Customer Reviews

The Science of Fencing: A Comprehensive Training Manual for Master and Student: Including Lesson Plans for Foil, Sabre and Epee Instruction

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Many fencing books provide a basic introduction to the sport of fencing, but this book provides substantial information for the fencer who is past the introductory stage. The instructional information actually provides a sufficient description of compound attacks and defenses to enable the reader to visualize and practice the described moves. It also has an extremely useful summary of attacks and defenses, including for each attack suggested parries and ripostes. Truly the fencing book for the fencing scholar. But, be warned that Maestro Gaugler describes the Italian school of fencing, which has terminology and techniques notably different from the perhaps more familiar French school and therefore some adjustment of your mindset may be necessary to get the most out of this book. En garde!

Every student of the classical Italian school of fencing should own a copy of this book. In fact, to understand the fundamentals of the Italian school, and hence Italian-schooled opponents, every thinking fencer should read this book. As the editor of FENCERS QUARTERLY MAGAZINE, and the author of THE INNER GAME OF FENCING, I highly recommend THE SCIENCE OF FENCING.

This book should be seen as a technical encyclopedia of modern fencing. Although it will seem dated to some "modern" fencers this book deals with all the fundamentals of modern fencing in a thorough manner. In some way it complements the author's book on the history of fencing. The only weakness might be that due to it's technical nature it is less accessible for laymen.

Gaugler's book on the Science of Fencing is an excellent primer for fencing students and coaches, and is a superb work on basic fencing actions and helps to illustrate to newer fencers good fencing technique. For coaches, this reinforces what should be taught and what the coach should keep an eye on when working with fencers. Which is very helpful in teaching the basics as well as simply reinforcing good technique.

The book is primarily broken into 3 different sections, one for each of the three different weapons. Each section of the book covers basic technique for each of the weapons, talking about target area and basic lines of attack as well as the parries. Even the basics of holding the weapon are covered, to ensure that a proper grip is reinforced for the fencer. Each section also has several prictures (of Gaugler and his students) to demonstrate some of the fencing actions. This helps to understand some of the more complicated actions, as well as blade positions.

Overall, this ensures that the technique that Gaugler is discussing is adequately explained and that the reader can get what is going on here. As a coach, I've found the text to be invaluable for drills, whether it be for beginning fencers or more experienced fencers. Reading the text gives a coach or advanced fencers some areas to explore by using the drills presented as a jumping off point for other drills.

Some of the critics have found one of the following faults with the book:

Firstly, it is too focused on the Italian school. Gaugler makes no excuse for this, and himself mentions that the focus of the book is training in the Italian school; afterall, that's what he says he was trained in. So, you know what you are getting into from the beginning. And, speaking as someone who has read Vass, learning about the Italian school and gaining an understanding of that system is not a bad thing.

Secondly, it is too basic in nature. This is not meant to be an exhaustive text on fencing and tactics. In fact, I would be wary of any book that promises that, as fencing tactics is a difficult subject to cover (and strongly biased depending on your focus). Instead, it reinforces the basics and technique that all fencers should be well grounded in. Even as an advanced fencer, I find myself more focused on practicing the basics and reinforcing good fencing technique first; then reflecting on tactics later on.

Thirdly, the book is too dated. Gaugler is admitedly a historical fencer. As such his book is not geared towards competitive fencing. He does not decry competitive fencing (as some do), just that is not his focus. That being said, even competitive fencers should be able to learn something from his books. Certainly it will not focus on the what is applicable on the piste in a close bout, but it gives enough good technique that competitive fencers should come back to this for their drills and continuing development.

Overall, I've found the book to be an excellent resource and one that I recommend to fencers interested in learning more. The book can be a tough read though, and if you are not familiar with the Italian school it is also difficult to translate the lessons into something that may be more readily grasped (most fencing in the US is based on the French school, and there are big gaps between the Italian and French schools). But, if you can make the jump, then this book is an invaluable guide that can be used by fencers and coaches.

This book is written in a very cold, unpersonal manner, and all it presents is very basic technical material. (20 lines on fencing tactics, can you believe it?). although the book is some 300 pages thick, it has an appendix of 100 pages for sample lessons, which can only interest a fencing master. The rest is equally divided into the 3 weapons. If you further remove all the space taken by the 100odd pictures, you'll understand there isn't really much written material. Even what I did find there is not very useful, as it's exclusively centered on italian style, 40 years back... If you fence foil I'd much rather recommend you the book by Aldo Nadi...

