Pro Tips for Passing the USFCA Prevot Exam in Epee

Note: I am an Epeeist and I will not pretend to know anything about Foil or Sabre. As such, I’d probably use this only as exam prep for Epee.
Over the weekend, I attended USFCA’s 2025 Coaches’ Academy. In Epee, we had five candidates testing for Prevot. I wanted to make damn sure all of them passed and were prepared for this exam that when it came to gametime, they were overprepared.

These exams are hard, and the terminology/structure can be difficult to decipher. I want anyone pursuing their Maestro certification to succeed, so I’m making a blog post sharing the same advice I gave them. I hope potential candidates can reference this post and use it to get ready for the exam.

Components:

1. 1. Warmup – Coach leads the student through a basic warmup with the arm, tip, and legs to get them tuned in for the lesson.
   2. Part I and Part II – Teaching Lesson: The Teaching Lesson is basically a technically oriented portion of the lesson where you are showing the student “how to do a thing.”
      • Offensive Action
      • Defensive or Counteroffensive Action
   3. Part IIIA and IIIB – Tactical Expansion: The tactical expansion portion of the exam is about having the student make a preparation, and then the coach reacts with a series of responses dependent on the distance, timing, line, etc. You end this section with a cooldown.
      • Differing distance
      • Option 1
      • Option 2
   4. Oral Exam: Questions are asked on weapon knowledge, tactics, technique, and conditioning. 

Themes (as of 9/18/2025).

The coach picks one of these for the offensive action, one for the defensive/counteroffensive action, and then one for the tactical expansion. Themes used in Parts I and II can’t be re-used in Parts IIIA and IIIAB. Please reference the Prevot scoresheet on the USFCA document library as these are constantly changing:

1. 1. Actions on the blade (to advanced, middle, and deep target in épée; to advanced and deep in sabre; to body in foil)
   2. Compound attacks made with two tempos by disengage or coupe
   3. Defensive preparation: Invitation, false attack or counter-attack, or false blade take followed by parry-riposte or defense with distance
   4. Counter-offense as remise or with opposition or evasion (foil and épée)
   5. Simple counter-offense to advanced target or counter-offense to deep target with closeout (sabre)
   6. Basic transports (6-7,6-8, 4-2, 4-8, 6-1) (épée and foil)
   7. Point in line (foil and sabre)

General Tips

Keep it Simple. No, Seriously, Keep it Simple. I’ll bet there’s a part of you that really wants to show off a beat 7 to the toe to then draw out a fleche and finish with a 6 flick over the back, right? Don’t do that. Start by picking the theme for the tactical expansion, which is the most difficult portion of the exam. Then work backwards by picking themes that are easy to teach and execute. I’ll include a lesson you can use (if you want) below. Fulfill the requirements of the lesson, add in a couple of your own spices, but not the entire spice rack.

Know Your Terminology. I hate Fencing terminology and how much of an enabler it is for sophistic pedantry. But your terminology is somewhat important on this exam for two reasons: you need to be able to explain to the student what you’re doing and how to do it (something you’re graded on), and you need it for the oral portion of the exam as well. Your definitions do not need to mirror the USFCA glossary verbatim, but you do need to have a general sense of what things mean and communicate to the student how to do them.

We’re Not Looking for Student Perfection. We’re Looking for how you Diagnose and Correct. USFCA exams are often given to students with whom the candidate has never worked prior to that exam. Coaches are given themes that may not fit in with the typical scheme of their lessons. So if your student is making a boat ton of mistakes, that is perfectly okay.

What we’re looking for is how you can make quick, technical corrections that the student listens to and adjusts to. Bonus points when you can make those corrections without breaking the flow of the lesson. Extra bonus points when you can correct by showing instead of telling. I included a table of potential problems in a lesson and how to communicate a solution.

Take Breaks. Breathe. Collect Your Thoughts. You are allowed to have your lesson plan within arm’s reach. If you need to take a moment to recollect your thoughts on your plan with the student, do so, especially in between sections when you both might need to take a breather.

Examiners, read the coach and student. I once administered a Maître exam where the coach and student were cooking. After Parts I and II, they were both huffing and heaving. I told them to wait until their fitness monitors got them back to 66% max heartrate, and then we would resume. This isn’t an endurance test, it’s an ability test.

Be Strategic About Where You Take the Exam. As much as the exam format has improved, there are still, shall we say, inconsistencies in delivery of the desired exam format. Feel things out. If you’re at a clinic where you feel you will be treated fairly and with the most recent, up to date exam format, and that the coach developer will provide feedback to cultivate your coaching as opposed to imposing their dogma, then take the exam. If you’re at a clinic where you don’t feel these things, then hold off.

