Comparing lunge techniques depending on the weapon used: Differences between foil and epee fencers

Abstract

Purpose: Despite different priority rules in epee and foil competitions, both weapons are trained using similar technical practices. This study aims to investigate whether these rule differences affect the coordination patterns observed in the lunge, a fundamental skill shared by both foil and epee fencers. Thus, we analyzed interlimb coordination between the leg and the arm on the fencers’ armed side, as well as intergirdle coordination. Method: Sixteen epee and sixteen foil fencers participated in the study. The kinematics of the knee, hip and shoulder and the distances between the weapon and both the knee and the shoulder were computed. The relative phase between the motion of the scapular and pelvic girdles was calculated and the temporal pattern of muscle activity was determined from the EMG recording on the leg and on the arm of the participant’s armed side and on the participant’s non-armed side. Results: Differences in the knee-shoulder coordination and in the intergirdle coordination were observed between foil and epee fencers. Two strategies were also identified from the temporal pattern of muscular activity. Conclusion: The specific constraints of foil and epee practice in a competitive context entail a profoundly different behaviour in terms of interlimb coordination. Although the technique is learned in the same way, rules specific to each weapon implicit in the performance of a simple skill such as lunge and affect the underlying coordination dynamics. These results open up new perspectives on fencing training based on differentiated approach.