What an interesting, violent weapon. Fortunately for modern fencers, the sporting sabre is a lightened version of its dueling progenitor, and so does not really cause bodily harm. It's a bit like fencing with a car antenna, apt to leave you a good welt if you don't parry properly. Though devotees of the foil and epee probably outnumber those of the sabre, there's little doubt that the latter is the most flashy and swashbuckler-like out of the sport's ferrous triumvirate. What makes it so different from the other two weapons?
Well, the main factor is the method of scoring and target area. In sabre, the entire front edge of the y-shaped blade can be used to score, as well as the back third of the blade, called variously the back edge, false edge, short edge, etc. Additionally, the point may be used to score. The target area is considered to be everything above the hipline. The sabre is the fastest of all three weapons, and in fact is the fastest moving object in sports, second only to a bullet. Personally, the thing I like about the sabre is its swashbuckling appeal, as well as being an extremely interesting game. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy all three weapons, but the sabre is really unique. It requires a certain wildness to fence sabre, to get used to the biting factor that people call the sabre's edge. You have to be at least a little mad to enjoy sabre.
Since the 1980's sabre fencing has been radically changed due to the electrification of the weapon. Like foil in the 1950's, technology has altered the way one approaches a bout. In order to counterbalance the sheer speed of electric sabre, the rules of right-of-way have been mutated to give priority to the fastest fencer, and rendering the parry-riposte obsolete. For an example of electrical sabre fencing click here:
There are still quite a few fencers like myself who prefer the older standard sabre game. In standard competition, one has to demonstrate a clear hit to a jury of four side judges, and so despite the speed of sabre fencing, standard sabre retains the classic phrase d'armes or exchange of blades. Both fencers strive to gain right-of-way, and when the fencing is clean and clear it is quite aesthetically beautiful. Here's a couple examples of good old-fashioned standard sabre fencing:www.youtube.com/watch?v=0he1WjgBPhQ
and this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=79EsZgZFZqA
and finally for a contrast between dueling sabre and sporting sabre styles:
Anyway, there's some of my thoughts about sabre.
Good Fencing!
