Longsword Beginners Guide #4 - Parry and Riposte
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Sixte Parry·Federico Malagutti HEMA
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Sixte Parry
Genusシクスト受け(Shikusuto Uke)
HybridTranslation: sixte parry
Overview
The Sixte Parry (6th parry) defends the high outside line by moving the blade to the outside (right side for a right-handed fencer), with the hand in supination (palm up) and the point slightly higher than the hand, deflecting attacks directed at the outside of the torso. [1] Sixte is paired with quarte as the two dominant high-line parries in foil — together they cover the entire high-line target area. [1],[2] Sixte is particularly important for defending against disengages that change from the inside to the outside line, and it is the standard defensive position from which many fencers operate in the en garde stance. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
Lineage
Sixte (parry 6) protects the high outside line and is one of the most commonly used parries in modern foil and épée fencing. [1]
Competition Record
Sixte is the default guard position in modern foil and épée, making it the most frequently used parry in Olympic fencing competition. [1]
Images
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Cutting, thrusting, or striking with a bladed weapon — edge alignment and trajectory determine cutting effectiveness
Joints Involved — Wrists (edge alignment and rotation), elbows (extension for thrusts, chambering for cuts), shoulders (arc of the cut), hips (power generation)
Force Vector — Varies — downward diagonal cut (kesa-giri), horizontal cut (yoko-giri), thrust (tsuki), or rising cut (kiri-age)
Weapon Mechanic — Edge alignment (hasuji) is critical — the blade must travel along its cutting plane for effective cuts
Position & Entry
From en garde position — Establish distance, extend the blade toward the target with a lunge or advance-lunge, recover to guard
As riposte (counter-attack) — Parry the opponent's attack and immediately riposte with a thrust or cut to the exposed target
From distance (preparation) — Use blade work (beats, feints, engagements) to create an opening before the final attack
Variants
Simple attack — single blade action (disengage, beat, or direct) to score
Compound attack — multiple blade actions (feint then disengage) to create an opening
Riposte — immediate counter after a successful parry
Counter-attack — attacking into the opponent's attack with priority or right-of-way
Videos
Fencing 101: Skills to Win: Circular 6, Parry 5 & Riposte, The Stop Cut
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Sixte Parry·RecSport Education
This video covers the circular 6 parry, and the riposte from a parry 5 position, and a version of the stop thrust I lear…
3 Ways to get around the blade EVERYONE should know
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Sixte Parry·Tim's Fencing Academy
Very basic actions to free yourself from opponent's blade. There are couple more ways that we will do in future videos W…
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3 videosWhat Instructors Say
The sixte parry is a fundamental defensive position in foil fencing that protects the outside line of the body. RecSport Education provides the most direct instruction on sixte parry mechanics, explaining that it can be executed as a circular parry—accomplished when a defender makes a small circle under the opponent's blade in response to a lunge, moving the blade to parry the opposite line from the original attack. The instructor demonstrates sixte parry drills where the defender responds to an attacker's primary attack and remise with consecutive circular sixte parries and ripostes, emphasizing that regular practice is essential for effectiveness. RecSport Education also covers parry five, a related but distinct high parry executed by reverse lunge or diving under the opponent's blade with the arm raised above the head, angling the tip toward the opponent. Tim's Fencing Academy approaches blade work from a different angle, focusing on offensive techniques to circumvent defensive positions—including disengages and cut-overs—which are complementary to understanding parry mechanics. While Federico Malagutti HEMA addresses parrying in the context of longsword rather than foil, his emphasis on varied parry mechanics, body positioning, timing development, and deliberate practice progression provides foundational principles applicable across weapon systems.
Synthesized from 3 instructors
- RecSport Education — Fencing 101: Skills to Win: Circular 6, Parry 5 & Riposte, The Stop Cut: Direct instruction on circular sixte parry mechanics, execution method (small circle under opponent's blade), drill practice with remise responses, emphasis on regular practice for bout effectiveness, and related parry five technique.
- Tim's Fencing Academy — 3 Ways to get around the blade EVERYONE should know: Complementary offensive techniques (disengage and cut-over) that interact with parry positions; practical application of blade work to overcome defensive positions and maintain tip threat.
- Federico Malagutti HEMA — Longsword Beginners Guide #4 - Parry and Riposte: Foundational parry principles applicable across weapon systems: multiple parry variations exist for the same attack, body mechanics and footwork are essential, timing develops through slow deliberate practice, and riposte integration is critical to parry training.
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
2
Low2/10
Modern sport fencing uses blunted weapons and full protective gear; injury rate ~2.5 per 1000 exposures (Harmer 2008)
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
— FIE — Legal fencing technique — governed by FIE rules for...
