How to Select Grip for Fencing

Fencing is a sport in which competitors, in full protective suits, attempt to score points using their swords, known as epees, in a manner similar to old-fashioned sword duels. To score a point, a fencer must strike his opponent with the tip of his epee, making a horizontal attack angle essential for getting the needed approach lane. Fencing swords come with a variety of grips, with each serving a different branch of fencing practitioners.

Instructions

    • 1

      Use a French grip epee if you are purchasing for a beginner, as it has the shallowest learning curve for new fencers.

    • 2

      Select an Italian grip if the individual using the epee is ambidextrous and wishes to be able to fence with both his left and right hand, at it is the only grip that is not side-specific.

    • 3

      Purchase an epee with a Spanish grip only if you will be fencing purely as a recreational activity, as many Spanish grip swords are no longer in compliance with modern tournament fencing regulations.

    • 4

      Use a pistol grip as an orthopedic aid for those who have difficulty properly bending the wrist for the other grip styles. A pistol grip extends the sword out at a more sharp angle, allowing for a more upright grip while still getting a forward attack.

    • 5

      Try out several different grips, either at the store or by borrowing associates' epees, to determine which grip is most comfortable for you.