"How far apart are my feet supposed to be" is a question that every fencing trainer has heard if they have ever taught a beginner to fence. We get to the point where the fencing student understands feet at an approximately right angle, we ask them to step forward into the guard, and then comes the question.
It is a good question, and the answer has to consider a number of factors. With the feet too close together the tendency is for the fencer to stand up, raising the center of gravity and negatively impacting balance. With the feet far apart, the actual distance the blade travels forward in the lunge from its starting point is reduced. With too much or too little bend in the legs the ability of the fencer to generate power through muscular action is reduced. And then there is the impact of the doctrine of the School which you are studying. If the feet are supposed to be three feet apart, then that is what you should do even if you have to figure out ways to manage the effects the stance has on performance.
So what did Fencing Masters of the period actually teach as a proper distance for the separation between the forward foot and the rear foot when on guard? The following data is grouped by weapon, distance, School, date, and author.
Distances are typically defined based on the distance the front foot should step forward from a position with the heels together. Most frequently, authors do not distinguish as to whether the end point of the step forward is measured from the rear of the front foot or the toe of the front foot. Photographs and drawings general show distances between the feet that conform to the use of the heel of the foot as the measurement point so that the final distance is measured from the heel of the rear foot to the heel of the front foot. Based on that it appears to be a safe course of action to assume that the distance is between the heels unless otherwise noted.
Attribution to a School is based on author statements, on their training, or as a last choice on attempts to match the performance of techniques with other authors who identify their school. The School as a measurement becomes more problematic as the classical period draws to a close and a mixed International School emerges.
Dates are not absolutes. A fencing manual typically represents the doctrine a Master has taught and is often written later in a career rather than earlier. In this sense during the classical period it may be retrospective. In some cases the manual may be written to establish a new form of fencing - Siebenhaar's and La Marche's texts clearly fall into this category. In others it may have been written to provide a text for a current training course, the case with Barbasetti's manuals. In extreme cases, such as Terrone's, a manual may be published with some considerable delay after the original text was written and then put aside and after the death of the author. And then there is the delay from original language version into English - Pavese's text in English appears 21 years after Parise's in Italian on which it was based.
FOILDistances are typically defined based on the distance the front foot should step forward from a position with the heels together. Most frequently, authors do not distinguish as to whether the end point of the step forward is measured from the rear of the front foot or the toe of the front foot. Photographs and drawings general show distances between the feet that conform to the use of the heel of the foot as the measurement point so that the final distance is measured from the heel of the rear foot to the heel of the front foot. Based on that it appears to be a safe course of action to assume that the distance is between the heels unless otherwise noted.
Note that distances should be considered with caution as there may be differences in measurements between countries and even cities (the metric system being the one exception) and a measurement such as two feet may refer to two foot lengths or to 24 inches or its metric equivalent, with what the author intended determined by the translator for those texts not originally published in English. By the 1880s there was increased standardization of measurements in Europe; thus the differences should be minor.
Attribution to a School is based on author statements, on their training, or as a last choice on attempts to match the performance of techniques with other authors who identify their school. The School as a measurement becomes more problematic as the classical period draws to a close and a mixed International School emerges.
Dates are not absolutes. A fencing manual typically represents the doctrine a Master has taught and is often written later in a career rather than earlier. In this sense during the classical period it may be retrospective. In some cases the manual may be written to establish a new form of fencing - Siebenhaar's and La Marche's texts clearly fall into this category. In others it may have been written to provide a text for a current training course, the case with Barbasetti's manuals. In extreme cases, such as Terrone's, a manual may be published with some considerable delay after the original text was written and then put aside and after the death of the author. And then there is the delay from original language version into English - Pavese's text in English appears 21 years after Parise's in Italian on which it was based.
35 inches to 60 inches based on stature - Dutch Method - 1861 through approximately 1887 - Christiaan Siebenhaar - the sword (appears to be a foil).
