Two Vass Quotes

Two quotes from Imre Vass, Epee Fencing [with some paraphrasing—the English translation of the Hungarian is sometimes needlessly awkward].


Thrust with opposition

The thrust with opposition can be done to the opponent's body, inside upper target, and upper arm.

The opposition position of the hand or guard is high on the left. Make sure the thrust lies, when concluded, along a straight line connecting the student's eyes and the coach's eyes. The student should make sure that he sees his coach's eyes lying along the right edge of the guard of his own weapon. In this way, the correctness of the opposition can be checked to within a millimeter.

Arc thrust or flick

[For the flick at the opponent's sixth position]

The flick can be introduced as a kind of coupé—a coupé with the opponent's blade absent. Care must be taken to prevent exposing your wrist prematurely or excessively as you raise the point. Wrist and elbow must remain relaxed. Unlike the coupé, the raised point does not return to line. The point, directed by the wrist, moves downward and forward. Then the motion of the hand is sharply arrested and, with a relaxed motion like shaking water from the fingertips, the hand "bounces" upward even as the point continues its downward and forward course.

This movement requires intensive practice. Until it is perfected, it is ineffective for the fencer and annoying to his fencing partners [!]. Once learned, however, it is a formidable addition to the fencer's arsenal, providing the possibility of an attack with minimum risk at virtually any angle from virtually any position.