Drills perform an essential aspect in training fencing and in teaching fencers for level of competition. The acquisition of any physical talent involves repetition, and the easy execution put together with pace and precision expected for fencing calls for prolonged repetition. One particular of the oldest and easiest drills made use of in fencing is the drill at the wall.
As the name implies, a drill at the wall needs immobility on the part of a defender (even though he or she does not have to stand practically back to the wall). The defender is positioned on guard with the back again foot at a established issue on the strip, and is not permitted to go in any path. The attacker comes on guard at lunge length. When both of those fencers are in spot, the attacker initiates an assault at fencing pace, and the defender will have to defeat the attack with an correct defense or counterattack. Each fencers know the distance and the actions to be executed. After a established range of repetitions, the fencers trade places and repeat the drill.
This drill therefore replicates a person of the 3 defensive conditions:
(1) retreating on the attack (to obtain time and length for the parry),
(2) standing in area (possible if the defender has reasonable assurance of the nature of the attack and ample velocity to parry it), or
(3) stepping ahead to parry (therefore collapsing the attackers distance and disrupting any multipart action).
The drill at the wall was a beloved drill in the classical period of time when retreating from an assault was viewed as rather inappropriate for gentlemen. Nonetheless, in today’s contemporary footwork oriented activity, it is of much less worth for the reason that mobility in the facial area of the attack is an assumed prerequisite. Even if the fencer does intend to stand and satisfy the assault, the place at which that takes place is in the midst of movement and is not regarded in advance to the attacker.
Even so, the drill at the wall has utility, primarily if modified to reflect existing aggressive ailments. 3 options could be truly worth thought:
… very first, it can be utilized in its unique variety to construct confidence in attack and protection for novices. It really should not be the only sort of drill used, and transition need to be designed speedily to trade drills with movement. It can also be an occasional variant in the training of intermediate fencers to tension speed and precision of assault or excellent of the parry.
… 2nd, the wall can be designed cell. The defending fencer can be free of charge to retreat on the opponent’s progress, with instructions to end retreating and respond to the assault or attack into the preparing at random figures of techniques. If the attacker is simply advancing organized to assault but unprepared to react, this collapses the attacking length, and opens up options for the defense.
… third, the drill can be shifted to entrance foot immobility as a previous stand at the stop of the strip drill. The front foot is on the strip, and the torso and rear foot are off. Now the defender can regulate distance to some diploma with the rear foot and can assault or counterattack if the attacker misjudges distance or has flaws in the attack.
The drill at the wall in any form is a specialised drill in the modern-day fencing surroundings (of program, if you are a classical fencer it retains its authentic benefit). As a specialised drill for instruction for precise coaching needs or tactical instances, it retains value and must be in the coach’s toolkit for constructing various and helpful lessons.