Approximately 22 inches depending on height of the fencer - French - 1868 - Thomas Griffiths.
Approximately twice the length of the front foot - French - 1895 - George Heintz, Sr.
Two foot lengths - Italian - 1884 - Masaniello Parise.
Two foot lengths - Italian - 1905 - Generoso Pavese.
Two foot lengths - French - 1920 - Ricardo Enrique Manrique.
About two feet - Italian - 1932 - Luigi Barbasetti.
Two foot lengths - French - 1937 - Julio Martinez Castello.
Twice the length of the foot - International - 1937 - Joseph Vince.
Approximately two shoe lengths - French - 1948 - Clovis Deladrier.
Approximately 1 1/2 to 2 feet - Kressslerian Thrust Fencing - 1849 - Friedrich August Wilhelm Ludwig Roux - the Rappier (foil) or Degen.
About 20 inches - French - 1906 - Maurice Grandiere.
About 18 inches apart - International - 1939 - Geoffrey V. Hett.
Approximately a sole and a half, depending on the stature of the fencer - French - 1890 - Camile Prevost.
A step one and one half times the length of the shoe - International - 1943 - Aldo Nadi.
14 to 16 inches depending on the fencer's height - French - 1863 - "Stonehenge" and J. G. Wood.
A foot length between the two feet - Italian Right and Left Handed - 1959 - Leonardo F. Terrone.
Advance the foot to a convenient distance - French - 1892 - Louis Rondelle.
A comfortable distance - French - 1883 - George H. Benedict.
Distance varying according to the size of the fencer - French - 1908 - Ministry of War.
Approximately twice the length of the front foot - French - 1895 - George Heintz, Sr.
Two foot lengths - Italian - 1884 - Masaniello Parise.
Two foot lengths - Italian - 1905 - Generoso Pavese.
Two foot lengths - French - 1920 - Ricardo Enrique Manrique.
About two feet - Italian - 1932 - Luigi Barbasetti.
Two foot lengths - French - 1937 - Julio Martinez Castello.
Twice the length of the foot - International - 1937 - Joseph Vince.
Approximately two shoe lengths - French - 1948 - Clovis Deladrier.
Approximately 1 1/2 to 2 feet - Kressslerian Thrust Fencing - 1849 - Friedrich August Wilhelm Ludwig Roux - the Rappier (foil) or Degen.
About 20 inches - French - 1906 - Maurice Grandiere.
About 18 inches apart - International - 1939 - Geoffrey V. Hett.
Approximately a sole and a half, depending on the stature of the fencer - French - 1890 - Camile Prevost.
A step one and one half times the length of the shoe - International - 1943 - Aldo Nadi.
14 to 16 inches depending on the fencer's height - French - 1863 - "Stonehenge" and J. G. Wood.
A foot length between the two feet - Italian Right and Left Handed - 1959 - Leonardo F. Terrone.
Advance the foot to a convenient distance - French - 1892 - Louis Rondelle.
A comfortable distance - French - 1883 - George H. Benedict.
Distance varying according to the size of the fencer - French - 1908 - Ministry of War.
EPEE
Guard is a bit longer than foil - French - 1898 - Claude La Marche.
Two foot lengths - eclectic - 1937 - Julio Martinez Castello.
Approximately two shoe lengths - French - 1948 - Clovis Deladrier.
Not to exceed 1 1/2 feet - International - 1937 - Joseph Vince.
SABRE
35 inches to 60 inches based on stature of the fencer - Dutch Method - 1861 through approximately 1887 - Christiaan Siebenhaar.
4/10 of the individual's height or approximately 2 1/2 sole lengths - Italian - 1895 - United Kingdom War Office (based on Ferdinando Masiello)
Approximately 2 feet - Italian Radaelli School - 1905 - Leopold J. M. P. van Humbeek.
Approximately two feet - French - 1948 - Clovis Deladrier.
