| It is commonly accepted in the armed forces that | | | | selection for the next touch. A bout for 5 touches |
| you will fight the way you train. Many martial arts | | | | demands the same tactical calculus as you will |
| now emphasize greater realism in technique and | | | | have to apply in a tournament bout. Fencing some |
| execution, so that the skills learned are valuable in | | | | touches imposes no such requirement, and |
| combat. Why then do so many fencers think | | | | shortchanges your training. |
| they are training realistically when they "fence | | | | (3) the bout should be fought to a tactical plan. |
| some touches" with no score and no structure? | | | | Fencing for 5 touches allows the fencer to test |
| Fencing is a simple sport; you win when you hit | | | | his or her plans under the same conditions as a |
| the other person more times in a set time period. | | | | competition bout. Constantly practicing planning |
| With the exception of classical 1 touch epee | | | | with a measurement of success makes you a |
| where a double hit results in a double defeat, | | | | better planner. |
| someone always wins a fencing bout in a | | | | (4) each bout imposes psychological stresses. |
| competition. There are no ties. There is always a | | | | Fencing demands a high degree of fighting spirit. |
| final score. And in the pool round that final score | | | | Fencing some hits does not develop that spirit. If |
| determines your seeding in direct elimination. The | | | | there is no score, there is no incentive to dig |
| following discussion is based on the standard 5 | | | | down deep in the psychological well and fight back |
| touch bout (the fencer who first scores 5 hits | | | | from 1-4 to win 5-4. |
| wins), but the same principles apply to 15 touch (in | | | | (5) training bout scores provide both the fencing |
| the direct elimination), 10 touch (veterans direct | | | | master and you a very good indicator of how |
| elimination), best two of three bouts (Youth 12 | | | | you are developing as a fencer. If your touches |
| and 10 direct elimination), 45 touch (team), and 1 | | | | scored are climbing, touches received are falling, |
| touch (modern pentathlon epee). | | | | victory percentage is up, and indicators are up, |
| Because there is a standard bout score (and also | | | | the odds are good you are getting stronger as a |
| time limit), our training is most realistic when we | | | | competitor. Of course, with no score you could |
| fight training bouts for the same score as bouts | | | | be getting better, but there is no objective |
| we will fence in tournaments. This is particularly | | | | measurement. You could just as easily be |
| important because: | | | | progressing backward. |
| (1) it puts a final measurement on how successful | | | | Over the years a number of my fencing master |
| we are in the training bout. With no score you | | | | colleagues, much more eminent than I, have |
| have no measure of success. | | | | consistently argued that fencers should always |
| (2) the bout has a specific tactical dynamic. Each | | | | fence for a score. They are correct. I think you |
| touch changes the probability of victory for the | | | | will find that always fencing in a bout format will |
| fencer. Each touch opens up or closes off tactical | | | | make a difference in your tournament |
| choices. Each touch forces analysis and new tactic | | | | performance. |