Preparing for what?

The other night I was fencing a couple of people who seemed obsessed by my blade. Tap tap tap they went, constantly preparing for something and never quite delivering. It's a common fault; after all, the blade is the thing your opponent uses to stab you with. Being overly concerned with it is self-defeating though. If you are attacked, parry it! But you never get anywhere if you're constantly preparing. Sometimes you've just gotta jump!