Nick Evangelista

There are two games that take place on the fencing strip, two warring points of view that will never be reconciled. One is a game of racking up touches. It is a game of anything-for-a-point, of aggression, of strength, of speed, and especialy of ego. Anyone with a competitive drive can play this game. Ultimately, however, it is a dead-end approach to fencing. The other game is more subtle, a game of thought, of deliberation, of self-discipline, and of artistic skill. It is a search for personal growth on the fencing strip and occurs between the fencer's head and hand. This is where the true game of fencing takes place. The Inner Game of Fencing is about this subtle game.

In this groundbreaking book, veteran instructor and author Nick Evangelista shows that the mind of the fencer is the critical tool and that no matter how good your techincal skills are, if you don't know how to apply them effectively and efficiently, you will never grow beyond a simple poker. Evangelista covers all aspects of the inner game of fencing:

How strategy is formed on the fencing strip.
Why self-discipline is vital.
How important winning is to the learning process.
Why emotional input ruins your game.
How to take an opponent's strengths and turn them against him or her.

Evangelista explains how through self-discipline, continuous learning,and practice, you can take your fencing skills to a whole new level of performance.

Nick Evangelista has taught fencing for more than 30 years and is also the author of The Art andScience of Fencing. He lives in Peace Valley, Missouri.

Contents

Foreword: Pavlov's fencers by Tom Cragg
Preface: What can this book do for you?
Acknowledgments
Author's notes
Introduction: Fencing and thinking
Part I Histories
A short history of fencing thought
How I learned to think on the fencing strip
The question
Part II The world
The wrld and fencing
The anachronism
Now a few words from Domenico Angelo
The elite
Indifference
Oldie but not moldie
Now a few words from Louis Senac
Swashbuckling
Fencing around the world
The Errol Flynn syndrome
Psychic fencing
Now a few words from Sir Richard F. Burton
Why I fence
Part III The sword
The essence of the game
Rite of pasage
The European fencing mind-set
Profound concepts?
The weapons of fencing
The Federation International D'Escrime
The United States Fencing Association
The two games
A good fencing teacher, in my opinion...
Now a few words from Lord Desborough
The sport of fencing
Fencing without art or science
A disaffection with organized sport fencing
Modern sportsmanship
The classical fencing movement
Checkmate
An open letter to classical fencers
Now a few words from Egerton Castle
A good fencing shcool, in my opinion...
Armor to kevlar
A word to the nonchampion fencer
Looking for Mr. Good Salle: Choosing a fencing school
What price fencing?
More alternatives
Fencing versus Oriental martial arts
Theatrical fencing
Part IV The body
Form and technique
The process
Classical fencing
Good fencing
Foil
Right-of-way
Conventions
Achieving something positive
Starting with foil
Offensive simplicity
Bad fencing
A weakness in classical fencing!
Epee
When bad fencing wins
The art of fencing
The gist of what you're doing
The irony of conventions
Moderation onthe fencing strip
Achieving offensive efficiency
Sitting down
Composing a composed attack
The value of learning complex fencing actions
Setting goals
To touch and not be touched
Defensive balance
'Well, it worked!'
Pistol-grip gripes
The sword that cuts itself
Sabre
Timing
Distance
Speed
Strength
What is an adequate foil parry?
The straight arm
The free arm
The lunge
A central position for the sword hand
The beat goes on
The nonresisting parry
Winning and correct fencing
Sentment du Fer
Dealing with left-handed fencers
'Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou be like unto him'
Choosing a parry
Control
What do you look at on the fencing strip?
Drudgery
Flicking
Now a few words from Miyamoto Musashi
Getting caught on your opponent's coquille
How to keep from making bent-arm attacks
Perfecting counterparries
Cross-training
Some short last thoughts
Part V The mind
Strategy
The science of fencing
The fencer's brain
Viewing the fencing process
Emotiononthe fencing strip
Now a few words from Luigi Barbasetti
Old fencer, young fencer
Having a bad fencing day
Framing yur game
ntuitive fencing
How to approach your first fencing bout
Now a few words from Aldo Nadi
Touches and touches
Now a few words from Ralph Falulkner
Patience in fencing
Egotism
Appreciate your opponent
Electric problems
How to think about your first tournament
Practice: Vital verus urgent
Giving it all you've got
Taking an opponent for granted
Peer pressure
A short note on thinking and the target area of sabre
Fantasy
Fencing discernment
Intent in the lesson
Making excuses
Owning your own equipment
Fencing lessons with an attitude
Avoiding the difficult stuff
Thinking too much?
Discouragement
The director's directions
Now a few words form William Gaugler
Flatteriy and achievement
Anticipation
Part VI The spirit
A philosophical approach to fencing
Why a fencing philosophy?
Worshiping the winner
Manners
Glory
Now a few words from Epictetus
In Ferro Veritas
The meaning of winning
Honor
The spirit of fencing: A test
Part VII Fencing lives: Mind over matter
The lunge of Capo Ferro
A force of nature: Alexandre Dumas
Douglas Fairbanks Sr. and Jr.
Woman with mission: Julia Jones Pugliese
Master of the movies: Bob Anderson
Pen and Schlager
Part VIII Fencing
A moment in time
The answer
Afterword: A gallant and gracious manner by Adam Adrian Crown
Appendix
Fencing terms
Organizations
Fencing master program
Fencing equipment suppliers
Historical equipment suppliers
Fencing books of interest
Fencing magazines
Fencing videos interest… (plus d'informations)

