Foil is the most common weapon and is usually the first weapon learnt because it teaches good point placement and requires very speedy foot work. It is also the simplest of the three weapons to grasp the basics of.

The objective when fencing foil is to hit your opponents chest with the tip of your blade only. Hits to the arms, legs and head do not count as points nor do any contact from the side of the blade.

Foil fights are usually to 5 points. The foil originated as a training weapon for people who usually fence Epee but the skill involved in fencing Foil means it has developed into a style in its own right.

How it Works

In the rest state this current flows up the foil wire, then in the tip it transfers into the blade. The blade is linked to the ‘C’ wire (ground) at the socket so the current returns to the box via the C-wire.

When the point is depressed, the circuit from ‘B’ to ‘C’ is broken. If the tip is in contact with the opponents lame’ then the current will switch to flow through the lame’, and back to the box via the opponents ‘A’ wire which is linked to the lame’ but the alligator clip. This new circuit is detected by the box which responds with a coloured light. However if the tip is not in contact with the lame’ (ie: off target) then no circuit is formed. The box detects the broken circuit and responds with a white light.