Approximately twice the length of the foreward foot - modified British sabre - 1880 - J. M. Waite.
Two foot lengths - Italian - 1884 - Masaniello Parise.
Two feet away from the rear foot - Italian - 1905 - Generoso Pavese.
Two feet adjusted for the height of the fencer - Italian - 1927 - Leon Bertrand.
Two foot lengths - Italian - 1936 - Luigi Barbasetti.
Twice the length of the foot - Hungarian - 1937 - Joseph Vince.
Two foot lengths - Italian - 1937 - Julio Martinez Castello.
About 20 inches - French - 1892 - Louis Rondelle
Half a step (illustration suggests this is perhaps half a marching step, possibly 1 1/2 foot length) - Swiss sabre - 1887 - Fredrich Schneider
Half a meter - Spanish sabre - 1877 - Frederico Gerona y Ensenat.
A foot length between the two feet - Italian Right and Left Handed - 1959 - Leonardo F. Terrone.
Moved forward a foot more or less - Spanish sabre - 1879 - Liborio Vendrell y Eduart.
Distance varying according to the size of the fencer - French - 1908 - Ministry of WarA foot length between the two feet - Italian Right and Left Handed - 1959 - Leonardo F. Terrone.
Moved forward a foot more or less - Spanish sabre - 1879 - Liborio Vendrell y Eduart.
CONCLUSION
The data above suggests that three general practices should govern your practice as a classical fencer. First, our standard rule applies: follow the specific guidance of the School which or Master whom you are studying. Second, a two foot distance (using the fencer's feet, not the measurement of a ruler) between the heels when the guard position is assumed is a reasonable practice. Although there are wider and narrower stances this value seems to be common one. Third , the distance between the feet can be adjusted based on the fencer's stature.
Sources: The sources list is necessarily not a complete list of all period sources, but an effort has been made to include a variety of types of sources from a selection of Schools.
Barbasetti, Luigi; The Art of the Foil; [fencing manual]; E. P. Dutton and Company, Inc., New York, New York, United States of America; 1932.
Barbasetti, Luigi; The Art of the Sabre and the Epee; [fencing manual]; E. P. Dutton and Company, Inc., New York, New York, United States of America; 1937.
Benedict, Geo. H.; Manual of Boxing, Club Swinging and Manly Sports; [sports book]; A. G. Spaulding and Brothers, Chicago, Illinois, reprint by Read Books Ltd., no place; 1883, reprint 2013.
Bertrand, Leon; Cut and Thrust: The Subtlety of the Sabre; [fencing manual]; Athletic Publications, Ltd., London, United Kingdom; 1927.
Castello, Julio Martinez; The Theory and Practice of Fencing; [fencing manual]; Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, New York, United States of America; 1937.
Deladrier, Clovis; Modern Fencing; [fencing manual]; United States Naval Institute, Annapolis, Maryland, United States of America; 1948.
France. Ministry of War; Fencing: Foil, Epee, Sabre, Theory, Method, Regulations; translation by the Amateur Fencers League of America; [fencing manual]; Alex Taylor and Company, New York, New York, reprinted by Rose City Books, Portland Oregon, United States of America; 1908 reprinted 1908, Rose City Book reprint no date.
Gerona y Ensenat, Frederico; Fencing of the Sabre; translation by John Jakelsky; [fencing manual]; Printing Press of T. Fortanet, Madrid, Spain; translated and reprinted by John Jakelsky, Xativa, Valencia, Spain; 1877, reprinted 2019.
Grandiere, Maurice; How To Fence; [fencing manual]; The Walter Scott Publishing Company, New York, New York, United States of America; 1906.
Heintz, George, Sr.; Theory of Fencing With the Foil, in Form of a Catechism; [fencing manual]; Freidenker Publishing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America; reprint by Forgotten Books, London, United Kingdom; 1895, reprint no date.
