"Olympic medalist and U.S. National Champion Tim Morehouse's memoir is a story of teamwork and individualism, monastic dedication and high-stakes competition-- the difference between a dream and its demise separated by 120 milliseconds at the tip of a sword."--Page 4 of cover.

First published in 1948, Modern Fencing was used to train generations of fencing students at the U.S. Naval Academy. It is unique among fencing manuals because it contains separate lessons in all three weapons-the foil, épée and sabre-rather than just one. Modern Fencing is still considered one of the best fencing manuals ever written and is often cited by modern fencing masters for its concise lessons and excellent photos. This edition has over 80 digitally restored photographs and clear and concise instructions for fencers of any level.

This book teaches the NEW saber! It has been more than 75 years since an English-language book devoted to saber last appeared. Those were the days of men-only, visually judged saber, and the US didn't stand a chance. Since then, saber has been revolutionized. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics: the U.S. women swept the individual saber medals and took bronze as a team; the U.S. men took team silver. The fencing was not just electronically scored the referees watched the slow-motion video replay to decide close calls. The world of saber has changed, and it needs this book! Modern Saber Fencing is the first book to explain and teach the new saber from the ground up. It illustrates the new techniques with over 75 photo illustrations. It shows the technical and tactical adjustments that transformed classical saber. It explains how to train for the new saber. PLUS it presents the scientific research that underlies the latest training methods.

In this comprehensive guide to the practice and techniques of fencing, John "Jes" Smith uses his own experience to provide a starter course for beginners. Informative and practical, the book covers both basic and more advanced techniques and offers expert advice.

Johan Harmenberg had left his native Sweden because he had "given up" on serious competitive fencing. But when he came to MIT, he met an innovative coach - the late Eric Sollee. Scribbling on a napkin in a Cambridge bar, Eric, Johan, and the other MIT fencers sketched the "Three Conjectures" of a new fencing paradigm" - a way to force a more skillful opponent to play your game. On his return to Sweden, Johan developed it into an art and a science, then put it into effect with a vengeance. Despite being snubbed by the Swedish authorities because of his unorthodox style, he won the World Championship in 1977 and the Olympic Gold Medal in 1980. In this groundbreaking book, Johan reveals his methods, showing how to can neutralize the superior technique of even the best classical fencers. Plus Olympic Silver Medalist Bjorne Vaggoe adds his personal application of the new paradigm and Geoff Pingree tells how it was applied with stunning success at MIT.

This 19th-century self-defense manual—written by a master swordsman—will appeal to fencers and martial artists as well as fans of Victorian-era culture, steampunk, and American history Colonel Thomas Hoyer Monstery was a master swordsman who participated in more than fifty duels, fought under twelve flags, battled gangsters, and was constantly involved in the great conflicts and upheavals of his time. In the 1870s, he began writing his magnum opus—a series of newspaper articles that are now collected here for the first time in Self-Defense for Gentleman and Ladies. In this book, Colonel Monstery presents a unique look into the Victorian-era fighting world. He describes styles such as British “purring” (shin-kicking), Welsh jump-kicking, and American rough-and-tumble fighting, in addition to providing illustrated instruction in the art of gentlemanly self-defense with a cane, staff, or one’s bare hands. Fifty rare drawings and photographs from the period illuminate Monstery’s world, while an extensive glossary of terms and an introductory biography of Colonel Monstery—including fascinating details of his many duels as well as his groundbreaking devotion to teaching fencing and self-defense skills to women—update his text to make it accessible and useful to gentlemen and ladies of any era. Contents Colonel Thomas Hoyer Monstery: The Unknown American Martial Arts Master I. Introduction. II. The Logic of Boxing. III. Standing and Striking. IV. Advancing to Strike and Feinting. V. Simple Parries in Boxing. VI. Parries with Returns. VII. Effective or Counter Parries in Boxing. VIII. Offence and Defense by Evasions. IX. Trips, Grips, and Back-Falls. X. Rules for a Set-to with Gloves. XI. Observations on Natural Weapons. XII. The Use of the Cane. XIII. The Use of the Cane (continued). XIV. The Use of the Staff. XV. The Use of the Staff (continued). Appendix: Monstery's Rules for Contests of Sparring and Fencing Glossary