Footwork Masterclass

While these exercises are similar or identical to others we use, remember throughout that the purpose of them here is to learn to move your feet to assist with attacking and defending, all the while maintaining proper posture.

This exercise has two variants. The gather-lunge (or step-lunge in modern fencing jargon) may be added by using a third arm movement by the coach to create a third variant.

1. The participants line up in ranks facing the coach, in guard position with no weapons.
2. The coach advances and retreats and the participants follow.
3. When the coach:
   1. Drops the arm, participants lunge
   2. Raises the arm, participants step-lunge
4. Repeat for as long as possible.

Next, a simple game of follow the leader. In pairs, the participants extend their sword arm (no weapons) such that their hands touch. One participant is nominated as the leader, who advances and retreats at they please. The job of the follower is to advance and retreat in response to maintain hand contact. After a time, swap roles and do it again.

This is quite an artificial game. Both fencers stand in tierce and try to make a touch on each other. No blade contact is allowed, which means no parrying. The only defence available is retreating or side-stepping.

In this exercise, one participant is the attacker and the other is the defender. The attacker makes whatever strike they please against the defender. The defender parries and moves (retreat or sidestep) to ensure they parry with their strong on the weak of the attacker's blade.

The exercises is performed in three stages:

1. Static. The attacker may only lunge to strike.
2. Attacker leads. The attack advances and retreats while the defener must follow to maintain distance. The attacker decides at some point during this movement to make their strike.
3. Defender leads. As above, except this time it is the defender who leads. The attacker chooses their time during this movement to make their strike.

Once the basic exercise is mastered, these variations may be added. For each variation, start by performing it statically, as per 1, above. Then move through the mobility stages 2 and 3.

Additional complexities:

• The attacker makes a simple strike. The defender parries and ripostes with a simple strike. The attacker does not defend against the riposte.
• The attacker makes a simple strike. The defender parries and makes a simple riposte. The attacker may defend against the riposte.
• The attacker makes a compound strike. The defender parries and ripostes with a simple strike. The attacker does not defend against the riposte.
• The attacker makes a compound strike. The defender parries and ripostes with a compound strike. The attacker defends against the riposte.

This may be taken further using different combinations of simple and compound strike, simple and compound riposte, etc. In practice, it is not necessary as this is a footwork exercise.

Slipping the leg is a forgotten aspect of fencing. Few people train this technique yet all fencers are expected to know it. Even here, it does not get the attention it deserves.

In this exercise, the attacker makes a strike against the thigh of the defender's forward leg. The defender withdraw the forward leg and simultaneously strikes at the attacker's head.

As with previous exercises, this exercise is performed, first, statically then with mobility, as above.

This is how we approached it for Term 4 2025.

1. Follow the Leader exercise:
   1. with bare hands only, aiming to maintain perfect distance,
   2. with swords crossed weak on weak.
2. Follow the Leader with Strikes using the openings and strikes listed in the table below:
   1. The Leader signals the opening and the Follower makes the attack,
   2. The Follower signals the opening and the Leader makes the attack.
3. Follow the Leader with a Four Step Sequence using the openings and strikes in the table below:
   1. The Leader signals the opening as below and the Follower starts the Sequence,
   2. The Follower signals the opening as below and the Leader starts the Sequence.

The Four Step Sequence has been used elsewhere as an exploratory tool. It consists (unsurprisingly) of a string of four actions:

1. At the cue, Fencer A makes the nominated strike.
2. Fencer B parries.
3. Fencer B ripostes using whatever simple strike seems appropriate at the time.
4. Fencer A parries and withdraws safely.