Hett, Geoffrey V.; Fencing; [fencing manual]; Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, Ltd., London, United Kingdom; 1939.
La Marche, Claude; The Dueling Sword; translation by Brian House; [fencing manual]; Ernest Flammarion; Paris, France; reprinted by Paladin Press, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America; 1898 reprinted 2009.
Manrique, Ricardo Enrique; Fencing Foil Class Work Illustrated; [fencing manual]; American Sports Publishing Company, New York, New York, United States of America, 1920.
Nadi, Aldo; On Fencing; [fencing manual]; G. P. Putnam’s Sons, New York, New York, United States of America; 1943.
Parise, Masaniello; Treatise on the Fencing of the Sword and Sabre; in The Roman-Neapolitan School of Fencing: The Collected Works of Masaniello Parise, Maestro di Scherma; translation by Christopher A. Holzman; [collected works]; Christopher A. Holzman, Wichita, Kansas, United States of America; 1884 reprinted as a collected work 2015.
Pavese, Generoso; Foil and Sabre Fencing (Scherma di Spada e Sciabola); [fencing manual]; Press of King Brothers, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America; 1905.
Pollock, Walter H., F. C. Grove, and Camille Prevost; Fencing; 2nd edition; in the Badminton Library of Sports and Pastimes; [fencing manual]; Longman’s, Green, and Company, London, United Kingdom; 1890.
Roux, Friedrich August Wilhelm Ludwig; Die Kreussler'sche Stossfechtschule for Use by Academies and Military Schools Based on a Mathematical Basis; translation by Christopher Treichel; [fencing manual]; Druck and Verlag von Friedrich Mauke, Jena, Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Germany; translated and reprinted by Christopher Treichel; 1849, reprinted 2016.
Schneider, Friedrich; Friedrich Schneider's Infantry Saber; translation by Jeremy Steflik; [fencing manual]; Nydegger and Baimgart, Berne, Switzerland; reprint by Jeremy Steflik, East Haddam, Connecticut, United States of America; 1887, reprint 2018.
Siebenhaar, Christiaan; Manual for the Instruction in the Art of Fencing; Third Improved Printing; translation by Reinier van Nort; [fencing manual]; The Heirs Doorman, The Hague, Netherlands; translated and reprinted by Reiner van Nort, Hagan, Norway; 1861 reprinted 2017.
“Stonehenge” (reputed to be John Henry Walsh) and J. G. Wood; Archery, Fencing, and Broadsword; [sports manual]; Routledge, Warne, and Routledge, London, United Kingdom; 1863.
Terrone, Leonardo; Right and Left Handed Fencing; [fencing manual]; Dodd, Mead and Company, New York, New York, United States of America; 1959.
van Humbeek, Leopold J. M. P.; Manual for Fencing with the Sabre; translation by Reinier van Nort; [fencing manual]; Amsterdam, Netherlands; translated and reprinted by Reiner van Nort, Hagan, Norway; 1905 reprinted 2017.
Vendrell y Eduart, Liborio; Art of Fencing the Sabre; translation by John Jakelsky; [fencing manual]; Imprenta y Libreria de Elias Sarasqueta, Vitoria, Spain; translated and reprinted by John Jakelsky, Xativa, Valencia, Spain; 1879 reprinted 2019.
Vince, Joseph; Fencing; [fencing manual]; A. S. Barnes and Company, New York, New York, United States of America; 1937.
Waite, J. M.; Lessons in Sabre, Singlestick, Sabre and Bayonet, and Sword Feats; [fencing manual]; Weldon and Company, London, United Kingdom; 1880.
United Kingdom. War Office; Infantry Sword Exercise; [fencing manual]; War Office, London, United Kingdom, reprinted by The Military and Naval Press, Uckfield, East Sussex, United Kingdom; 1905 reprinted no date.
Copyright 2020 by Walter G. Green III
How Far Apart Are My Feet? by Walter G. Green III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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