The rhythm can perform a variety of functions as part of its offensive toolkit. That means it is important to understand what rhythm is, how it is performed, what it can do, and how to use it.

First, what is a heartbeat? The simple answer is that it is a one-tempo percussion action delivered to an opponent’s sword. Traditionally, strikes have been classified with presses and froissements as blade attacks because the focus of the action is the opponent’s blade, not their target area.

Note that I did not say that it is an action to remove an opponent’s sword from a line, or that it is part of an attack. That’s because a beat can have a variety of tactical outcomes:

(1) Simple Annoyance: These are small blows delivered to the opponent’s sword, usually with external weakness, with the intention of annoying the opponent and attracting his attention.

(2) Reaction-provoking strikes: these are more substantial strikes with a weakness in the midsection of the blade to cause the opponent to react in preparation for the fencer’s attack or time trial action.

(3) Destructive Strikes: Strikes with the inner weakness to interrupt a developing plan of attack or to deny an opponent the ability to use a line (thus increasing their predictability).

(4) Strikes as part of an attack: Strike with the inner weakness or midsection of your sword to displace the opponent’s sword, opening the line for your immediate attack.

(5) hits as a parry or as part of the offensive setback (as a direct hit executed on the opponent’s parry stroke). Under current rules, a stroke cannot effectively be a foil or saber parry (a parry must be made with the lower third of the blade). However, a strike will certainly displace the opponent’s sword from the line of attack, and pacing the beat has long been an accepted part of the fencing skill set. Understand that in foil and saber you can’t just beat an opponent’s slam attack. The rhythm attack will take precedence. If the opponent hits your sword, you must beat the attack that comes from the beat so that there is a discernible beat-beat sequence. But who knows what the referee will call that action.

A well-delivered rhythm has certain characteristics in all three weapons. The more of these are present, the greater the probability of success in achieving the goal.

(1) the rhythm meets the requirements of the rules. In epee, there are no requirements, but in foil and saber the blows must be delivered in the two-thirds of the blade farthest from the opponent’s guard (this has been redefined in the rules as weakness, as opposed to long-standing use. that the weakness is the front half of the blade on the foil and the blade beyond the Y, T or I on a saber blade) (see rules t.56.4 and t.78).

(2) the rhythm begins when the blades are not in contact. If the blades are in contact, pulling the opponent’s blade will give him a clear indication of what you plan to do.

(3) rhythm is chamberless or cocked: pulling the blade to the side to bring it back to rhythm allows for stopping blows on the sword, stopping cuts on the saber, and undressing all three weapons.

(4) the rhythm wields enough power for its purpose. However, it is not a brute force action intended to propel the opponent’s sword across the room. Time, enough force to move the blade from the line, but no more, and speed are more important than simply breaking the blade as hard as you can.

(5) the pace is fast: to be successful, strikes must give the opponent as little warning as possible. Quick fingers are needed, with some wrist action.

(6) the rhythm is crisp and dry: an impact with the blade with a crisp sound.

(7) rhythm stops lateral or vertical movement on impact and moves immediately to forward action. The blow should drive the opponent’s blade in the desired direction with a transfer of energy at the point of contact. This transfer should leave the blade ready to advance immediately from the point of impact towards the target. One way to think of this is like a shallow angle bouncing off a trampoline.

(8) The resulting attack action hits the target.

In the grand scheme of fencing actions, strikes do the same thing as compound attacks and sword jabs. They set the opponent’s sword in motion, opening a line that you can explode. On any of the weapons, this makes them an important part of your technique toolkit, and one that deserves constant practice.