Last updated: 3 October 2026
Reviewed by Jordan Morley, FA Level 2 Football Coach
Fencing is contested with three weapons. Foil: a light thrusting weapon with a torso-only target and right-of-way rules — the most technical and tactical. Épée: a heavier thrusting weapon with a whole-body target and no right-of-way (first to hit scores, simultaneous hits count for both) — the most duel-like. Sabre: a cutting-and-thrusting weapon with a target above the waist and right-of-way — the fastest and most aggressive. Each weapon has its own technique, tactics and culture, and most competitive fencers specialise in one.
- Foil: torso, point, right-of-way
- Épée: whole body, point, no right-of-way
- Sabre: above waist, cut & thrust, right-of-way
- Most fencers specialise in one
Try the tool
Put this into practice with our free calculator.
Open the Fencing Weapons Guide: Foil, Épée & Sabre →In practice
The three fencing weapons — foil, épée and sabre — have distinct target areas and rules that produce very different styles of fencing: foil and sabre use 'right of way' (priority) rules to determine who scores in a simultaneous action, while épée (targeting the whole body, no right of way) rewards pure speed and precision since whoever hits first scores regardless of who attacked.
FAQ
What's the difference between foil, épée and sabre?
Foil targets the torso only with right-of-way rules; épée targets the entire body with no right-of-way (first hit scores); sabre targets the upper body (including arms and head) using slashing cuts as well as thrusts, also with right-of-way.
Which fencing weapon is considered fastest?
Sabre is generally considered the fastest discipline due to its emphasis on explosive first-move speed and the right-of-way rules rewarding whoever initiates an attack first.