Salute, en garde and fencing etiquette

Setup

1. Pairs face each other along the length of the hall, about 4 metres apart, like the en-garde lines on a piste. Leave at least 2 metres between pairs.
2. Start without weapons. Masks, weapons and gloves stay at the side of the hall until the salute section.
3. Teach the commands before the actions: 'En garde' (take your stance), 'Prêts?' (ready?), 'Allez!' (fence) and 'Halte!' (stop). Many clubs also use 'Ready? Fence!' in English. Say each one and have the group say it back.
4. Left-handers mirror everything. Pair them with right-handers sometimes so both get used to it.

How it runs

1. Attention: heels together, front foot pointing straight at your partner, back foot at a right angle to it, body upright and side-on, weapon arm relaxed by the side.
2. 'En garde!': step the front foot forward about a shoulder width, keeping the heels in line, and bend both knees over the toes. Weapon arm bent, elbow a hand's width from the ribs, hand at chest height. Foil and épée: back arm raised in an L behind the head. Sabre: back hand on the hip.
3. Command game: the coach calls the commands in any order. 'Allez!' means small advances towards your partner; 'Halte!' means freeze, then stand up to attention. 'Allez!' only counts after 'Prêts?', so throw in an early 'Allez!' as a trick call. Anyone who moves on a trick call does two squats in en garde and joins straight back in. Nobody is out.
4. Collect masks and weapons. Carry the weapon with the point down and the mask in the back hand. Walk, never run, with a blade.
5. The salute: from attention, weapon arm straight and pointing down and slightly forward, raise the guard to the chin with the blade upright, then sweep the arm back down to point at the floor. Salute your partner, then the coach (as referee), then the spectators.
6. Masks on. 'En garde!', 'Prêts?', 'Halte!'. Masks off only after 'Halte!'. Step forward and shake hands with the unarmed hand, weapon point down.
7. Swap partners and run the salute and handshake twice more.

Coaching points

• Fast feet, slow salute: take attention quickly, then salute calmly and on purpose.
• Look your partner in the eye during the salute and the handshake. It is the first and last thing you do in every bout.
• Heels in line in en garde: a narrow, side-on stance makes you a small target and lets you move both ways.
• The salute is the only time a blade is in your hand without a mask on. Keep the 4-metre gap, point the blade up then down to the floor, and never at anyone's face.
• Tell older fencers why: in competition, refusing to salute or shake hands is a serious offence and is penalised.

Common mistakes

• Feet too wide or square to the partner in en garde.
• Waving the blade or flicking it at a partner during the salute.
• Taking the mask off before 'Halte!', or walking towards a partner with the point up.
• Shaking hands with the gloved weapon hand.