Often thought of as an activity just for actors or an elite few, fencing is actually an ideal sport for people of all ages. Fencing develops dexterity, endurance, flexibility, grace, and overall fitness, while also allowing participants the opportunity to hone the mind's problem-solving abilities. It is easily learned and practiced by both young and old, men and women, boys and girls. It has even been molded to fit the needs of the blind and individuals using wheelchairs. This is truly a sport for everyone.

The Art and Science of Fencing covers everything from the history of the sport to the specifics of fencing techniques, including the psychology of fencing, types of fencing weapons, biographies of great fencers, and information on selecting a fencing school and getting started in the sport. This book is a necessity for everyone who's ever seen an Errol Flynn movie and thought 'Hey, that could be me!'

Contents

Foreword
Introduction
A note for the beginner
For the woman fencer
Part I Histories
Fencing: A social history
Ralph Faulkner: The old man and the sword
My life in fencing
Part II A fencing philosophy
My fencing philosophy
Part III The beginning fencer
The language of fencing
Why fencing?
Getting started
The first fencing lesson
Fencing thought
Learning the weapons of fencing-progressively
Approaching your first bout
Conventions: Behavior on the fencing strip
Some particulars of sport fencing
Your first tournament
Part IV The foil
The foil
The body of the French foil
The set of the blade
Holding the French foil
On guard
The lines of the body
Initial footwork: Advancing and retreating
The engagement
Absence of blade
Point in line
The lunge
The recovery
The fleche
The running attack
The simple attack
Preparations
Invitations
The parry
The riposte
Composed attacks
Feints
The counterattack
Continue attacks
The secondary intent attack
Atacks on the blade
Taking the blade
Moving in the low line
Foil tactics
Part V Beyond method: Concepts
Classical form: Fencing's yardstick
Fencing with the fingers
Timing
Distance
Speed
Strength
Balance
Honor
Part VI: The epee
The epee
The nature of epee fencing
The French epee
The epee on guard
General princoples of epee fencing
Epee offense
Epee defense
The epee bout
Reminders and final thoughts
Part VII: The sabre
The sabre
The nature of sabre fencing
The conventions of sabre fencing
The body of the sabre
The sabre target area
Sabre lines
Holding the sabre
The sabre on guard position
Footwork and distance in sabre
Cut and thrust: Sabre offense
The cut
Point atacks
The sabre defense
The ripost
Composed attacks
Sabre counterattacks
The sabre bout
Some final thoughts on the sabre
Part VIII: Assorted aspects of fencing
Conventional exercises
The left-handed fencer
Fencing for kids
Warming up
Caring for your fencind equipment
Part IX: Electrical fencing
Some thoughts on electrical fencing
Pitfalls of electrical fencing
Part X: Fencing lives
The man who made sport of fencing
The greatest swrordsman in the world
Swordswoman, unexcelled
America's fencing master
The French connection
King of the swashbucklers
Falcon with a sword
A.K.A. speedy
Maestro and scholar
The modern musketeer
Part XI: The secret of success
The fire
A final thought
Appendix I: Fencing terms
Assorted fencing terms
Pronunciations
Appendix II: Resources
The United States Fencing Association
Fencing Equipment Suppl Companies
The swashbuckler film: Fencing in the movies
Literature of the sword
Books about fencing: A selected reading list (bibliography)
Appendix III: Theatrical fencing
Theatrical fencing
About the author… (plus d'informations)

