Talk the Talk

• Advance/retreat: Step forward or step back to gain or maintain distance between two fencers
• Attack: Movement or series of movements by which a fencer tries to score a point against his opponent.
• Beat: Sharp tap on the opponent's blade to initiate attack or threat of attack.
• Blade: Part of the weapon which extends from the guard.
• Counter-Parry: A defensive movement by which the fencer makes a small circle with the tip of the blade, around the opponent's blade and moves the opponent's blade away.
• Disengage: Break of contact between fencers' blades; movement made by passing the blade under the opponent's blade.
• Engagement: Contact of blades.
• EnGarde: Position taken before a bout begins.
• Feint: A false attack intended to get a reaction from the opposing fencer which will open him up to a genuine attack.
• Fleche: A running attack.
• Guard: Part of the weapon between the blade and handle; protects the hand.
• Lunge: Most common attack in which the fencer closes the distance by moving the front leg forward while the back leg remains stationary and straightens out.
• Parry: Defensive action in which a fencer blocks this opponent's blade.
• Piste: French term for the fencing strip.
• Recover: Return to the engarde position after lunging.
• Remise: Attacking again immediately after the opponent's parry of an initial attack.
• Riposte: Defender's counterattack after parrying an attack.
• Strip: Fencing area, 14 meters long by 2 meters wide.