by Maestro Ramón Martínez

How much of today’s rapier fencing is, in fact, historically accurate? One of the most disturbing elements that I have observed in rapier today is the lack of respect shown for the adversary’s blade. The majority of fencers today are content to use sheer strength and speed to compensate for their lack of knowledge and skill in controlling their own blade and their adversary’s blade. Many times, I have observed fencers standing out of distance from one another, merely going from pose to pose in an attempt to emulate the illustrations from the historical treatises and then hurling themselves headlong without any preparation or forethought, and without any conception or concern of the physical damage that an actual rapier blade can inflict. The reasons that these things occur are due to the fencers’ lack of training and understanding of what blade contact is about.

Figure 1: The weapon

Acquiring skill in fencing, be it in rapier or any of the other fencing weapon, is about two things: Firstly, the fencer must learn to control themselves, and, secondly, the fencer must learn how to control the blade. Both of these elements require considerable time, patience and effort to acquire the necessary skill and knowledge. Unfortunately, today’s ‘fencers’ want to fence before they have acquired the technical skill—which brings me to the ‘main thrust’ of this article, the engagement.

Throughout the rapier’s time period, a feeling for blade contact, especially the engagement, was the most important thing that any swordsman could acquire. Giganti, Capo Ferro, Alfieri, Bondi Di Mazzo, and Marcelli all emphasize blade-to-blade contact and proper fencing distance. I explain to my own students that an engagement is a firm but supple contact on the adversary’s blade with one’s own. In so doing, you can better deduce what type of fencer you are dealing with—but, conversely, so can he. I also tell my students that fencing without blade contact, without first engaging your adversary’s blade, is like diving into a pool of water and not knowing how deep it is. No person in his right mind would do such a thing. Let us just take a moment to consider that we are facing an intelligent opponent with a sharp blade. Would we attack such a person without first knowing where his blade is, attempting to control it so we are not wounded in the act of wounding? I believe not. Since fencing is the art of giving without receiving, it is obvious that an ‘encounter’ or double hit, whether symbolically or in reality, is unacceptable.

Figure 2: From Giganti's treatise of 1606: "The true manner in which to approach and engage the enemy and strike as he disengages his sword."

Many students have also asked the question: “What if the opponent refuses blade contact?” My answer is, one must then force the opponent to make blade contact. One way to do this is by simply attacking, drawing out the opponent with a second-intention action. The opponent must then either step away, parry, or counterattack. If he steps away, one can continue the attack. If he parries, as soon as one feels the adversary’s blade begin the response in Stesso Tempo, one can make an action such as a transport or an opposition against it and thus hit. If he counterattacks, one can again transport the blade and hit in contratempo.

Regardless of tactical applications, the tactile sense is an important quality for every fencer to have. The following exercises will aid students as they learn to give and receive blade contact. Though these exercises seem very simple at first glance, learning to do them properly requires much practice.

Drill 1

The swordsmen face each other on guard in terza with no blade contact. The points of the rapiers are each directed towards each other's faces, on the inside line. Swordsman A passes his point under B's in order to make edge-to-edge contact with the blades, the debole of A's blade against the debole of B's blade. The quillions of the rapier must be absolutely level, since if they are not, the engagement will be weak, resulting in poor control of the weapon.

Upon contact, A must exert a light pressure upon B's blade, causing the latter's point to move slightly out of line. At the same time, A must take care not to let his own point deviate from the intended target. Rather, A must always maintain his point in line, posing a continuous threat and thus forcing B to either react or be hit.

This pressure is achieved by the fingers and wrist working together. By squeezing the grip, making a small roll of the wrist, and using the quillions and ricasso for the correct leverage, an engagement with authority is achieved with a minimum of effort and maximum effect. The swordsmen then change roles.

Drill 2

Though the drill above describes an engagement in terza, it may also be practiced in quarta. To do this, A simply moves his blade laterally into quarta. Blade contact against B is then executed as previously described. One thing that must be stressed in this is that the weapon and hand be moved together, with the elbow acting as a pivot point. Only moving the blade is an error that brings the point out of line and gives the adversary the opportunity to attack the blade.

Figure 3: The engagement in quarta from the point of view of the fencer making the engagement.

Figure 4: The engagement in terza from the point of view of the fencer making the engagement

The Change of Engagement

To perform a change of engagement is to engage the adversary's blade in a line opposite to that of the original engagement. This is to be executed by passing the point of the weapon underneath the opposing blade and making an engagement in the same direction as that in which the original contact was made.

For example, assuming a right-handed opponent, if the opponent engages in third position (terza) one may change and engage him in fourth position (quarta). If the opponent engages in fourth (quarta), one changes to engage him in third position (terza). Closing the line in this manner maintains one's defense, so that a thrust delivered at that moment will glide harmlessly by.

The aim of the change of engagement is to prevent the adversary from remaining in dominant contact, controlling the blade, and also to close the line threatened by his engagement. By changing the engagement, dominant blade contact and control is taken from the adversary, and the adversary is himself threatened, forcing him to do a follow-up action or technique. Thus, he is placed in a defensive position.

Drill 1

The swordsmen are on guard in terza. Swordsman A engages B in terza. B passes his point underneath A's and then performs a change of engagement by reengaging A in quarta, thus covering the line that A has threatened.

Drill 2

After returning to the initial guard position, A engages B in quarta. B then passes his blade underneath A's and changes the engagement by performing a change of engagement to engage A in terza, covering the line that A was threatening.

By assiduously practicing these drills with meticulous attention to detail, you will begin to acquire the tactile sense to know both how to give bade contact and how to receive it. This is the first step in learning to control both your own and your opponent’s weapon.