Do Your Coach Walk. Don’t Fence Your Student. I remember getting nervous on one of my exams and resorting to what looked like fencing my student. Do the coach walk. There is nothing lazy about the coach walk, as it preserves the coach while still simulating the distance and timing of a real opponent. Examiners are looking for how you present cues, and it starts with the coach walk.

Do a Dry Run. Ask a Certified Examiner to Either Observe or Even Take a Lesson. I think one of the (many) reasons people fail these exams is because they don’t always know what’s expected of them, and unfortunately, there is a very subjective application of the format depending on who the examiner is. At Coaches’ Academy, I spent 4 hours taking lessons with candidates because I wanted to make sure they checked all the boxes they needed to on the exam, provide real-time “dress rehearsal” feedback, and make sure they fully understood the format.  Every single one of them passed (whether I was the examiner or not). Make sure you really understand what you’re getting into and the examiner is on the same page.

While examiners might not be willing to take a lesson (Fencing hurts, man), they might be willing to observe and provide feedback to ensure you’re ready. Of course, they also might not.

A Potential Epee Lesson You Could Replicate

As mentioned, simplicity is key, and just because a lesson is simple doesn’t mean it won’t give the coach and student an opportunity to cook. When I was preparing for the exam at Coaches’ Academy, this was the simplest lesson I could devise (in Epee) based on the themes.

Warmup: Do what you usually do to tune in the student for the lesson. But make sure you do one, as warmup accounts for as much as 4/24 points in part I.

Part I – Offensive – Theme: Basic transports (6-7,6-8, 4-2, 4-8, 6-1)

Tactical Context of Base Action: Okay student, for our offensive action, we are going to demonstrate basic transports (or transfers). Imre Vass defined a transfer as “…a movement with the blade with which the opponent’s weapon is moved from the fencer’s own engagement into another type of engagement with continuous contact between the two blades.[1]”

6 to 7: We’re going to start from advance distance. As soon as I raise my tip, I want you to take 6 (high outside line) and without releasing my blade, I want you to then transfer to 7 (low inside line) and finish to my leg.

8 to 4: We’re going to start from advance distance. As soon as I drop my tip, engage my blade in 8 (low outside line) and without releasing my blade, I want you to transfer to 4 (high inside line) and finish to my body.

Once They’ve Gotten It From Advance Distance: “Okay, let’s do this with movement.” Move slowly and deliberately, and present the cues.

Once They’ve Gotten it with Basic Movement: “Now, let’s open to advance lunge distance. I want you to initiate contact with my blade on advance, and complete the transfer to the different line when your rear foot comes forward. Then, attack with lunge.”

For Maximum Points in This Section: You’re varying the progression from close to far, slow to fast, varying distance. Your cues are intuitive and subtle. You’re maintaining proper distance with the student. Optional, but shows you know your stuff: you’re throwing in the occasional unforeseen improvisational action e.g. the student begins a search in 8, but rather than allow them to find it, you pick the tip up in 6 and they close the line with 6 opposition.

Part II – Defensive – Theme: Defensive preparation: Invitation Followed by Parry-Riposte

Tactical Context of Base Action: “Great. So we worked on an offensive action. Now, I want you to use a preparation to provoke your opponent into defense. So, we’re going to make an invitation, which Vass defines as “a conspicuous opening…to induce the opponent to attack the apparently undefended target[2]” and then when I attack, make a parry riposte!”

Invite low, Close 6: We’re going to start from lunge distance. Let’s begin by dropping your tip just below my guard to invite low and open the high line. When I bite, I want you to close the opened line in 6 and riposte.

Invite high, close 8: We’re going to start from lunge distance. Let’s begin by dropping your tip just above my guard to invite and open the low line. When I bite, I want you to close the opened line in 8 and riposte.

Once They’ve Gotten it and Corrected Mechanics: “Now, let’s get some movement in. I want you to open up the distance. Unlike our offensive action, I want you to initiate the preparation. Provoke with your tip either high or low to invite me, then close the line with a parry-riposte in 8 or 6.”

Note: The Prevot exam is looking for you to demonstrate more actions that are student initiated instead of coach initiated. This is a very simple action to do just that.

For Maximum Points in This Section: You’re varying the progression from close to far, slow to fast, changing distance. Your cues are intuitive and subtle. You’re maintaining proper distance with the student.Remember, unlike the offensive action, this section specifically calls out student initiated action to receive maximum points.

Part IIIA – Tactical Expansion – Theme: Compound attacks made with two tempos by disengage

Tactical Context of Base Action: Alright student. Are you ready to cook? Because this is where we start cooking. Our first two actions were focused on the blade, both in offense and defense. And now, we’re going to work on a preparation sans fer (without the blade) in the form of a feint.

