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