This book is a truly excellent work that should be read by every serious fencer. This is the best book on the classical Italian style of fence that I have seen so far. Anybody who is a serious student of fencing and knows the difference between the flashy, mindless "flick-filled" sport of today and real fencing will undoubtedly find this book enlightening. The Science of Fencing covers all of the basic and advanced techniques of the foil, sabre and epee, and also includes drills, history, tactics, sample lessons, helpful glossaries and appendices, a bibliography, and the synoptic tables after the section on foil, which basically describe every attack, a parry that defeats it, an evasion for said parry, etc. The wealth of information to be found in the synoptic tables alone is well worth the price of the book. Some may say that the book is too technical; this may certainly be true for some. If you are not already at least slightly familiar with fencing in some way, this book may be a little difficult to understand. To those with experience, it should prove to be a great help in understanding the "how" and "why" of many techniques regardless of style (it should be remembered that the French and Italian classical styles are actually much more alike than many people would believe). If you are looking for a quick fix, learn-the-basics-in-a-day, modern jumping and yelling style text with flashy pictures and an utter lack of real good information, this is not the book for you; there are a thousand other books like that already out there. For those truly interested in learning about the real art and science of fencing, however, this work should prove invaluable. Maestro Gaugler has providid a truly wonderful work that will be of great benefit to fencing coaches, teachers and students alike.

The Science of Fencing deals with the nuts and bolts offencing---foil, sabre, and epee. If you read it cover to cover, Iguarantee that you will find few more powerful soporifics known to man. On the other hand, if you dip into it, there are treasures that repay inspection. The synoptic tables of actions are, in my view, alone worth the price of admission. How you internalize the information is part of your progress as a fencer. If you want a firm foundation to build on---remember, we're talking "The Science of Fencing" here, folks---this is an excellent place to begin. Once you've mastered the science of fencing, you need to develop your artistic sense as a fencer. That is where individuality comes in. If the book says "parry quarte in this situation" for most of your partners in bouting, that may be sound advice, and the only advice you'll need. On the other hand, if you've mastered the 'rules', why not use seconde or some other parry that your adversary isn't expecting? See, the art comes about when you *transcend* the 'rules' and make bouting something individual, but before you can achieve *consistent* results, it is enormously helpful to have a firm grounding in basic technique. Otherwise, in my experience, your bouting will devolve into poke and hope. Why not stack the deck in your favor? Maestro Gaugler has provided the means for you to do so, so dig in!

This book makes quite heavy reading. I have been fencing for a while and I found it hard going. I would certainly recommend starting with a more basic book. In the books defence, it is very comprehensive.

This is an amazingly complete work on Italian fencing actions and theory written for both student and instructor. It is clear Maestro Gaugler has done exhaustive work collecting and translating works from the last three to four centuries in order to write this compilation. The actions and theory presented here are still being taught in Italy and the U.S. For foil, sabre, and epee, information provided in this book includes: the classical guard and lunge, simple attacks, parry and riposting actions, compound and circular attacks, cut-overs, actions on the blade, counteroffensive actions, actions in time, and fencing tactics.

Any serious fencer should be anchored to the foundations of fencing by exploring classical styles. This book may seem wordy, but it is necessary to describe the actions correctly so that one can effectively practice what ultimately must be felt "in hand" on the strip. A number of the advanced actions revealed by Maestro Gaugler are particularly effective against sport fencers who have never been taught or exposed to this breadth of work. If you aren't a fencing instructor, you don't necessarily need to pour over the synoptic tables, but they do reveal how a fencing phrase can progress with your opponent from the given offensive action. For teachers, the tables and sample lessons provide a wealth of offensive, defensive, and counteroffensive actions that can be used to develop your own lessons.

Reading William Gaugler's excellent volume on the classical Italian style of fencing is like studying the workings of a finely crafted clock. All the pieces fit together nicely. Nothing is out of place or extraneous. His methodology is that of a true master of his art. It should be mentioned, however, that even though his approach is purely Italian in nature, there is much to be learned by students of the French School as well. Any student of fencing, any teacher of fencing, would benefit from reading this book. If you fence, it should be in your library. I recommend it highly.