib cage. Of course, this is just what we teach, there are many schools out their with their own variations of en guarde. If you want we can make a video on the subject :)

@simulki7108 10 ай бұрын

Thank you so much sir. I'd love a video of the very proper way because I have had problems. Sure, it's only my sixth time I am fencing but they say I am doing wrong with my arm. I have problem relaxing my arm so it is like I am lifting weight. Very nervous of doing wrong. I do understand that my arm should be paralell, yes. What I do not understand is when I fought a guy that were teaching me some, he said, hold your arm correcly so your blade is always touching mine when he is hoilding his foil in guard position, which makes no sense to me because he is a lefty, so when I face a right handen, then it wont be the same. @@s-class8871

@marka2773 6 ай бұрын

What's the issue with the larger Visconti grip (the blue one)? What makes it too big?

@s-class8871 6 ай бұрын

It’s physically larger than a small which is going to influence how you hold it. Personally, we think smalls or extra smalls encourage better finger control. But, use whatever you think feels comfortable

@marka2773 6 ай бұрын

@@s-class8871 And the smaller ones allow more control because they force your fingers to be closer together?

@HipposHateWater 6 ай бұрын

@@s-class8871My hands are a size medium in terms of glove size (right at the top end). I take it a small is still preferable for me with visconti grips?

@s-class8871 6 ай бұрын

@@HipposHateWater again, it’s all about what’s comfortable for you. We’re both M size gloves (8.5) but use small Visconti grips. Hope that helps!

@HipposHateWater 6 ай бұрын

@@s-class8871 Thanks! That's actually my exact glove size so I'll give that a try when I try switching from frenchie