FIE Rules of CompetitionPDFHEMA — Legal in historical fencing competition {src— various organizations
Training Notes
✓Sixte parry covers the outside high line — the blade moves to the right (for a right-handed fencer) to deflect attacks aimed at the outside of the torso (Evangelista, The Art and Science of Fencing, 1996)
✓Sixte is the second most common foil parry: it covers the outside line and is the natural response to attacks that come around the quarte parry
✓Sixte execution: from en garde, the hand moves slightly to the right with the blade angled to deflect the incoming blade inward — the hand stays at chest height
✓Sixte is the en garde parry position: many fencers maintain their guard in sixte, with the blade covering the outside line
✓After the sixte parry, the riposte travels to the outside line: direct riposte (straight thrust) or disengage riposte (pass the blade to the inside)
✓The lateral sixte and circular sixte provide different coverage: lateral sixte moves the blade sideways, circular sixte describes a circle that catches any blade entering the outside line
✓Sixte works in combination with quarte: together they cover the entire high line — most foil defence alternates between quarte and sixte
Common Mistakes
!Moving the hand too far to the right — the parry should be minimal to cover the outside line
!Lifting the hand during the sixte parry — the hand stays at chest height
!Not transitioning to the riposte immediately — the right of way advantage is temporary
!Only using sixte without developing quarte — the two parries must work as a pair
!Making the sixte too tense — the parry should be controlled but not rigid
!Not training the circular sixte — the counter-parry catches disengage attacks that lateral sixte misses
!Parrying in sixte when the attack comes to the inside line — match the parry to the attack line
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1En Garde — assume the fencing ready position with proper blade presentation
2Advance/Lunge Preparation — close distance with footwork
3Attack — execute the touch with right-of-way (if applicable) and proper point/edge
4Recovery — return to en garde after the action
Sources & References
Primary Source
The Art of Fencing (Luigi Barbasetti, 1932)
1BookThe Art of Fencing (Barbasetti, 1932)
Alias sources — [1] FIE Rules of Competition [2] Classical Fencing (Rogers, 2014) [3] Classical Fencing (Rogers, 2014)
2BookOn Fencing (Nadi, 1943)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Czajkowski, Z., Understanding Fencing (SKA Swordplay Books, 2005) [2] Barbasetti, L., The Art of the Sabre and the Epée (E.P. Dutton, 1936)
3OtherJapanese Martial Arts Hybrid Terminology
Mixed Japanese-Western terminology — combines traditional Japanese terms with katakana loanwords
4CitationThe Art of Fencing (Barbasetti, 1932)
Alias sources — [1] FIE Rules of Competition [2] Classical Fencing (Rogers, 2014) [3] Classical Fencing (Rogers, 2014)
5CitationOn Fencing (Nadi, 1943)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Czajkowski, Z., Understanding Fencing (SKA Swordplay Books, 2005) [2] Barbasetti, L., The Art of the Sabre and the Epée (E.P. Dutton, 1936)
Community
Athletics
Requires
explosive lunge speed, finger/wrist dexterity, cardiovascular endurance
Favours
long reach (tall, long arms), fast-twitch legs
Key muscles
quadriceps (lunge), calves, forearm/finger flexors, core
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a disengage and a cut over when getting around the opponent's blade?
A disengage goes under the opponent's blade, while a cut over means you raise up and go over the top of the blade to make a hit. According to Tim's Fencing Academy, when you disengage and go under, you should raise up right away and stay there as much time as possible.
How do I practice the disengage and cut over effectively?
Tim's Fencing Academy emphasizes that you should feint and not rush your legs, making sure the opponent actually parries before executing your disengage or cut over. You also want to avoid coming in at huge angles, as if you miss you have nowhere to go.
What's the key mistake to avoid when using a disengage versus a cut over?
Tim's Fencing Academy stresses that when you disengage and go under, you must raise up right away—this is a common mistake many students make by not raising up quickly enough after the initial disengage.
How does the Sixte Parry work?
The Sixte Parry (6th parry) defends the high outside line by moving the blade to the outside (right side for a right-handed fencer), with the hand in supination (palm up) and the point slightly higher than the hand, deflecting attacks directed at the outside of the torso. Sixte is paired with quarte as the two dominant high-line parries in foil — together they cover the entire high-line target area.
Where does the Sixte Parry come from?
The sixte parry derives from the French 'sixieme' (sixth) and has been a core defensive position in fencing since the classical period. In modern foil, sixte is often the default blade position in the en garde stance, making it the most natural parry to execute from the ready position.
Is the Sixte Parry legal in competition?
FIE: legal — Legal fencing technique — governed by FIE rules for foil, épée, and sabre; HEMA: legal — Legal in historical fencing competition
How dangerous is the Sixte Parry?
Danger rating 2/10. Low — modern sport fencing uses blunted weapons and full protective gear; injury rate ~2.5 per 1000 exposures (Harmer 2008)
How do I set up the Sixte Parry?
The standard setup chain: En Garde → Advance/Lunge Preparation → Attack → Recovery.
How do I defend against the Sixte Parry?
Standard counters include: Guard Position — return to a defensive ready stance / Distance Management — control the measure to avoid being in range / Counter-Attack — strike during the opponent's recovery or between movements.
What are the variants of the Sixte Parry?
Common variants: Simple attack (single blade action (disengage, beat, or direct) to score); Compound attack (multiple blade actions (feint then disengage) to create a…); Riposte (immediate counter after a successful parry); Counter-attack (attacking into the opponent's attack with priority or rig…).
How effective is the Sixte Parry in competition?
Sixte is the default guard position in modern foil and épée, making it the most frequently used parry in Olympic fencing competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Sixte Parry?
Top errors to watch for: Moving the hand too far to the right — the parry should be minimal to cover the outside line / Lifting the hand during the sixte parry — the hand stays at chest height / Not transitioning to the riposte immediately — the right of way advantage is temporary / Only using sixte without developing quarte — the two parries must work as a pair.
What are other names for the Sixte Parry?
The Sixte Parry is also known as Shikusuto Uke, Parade de Sixte, Sixth Parry, Sesta.