Of the feint, Allen Evans says: “The feint is a lie that the attacking fencer tells the defender to give the defender misinformation about the attacker’s timing, target placement, and intention or where they intend to finish their attack. This lie allows the fencer to hit targets that might not be available if they were to use a simple direct attack.[3]”

So we’re going to be working a series of actions off a feint. So, let’s begin by working on the mechanics of the feint itself. From lunge distance, I want you to threaten with your tip close to my guard, with arm at about 75% extension. When I search for the blade with a parry, I want you to use your fingers to draw a “V” with the tip close to the guard, shoot the arm out to 100%, and finish to my body.

Once They’ve Gotten it From Lunge…Different Distance: You’ve gotten it. Now, let’s open up to advance lunge distance. I want you initiating the action. So now what I want you to do, is choose the moment to enter distance with a feint with advance. Draw my parry, and disengage, finishing to my body.

From here, suggest the student begin making feint with advance on the coach’s temps perdu (ideally when the coach transitions from a retreat to an advance).

Additional Component 1 – Countertime: Alright, I think you’ve gotten the feint disengage with advance lunge well. Let’s introduce another reaction. Your opponent might not always react to the feint with a parry. They may also react with a counterattack. So, let’s work in a countertime reaction (countertime is any action made off the opponent’s stop hit/counterattack).

Enter my distance with a feint. If I react with a counterattack, without hesitation, I want you to drop your tip, pick it up, and seize my blade decisively and finish to my body.

Additional Component 2 – Continuation with Fleche: Well done with your countertime action. Now let’s introduce one more scenario. Sometimes your opponent may flinch and pull the arm back when they’re threatened near the advanced targets. So the moment you feel me pull the arm back, you can shoot the arm out from the feint and continue with fleche in the same line. Or, if you want to get really fancy, drop to my toe! Let’s practice that.

Part IIIB – Tactical Expansion – Theme: Compound attacks made with two tempos by disengage

Part IIIB is arguably the most important part of the exam in terms of showing your ability as a coach to string it all together. Your task is to take the three options from IIIA (feint à disengage lunge, feint à countertime, feint à continuation with fleche in the same line) and connect these options into a compelling lesson, where most importantly, the student is the one creating the action, not the coach.

What you don’t want to do is make these cyclical and follow a pattern of Option I, Option II, Option III. Instead, mix it up, and make your cues so clear that the student doesn’t hesitate, but instinctually reacts to the coach’s presentation.

Where you can really distinguish yourself here is by mixing in some improvisation. For example, maybe on the countertime action, you take a counterparry with step in, and have them infight for the touch.

Note: The exam has to end on a cooldown, so much like your warmup, go back to really simple actions that don’t require much exertion.

Problems & Potential Corrections

Problem	Potential Correction
Student is making the action too big, or student is losing contact with the blade	·        “Use your fingers and/or elbow to take the blade. Less of your wrist.” ·        “Find the blade in the forte.” ·        “Let’s use the fingers to disengage instead of the wrist. Drop your tip, pick it up, and finish.”
Student’s blade is bending the wrong way	·        “Finish with your hand up.” ·        “Tip below the guard when you finish.” ·        “Raise your hand when you hit, not your shoulder.” ·        “Tighten your thumb, index, and middle finger when you hit.”
Extension/Feint is rigid	·        “Relax the shoulder.” ·        “Make your extension as if you are reaching out for a salt and pepper shaker at the dinner table.” ·        You can grab their blade with your off hand, and just kind of gently pull and push on it so they relax the arm.
Student is hitting with remise not initial action	·       “I want you to try to hit me the moment your front foot hits the ground or just before.” ·       “Make sure you are not attacking from too far away.” ·       “You’re chasing an opportunity that isn’t there.”
Student’s timing is off	·       “Orient to my foot tempo and start the attack the moment I pick my front foot up to change direction.”
Student is getting too close in the preparation	·       This is a good opportunity to make a correction without using your words. If they get close, go into their prep and give ‘em a light pulverization. ·       “Make your first step a little shorter.”
Student is taking the parry/opposition with a windmill search	·        Either the student and/or the coach may be getting too close in the lead-up to the action. ·        “Let’s tighten those parries, they’re a little big.”
Student is losing balance on the action	·        “Engage your core when you finish the lunge.” ·        “Your foot placement is making your lunge finish off balance. Adjust your feet so your front foot isn’t aligned to the arch, but your heels are perpendicular.”
Student is pulling the arm back a lot on their actions	·        “Follow your tip to the target.” ·        “Lead with your tip, not your body.” ·        “You’re pulling your arm back.”

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Part 4: Oral Exam

The oral exam is worth 20% of the test, and can sometimes push you over the top if your scores in parts 1-3 are meh. Go back to my advice on who you take an exam from, because they’re either going to be asking questions on the modern game/rules, or they’re going to be asking you to demonstrate a passata soto to an ensemble.

Here is how the oral section is divided with questions that I might ask. You can score as low as 0 on each section and as high as 4.

