Epee is a game of precision, patience, and strategy. To gain an edge, fencers must master specific basic techniques, disciplined footwork, and strategic set-ups.
Success in epee fencing begins with mastering the basics: your ready position, fundamental footwork, and core blade skills. These elements form the foundation for all other advanced fencing techniques and strategies.
Basic skill #1: En Garde stance
The En Garde stance is the ready position from which all actions are initiated. It is a balanced, elegant, and athletic posture that allows for immediate, explosive movement anywhere.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, perpendicular to your opponent. Your weapon-side foot points forward, and your back foot is at a 90-degree angle. You should be ready to move in any direction.
Keep your weight centered and your knees bent. This spring-loaded position allows for quick shifts forward, backward, or into a lunge. Avoid leaning too far forward or backward as it will throw your balance off.
Your weapon arm is bent, holding the epee with the point directed at your opponent. Your non-weapon arm is extended backward for balance. This posture ensures stability and prevents you from “telegraphing” your moves.
Basic skill #2: Footwork
Footwork dictates the distance between you and your opponent, creating or closing opportunities for attack and defense. In epee, it is less about explosive speed and more about controlled, strategic movement. Every step should serve a purpose, either to create distance, close distance, or set up a tempo.
Advance means a controlled forward step. The front foot moves first, followed by the back foot, maintaining the distance between them. This move is used to close the distance and apply pressure to the opponent without over-committing.
Retreat refers to a controlled backward step. The back foot moves first, followed by the front foot. This is crucial for avoiding attacks, setting up counter-attacks, and resetting the bout.
Last but not least, the lunge is your primary attacking movement. From the En Garde stance, you extend your weapon arm and explosively push off your back leg, extending your front leg forward to reach your opponent. This movement requires a powerful push from the back leg and a stable landing to maintain balance. An effective epee lunge is long, fast, and precise, targeting the hand, foot, or torso.
Basic skill #3: Blade work
Learn to use your blade for both offense and defense.
Point-in-line is a fundamental defensive and offensive position. You extend your arm and hold your epee point directly at your opponent’s body. This action can deter an opponent’s attack or serve as a counter-attack, as an opponent who runs onto your point has committed a hit.
Parries are defensive actions used to deflect an opponent’s blade and prevent a hit. Epee parries are typically smaller and more subtle than in other weapons, designed to push the opponent’s point just enough to miss your target. The most common parries are:
- Parry of six: Deflects attacks aimed at your right side.
- Parry of eight: Deflects attacks aimed at your low-right side.
- Parry of four: Deflects attacks aimed at your left side.
What about attacking immediately after a successful parry? This refers to a riposte that allows you to immediately counter with a thrust to the open target after deflecting the opponent’s blade.
Epee techniques are centered on control, timing, and exploiting the opponent’s weaknesses.
Epee technique #1: Direct attack
Direct attack is the most fundamental offensive action. This refers to a straightforward lunge or flèche aimed at the most obvious open target, typically the opponent’s arm, torso, or leg.
Its effectiveness relies on a fencer’s speed and the ability to find a moment when the opponent is off-balance or unprepared. While simple in concept, a well-executed direct attack requires perfect timing and a clear understanding of distance.
Epee technique #2: Counter-attack
Meanwhile, a counter-attack is an offensive action made against an opponent who is in the process of attacking you. This is a hallmark of epee fencing. The goal is to land your point on an exposed target (like the arm or hand) before their attack can reach you.
Counter-attacks are often executed while retreating, using the opponent’s forward momentum against them. A stop-hit is a common type of counter-attack where a fencer quickly hits their opponent’s extended arm or leg as they begin their attack, stopping their forward movement and scoring a point.
Epee technique #3: Parry-riposte
Another basic fencing technique is the parry-riposte, which is a classic defensive and offensive combination. A parry is a defensive action that deflects the opponent’s blade, preventing their attack from landing. In epee, parries are often small, precise movements that guide the opponent’s point away from the target without losing a strong grip on the blade.
Immediately after a successful parry, a riposte is a counter-attack made to an open target. This sequence is a powerful way to turn your opponent’s intended attacks into your own scoring opportunity.
Strategic set-ups in epee fencing
Beyond individual techniques, victory in epee often depends on your set-up – a sequence of actions designed to create a scoring opportunity. It comes down to who can manipulate the other into making a mistake.
Mastering the set-ups outlined below allows an epee fencer to move beyond simple exchanges and engage in a more strategic duel where every movement has a purpose.
Epee set-up #1: Drawing the attack
This strategy rewards patience and observation. Instead of immediately launching an attack, you can use subtle footwork to manipulate your opponent. By using slow advances and retreats, you can feign vulnerability and invite your opponent to attack.
Once they commit to their offensive action, you are in a perfect position to execute a planned parry-riposte or a well-timed counter-attack.
Epee set-up #2: False attack
A false attack is an incomplete offensive action used to deceive your opponent. You might begin a lunge or feint to bait a specific reaction from your opponent, like a parry or a counter-attack. By stopping the attack short, you can then respond to their reaction.
For example, if they parry, you can beat their blade aside and hit them on a different target. If they try a counter-attack, you can be ready to execute a stop-hit of your own. This technique turns the bout into a psychological game of feints and counters.
Epee set-up #3: Hand game
The hand and wrist are the closest targets in epee, making them prime targets. Constantly threaten these areas with subtle blade movements, such as twitching your blade or slightly advancing your point toward their hand. This forces them to react, creating an opportunity for a different target or provoking them into a counter-attack.
A fencer skilled in the hand game can use this constant pressure to create an opening for a deeper attack to the body or a simple hit to the hand itself.
Master epee fencing with the basics, techniques & set-ups
Success in epee is not about brute force or unthinking speed. It is a sport of patience, precision, and intellect. Unlike foil or sabre, the entire body is a valid target, making every move critical. To learn more about their specific differences, check out epee vs foil vs sabre fencing. Consistent practice of the basics, a deep understanding of each technique, and the ability to apply strategic set-ups are important to unlocking your full potential on the piste.
With a solid physical foundation, a fencer can build upon the essential techniques: the direct attack for offense, the counter-attack for calculated risk, and the parry-riposte for a solid defense. Ultimately, however, technical skill must be paired with strategic thinking. The true art of epee lies in the set-ups – the ability to manipulate your opponent through subtle feints, controlled movements, and psychological pressure to transform your fencing from a series of individual actions into a cohesive, winning strategy.
This introduction to epee techniques and strategy is just the beginning. The best way to improve is through hands-on training and expert guidance on different tips and tricks. Don’t forget to choose and buy the right fencing equipment as well.
Learn more at DSFencing Club where we offer fencing sparring sessions for fencers of all levels to practice and refine their skills. Private fencing coaching is also available for those who wish to accelerate their progress with personalised training plans tailored to their specific goals.