Riposte (fencing) - L

L

Lamé

The electrically conductive jacket worn by Foil and Sabre fencers. In foil, the lamé extends on the torso from the shoulders to the groin area. It also covers the back. In sabre, the lamé covers both arms, the torso from the shoulders to the waist, and the back. Sabreurs also wear a conductive glove cover, called a manchette on their weapon hand. The lamé is connected to the body cord with an alligator clip causing it to be conductive.

Line

The main direction of an attack (e.g., high/low, inside/outside), often equated to the parry that must be made to deflect the attack; see also #Point-in-Line.

Lines

The means of referring to a position or area on a fencer’s body. The idea behind ‘lines’ is that the torso, as facing the viewer in ‘en garde’ is bisected both laterally and vertically. There are then four q­rants of the body. The q­rants which are above the lateral line are referred to as ‘high line,’ those below as ‘low line.’ The fencer's left-hand-side, referred to as chest, is the inside. The fencer's right-hand-side, referred to as flank, is the outside. The lower chest side q­rant is then referred to as 'inside low line.’ The common parries in foil and epée are: sixte (outside-high), quarte (inside-high), octave (outside-low), and septieme (inside-low). Angled (up-and-down) parries can also be used. In sabre, tierce replaces sixte to guard the inside-high line, quarte becomes more erect, seconde replace octave on the inside-low line, and prime replaces septieme. Quinte is used in sabre to protect the head.

Longsword

also Hand-and-a-half Sword. A larger cutting sword that could be use with one or two hands. Manuals detailing the use of such swords are among the earliest extant, dating back to the 14th Century.

Lunge

The most basic and common attacking movement in modern fencing. This description adheres basically to the French school of fencing, and describes the legwork involved. The actions of the hand/arm/blade are considered separately from this discussion. From en garde, push the front heel out by extending the front leg from the knee. Do not bend the front ankle, or lift up on the ball of the front foot. This means that the front foot must move forward prior to the body weight shifting forward. As the front leg extends, energetically push erect body forward with the rear leg. Rear arm extends during forward motion as a counterbalance. Land on the front heel and glide down into final position, with front shin perpendicular to the ground, and both heels on the floor. During this action, the torso should remain relatively erect, and not be thrown forward. Often, the back foot can be pulled along behind during an energetic lunge. It is important, and a fundamental characteristic of the lunge, to fully extend the back leg, obtaining full power from this spring-like extension. Aldo Nadi, of the Italian school of fencing, wrote an extensive description of how the lunge should be executed.