General Knowledge: Training Conditioning, Periodization

• Why do we begin with dynamic stretching vs. static stretching?
  1. Answer: We begin with dynamic stretching because it warms up the body, increases blood flow, and activates muscles for movement. In contrast, static is better suited for cooling down after activity. Dynamic movements also mimic the motions of the workout, helping prevent injury.
• And what does static stretching do for us and when should we do it?
  1. Answer: Static stretching helps improve flexibility, increase range of motion, and reduce muscle stiffness, which can aid in long-term injury prevention. It’s best done after a workout or physical activity when muscles are warm, as stretching cold muscles may increase injury risk. Incorporating it into a cool-down routine can also promote relaxation and recovery.
• How warmed up should we be before we do dynamic stretching?
  1. Answer: Gently warmed up, but not at peak exertion.

A Brief Explanation of Preparation

• In Make the Cut: Sabre Fencing for Adults, John Bradstock Chow wrote that the purpose of preparation is to “confound your opponent so they can’t figure out what you’re doing, while you figure out what they’re doing…as you face better opponents…you can’t just hide your own intentions and react to theirs. You need to add tricks to your preparation to make them make a bad decision, at a time and place and nature of your choosing.[1]”
• I have a whole post on preparation here. Feel free to steal ideas from it.

Knowledge of the Rules for the Weapon Being Tested

• Describe the current p-card rules.
  1. Answer: After one minute with no touch, p-yellow to both fencers (regardless of score). After an additional minute with no touch, p-red to both fencers with a point for each (regardless of score). After an additional minute with no touch, p-black card to the fencer with the lesser score. If the score is tied, the fencer with the higher initial seed is the winner.
• And do p-cards carry over round to round in a team event?
  1. Answer: Yes they do. 
• And if a team receives a p-black card, you can sub in the alternate, right?
  1. Answer: No, idiot. The match is over right then and there.
• If I accidentally go for your foot and hit off strip, does that reset the p-card shotclock?
  1. Answer: Yes, it does.
• [Stand on the piste with the candidate and demonstrate] If I lunge at you, and my light goes off the moment my front foot goes off strip, touch or no touch? Why?
  1. Answer: If the action begins before the fencer leaves the piste, the touch is good.
• [Stand on the piste with the candidate and demonstrate] If I jump off the side of the piste with both feet and hit you while airborne before my feet hit the ground, touch or no touch? Why?
  1. Answer: No touch. The strip has volume. If I leave the side of the piste with both feet, I do not get the touch, even if it happens before my feet hit the ground.

 

Knowledge of the Tactics for the Weapon Being Tested

Note: These are generally subjective. I just want to know that you understand tactics generally and that your advice makes sense.

• You’re down 13-10 with 1 minute remaining in the 3^rd What’s the most low-risk/high-reward way to bring back the score?
  1. Potential Answer: 1 minute is plenty of time. I’m not telling the student to rush here, but I’m going to create a sense of urgency. In all likelihood, the opponent is going to retreat and force my student to push. I want them to find the blade to ensure the tip is cleared when the opening is created and minimize the prospect of a double touch. The approach here could be to provoke, draw them out with parry riposte, or to get the blade with an oppositional take.
• You’re up 13-10 with 1 minute remaining in the 3^rd What’s the most low-risk/high reward way to bring back the score?
  1. Potential Answer: I don’t want to rely on letting the time run out, because that’s fencing “not to lose” instead of “fencing to win.” It is the opponent’s prerogative to exert pressure in this scenario. I want to actively disrupt preparation and create a moment to attack in prep, ideally when they enter my distance.
• Why is a half advance/half retreat so important in today’s fencing?
  1. Potential Answer: Half steps help to manipulate distance without bringing my torso fully forward, making it easier to subtly enter into my single tempo distance and hit. They are also excellent means to disrupt my opponent’s preparation and provoke an attack.

Knowledge of Basic Weapon Technique

• What is a beat and how would you explain how to do one
  1. Answer: A beat is a sharp, controlled tap on an opponent’s blade to deflect it, create an opening, or provoke a reaction, or force them into a different line. It should happen by using the fingers and/or wrist (to supinate or pronate depending on the line) on the upper or middle part of the opponent’s blade, ensuring the blades are perpendicular (not parallel).
• [Demonstrate a crappy lunge, but make the error subtle] I am your student. What are you going to correct here?
• [Demonstrate a crappy beat by winding up your wrist and slamming the blade] I am your student. What are you going to correct here?

[1] Chow, J. (n.d.). Make the Cut: Sabre Fencing for Adults

[1] Vass, Imre. “Chapter 7 – Transfers.” In Epee Fencing: A Complete System, 161, n.d.

[2] Vass, Imre. “Chapter 1 – Invitations.” In Epee Fencing: A Complete System, 37, n.d.

[3] https://www.coachescompendium.org/LIES.HTML