Book Review: Crowood Fencing

Crowood sports guide to Fencing by Andrew Sowerby focuses on skills, tactics and training. It provides a number of fundamental skills all the way from the beginner to the professional competitors. It will bring readers through the history of fencing, technical skills for practice, tactics for bouts, and drills. As a basic book of fencing it should be included in your library. 

The book is primarily focused on foil fencing but does offer a chapter on epee and saber. It provides strong pictures and drawings to illustrate how certain tactics work and then moves onto explaining those concepts. If you are seeking practice moves you do well to purchase the book and understand the general drill training exercises. 

Even though the book begins with the basics it is really designed to give a broad overview of fencing techniques for those who desire to compete. Of particular interest is its discussion of competitive fencing and how tournaments work. It provides a discussion of how points are awarded and what to expect in scoring. 

You might also be interested in the sections on attacking an opponent’s preparation as well as inviting attacks. There are times when indicating an attack will prompt the opponent to make the first move which allows you draw your opponent into your area of attack. Sometimes it may lead to a while different skill set of close quarter tactics which are different than standard fending moves. 

Sowerby, A. (2011) Crowood Sports Guides Fencing. Crowood Press, UK.  ISBN 978 I 84797 305 4