We should never forget what the underlying principles of fencing are. While there may be differences between one style and the other, some things do not change.
![fencing is to wound without being wounded, only attacking when you have a tempo, striking with the blowyou intended, to thetarget you intended andin the way you intended, with courage, judgment, strength and skill.](http://i0.wp.com/res.cloudinary.com/marozzo/image/upload/h_1024,w_635/v1468450330/principles_yki5rm.jpg?resize=474%2C765)
The first fundamental is to dare e non ricevere or toccare senza essere toccato, to give and not to take or to touch without being touched. As far as I am aware this was originally written down by the French playwright Molière, but it is perhaps not wrong to speculate that he was citing a living fencing master when he wrote it down.
The reference to tempo is of course a very Bolognese thing. It echoes the first fundamental but also opens up a deeper tactical discussion, as well as references the roots of fencing in music, as Filippo Vadi claims, and geometry, since a tempo can only exist within the measures.
The third fundamental is reflected in the Bolognese competitive rules, where a strike to the leg is awarded extra points for being a difficult target. Weighing the different areas of the body may indicate an attempt to simulate a real duel in competition, more likely it highlights the importance of skill. Manciolino even suggests leaving the hands off-target, probably to decrease the amount of hits that happen by accident. While luck plays a part in fencing, and one should be brave (as we shall soon see), it is far better to have a plan and execute it flawlessly than to throw yourself at fortune.
Lastly, the Bolognese are not the only ones to list the virtues of a swordsman, but for me it makes sense to follow their advice. Courage, judgment, strength and skill are the choices of the Anonymous writer of the so-indexed manuscript Ms345, and I can’t really think of better ones.
By following these guidelines in all kinds of fencing, be it for fun, competition or even the theoretical real thing, I believe you will not only be efficient and successful but also look good while doing it!