Errol Flynn, Bruce Lee and Sean Connery did it. So did Medieval swordsmen and African warriors who wielded their oars as weapons. It's the ancient art of stick fighting, revered and explained in teh pages of this book.

Author Nick Evangelista shows the reader how to use stick fighting for fun and self-defense. It doesn't matter if you're flaunting a foil or gripping a dowel from the hardware store-the techniques in this book teach you how to wield the stick with grace, power, and optimum effectiveness.

You'll learn the comprehensive history of the stick and all its forms: shepherd's crook, wooden swords, canes and foils are just a few. Detailed lists provide places where you can find special equipment and organizations. the step-by-step approach makes stick fightng safe and fun. In this book, you'll find:

How to play variations of the singlestick game
The proper way to hold your body and your stick for games and real-life combat situations.
How to make canes, walking sticks and singlesticks
Sportsmanship and attire for the stick-fighting realm

Why sticks? Because they're handy, easy to operate, and don't require ammunition or a license. And in the event of a societal breakdown or nuclear holocaust, you'd still be able to find a stick-and use it.

Contents

Foreword
Preface
Introduction
Chapter One-Why a stick?
Chapter Two-The approach
Chapter Three-A short history of sword fighting
Chapter Four-Fighting sticks
Chapter Five-Peaceful sticks: The Shepherd's Crook
Chapter Six-Some wooden swords in history
Chapter Seven-Fighting with sticks
Chapter Eight-Singlestick and its ancestors
Chapter Nine-Singlestick: The game
Chapter Ten-Holding the singlestick
Chapter Eleven-Singlestick: Game I
Chapter Twelve-Singlestick: Game II
Chapter Thirteen-Singlestick: Game III
Chapter Fourteen-Self-defense
Chapter Fifteen-Cane fighting
Chapter Sixteen-Staff fighting
Chapter Seventeen-Making a singlestick, fighting stick, or staff
Chapter Eighteen-Making a cane or walking stick
Chapter Nineteen-Organizatins of interest
Chapter Twenty-Fencing equipment
Chapter Twenty One-Fighting stick suppliers
Chapter Twenty Two-Cane suppiers
Chapter Twenty Three-Selected reading lists (Bibliography)
Chapter Twenty Four-Fighting with sticks in the movies
Afterword
Appendix-Fighting terminology… (plus d'informations)

Among fencers, Evangelista is either loved or hated, mostly hated. The Art and Science of Fencing is a good introduction to sports fencing: the different blades, it history, and some of the basic strategies. It is also good for the biographical information on some of the old masters. The more controversial aspect of his work, however, is his insistence that modern innovations are ruining fencing. Evangelista decries the emphasis on winning over style. He dislikes the flick. He hates strategies that are designed to get points, but wouldn't have necessarily "worked" if fencing with "sharps" (real blades).

A good introductory work if you are just getting into fencing, but your coach probably will not be thrilled if you bring it to class.… (plus d'informations)