Honor is non-sharable. Only one can come out on top in this duel to the death. Stand up, grab your sword, and fight.

Since the 16th century, fencing is no longer a matter of life or death. There have been many advancements to the sport since then, one of the most prominent being your weapon of choice. Each weapon has a different style of use that is best suited for different fencers. One of the main challenges of becoming a fencer is finding whether the style of Sabre, Epée, or Foil best suits them.

Epée is agreed among most to be the easiest type of fencing style to learn. Epée fencers can attack anywhere on the other, including the head. Fencers also don’t have to worry about complicated “right of way” rules, it’s purely whoever hits their opponent first. The only rule epée fencers have to look out for is that they can only poke, and no slashes are allowed. 

The weapon itself is lightweight and has a blunted tip not to hurt anyone. For players, counterattacks are a big part of the epée fencing style. Though games can start slow after someone attacks it becomes quite a fast pace as the attackers have to quickly switch to defense while the other most likely counterattacks. 

One thing that every KHS epée fencer could agree on is that their favorite part of playing epée was the lack of rules as to how a fencer can attack. Logan Sharbaugh even said, “It’s fun ’cause there’s no rules whatsoever, I can jump, I can do whatever I want.” He not only chose epée for the lack of rules but of how matches call for lots of strategies

due to the usual slow start and fast ending. Sharbaugh also loved how he had the freedom to move however he wanted, some examples are being able to jump, putting his left foot in front of

the right, squat, lunge at their shoes or ankles, and being able to get a double point. 

Siyana Ahmed had a very unique way of choosing her weapon. In 8th grade, Ahmed decided to take a personality test as to what weapon she should play with, after being told epée was the weapon best suited for her she stuck with it ever since. Ahmed also really enjoys the amount of freedom that comes with the lack of rules. She likes to play with the style of pushing them to the edge of the mat and then striking or, waiting for the other person to attack, read them, and then counterattack. 

Foil is the most common kind of fencing around the world.  Foil, same as sabre, also has “right of way” rules so if both fencers hit simultaneously, whoever started their attack first gets the point. The foil sword is lightweight and has a blunted tip. The main difference between foil and epée or saber is that foil has a much smaller target area. Foil fencers can only attack the chest, stomach, or neck, they can’t attack the arms, head, or legs. When attacking, fencers can only hit with the tip of their sword, no slashing. In foil, precision is essential, even other weapon fencers can recognize it. Sam Baldino, a KHS saber fencer, stated, “Foil is a type of fencing dedicated to the precise”.

Foil fencer Matthew Waibel, finds foil to be the most difficult. When asked if he always fenced foil Wailbel said that he started on epée but thought it was too easy to score points so he switched. He loves how much of a challenge foil is with the amount of focus and precision demanded of a fencer. Waibel stated, “[Foil fencing is] like an athletic version of chess.” He talked about how fencers have to stay defensive and strategize, they can’t just “be all crazy”.

Waibel’s fighting style focuses on his footwork because it’s the key to getting into a good distance to score touches. He also focuses on where the other person’s blade moves to figure out how they might attack. Foil, is a heavy strategizing weapon, though it can be quick you just have to take your time.

Sabre is generally known as the most difficult type of weapon, as fencers have to worry about the right of way, parries, and fast attacks. Sabre matches move fast and require good reflexes, but fencers are given more freedom as to how they can attack. Foil and Epee are thrusting weapons only, while sabre fencers also incorporate slashes to score points. The target areas for sabres are everything above the waist, including both arms and the head. Similar to foil, sabre blades are required to weigh under 500 grams, but they feature a shorter blade and a larger hand guard.

Sabre fencers such as KHS junior Aarushi Kumar and KHS sophomore Juan Jaramillo seem to agree that sabre is the most ‘interesting’, and the most fast-paced. The weapon is best suited for those who have good reflexes and favors quick predictions over meticulous planning. Fencers who are fast movers will find Sabre best suits their style.  “The most important thing is moving quickly and thinking on your feet and more often than not you’ll get the point,” said Kumar.

Both Kumar and Jaramillo started on sabre and stuck with the weapon. Jaramillo also attends a fencing academy and has trained extensively for his weapon. “I focus on glove touches. …When I’m losing ground, usually my opponent is too focused on charging me down and just hitting me. I [can] just tap them and the light will go off,” said Jaramillo on how he scores points. 

Kumar feels a strong commitment to her weapon, and it suits her fencing style the best. “I’ve never regretted my decision,” says Kumar. “Fencing sabre has been my plan since the beginning, and it’s still just as fun for me.” As the oldest sabre fencer at KHS, she also shared some advice: “Don’t be so caught up on winning all the time … enjoying the journey of getting better, making friends, and having fun is the most important thing.”

Choosing your weapon can be difficult, but every fencer can find a weapon that suits them best. Coaches and upperclassmen fencers say it’s important to stay motivated through the sport.