Martial arts is filled with various tools. Tools are a key part of martial arts training. Targets, bags, even books! One of those tools, in a lot of martial arts and taekwondo schools are swords, staffs, nunchucks, and the like. If you’ve read my other posts, you know that tools like these are a key part of martial arts study. But the question remains…
Which one is the best?
Easy. A stick. Don’t believe me? Here’s why!
A Stick is Easy To Get
It’s a stick. It is literally everywhere. In fact, when I was out at Tai Chi class, I saw a countless number of sticks all over the ground. So, if someone attacked me randomly, I can defend myself very easily! I don’t know why someone would attack me during Tai Chi class, but hey, at least it’s there!
Literally A Global Phenomenon
You know how great it is to go to the clothing store and see all those options? That’s how it felt when I started learning the art of stick fighting. There are so many different styles of stick fighting. Even if you remove longer sticks like bo staffs and quarter staffs, you still have all kinds of short sticks. In the Phillipines you have eskrima. In France you have épée de caine. Ireland has shillelagh… It’s everywhere!
So. Much. Info.
There are so many schools, books, videos, and blogs about sticks and stick fighting. It’s incredible. Even some of the hand to hand martial arts don’t have nearly as many books as these. It’s easy to see why too. Some of them include training methods that you can do at home (I am not promoting that though. You should always train with a professional). I like to learn from an instructor if I can, but books are great too! Just be careful. I was not, and I broke one of my picture frames! (Whoops…)
Fast As Lightning!
As a taekwondo martial artist, speed is very important to me. The faster the better in my opinion. I mean, look at this video! Of all the defense tools I’ve learned, stick fighting is one of the fastest. In fact, taekwondo has it’s own type of short staff training. Like I said, it’s worldwide What’s better than fast and common?
It Can Be Anything!
The French would use canes to defend themselves. The Irish used the Shilelagh as a “walking stick”. Both of these were used during times where governments banned swords. To skirt around this, people would use sticks instead! They’d even go so far as to hide them in plain sight. Usually as a walking stick. Or an umbrella. Pretty sneaky right?
Historical
If you know me, you know I love history. And martial arts is all about history! Sticks are a key part of that history. For me, it really feels like I’m engaging in the very roots of human martial arts by learning the earliest of weapons. Training with these sometimes makes me wonder how much of the techniques I use were used in the ancient world. Unfortunately, I’m not a historian of sticks! (If anyone is, feel free to email me!)
Did you enjoy learning about stick fighting? Check out some of my other posts here! If you want to support the blog, you can do it for free by subscribing below! See you next time!
Disclaimer:
This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only. All martial arts techniques and exercises should be supervised by a trained martial arts instructor in order to prevent injuries and to ensure the proper technique is utilized. The information on these pages and videos is meant only to amuse, not replace, the instruction given at your martial arts classes. To properly understand these techniques, you need to learn them from a martial arts instructor who can provide you with an in-depth explanation of the technique, help correct your mistakes, answer your questions and detail how the technique should be utilized. In addition, all martial arts techniques and training should be used safely and responsibly. Affiliate links disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are with Amazon Affiliates and purchases through these links will, in part, help fund this blog.
Leave a Reply