Thanks for the reply. I haven't left the beginner's end of the pool yet...and appreciate the insights.

Anyone care to jump in as to the types of bo/staff sparring that exist? My framework is limited to 1) pre-arranged bunkai, 2) non-prearranged 'kendo' type meets seen on the 'net.

The sparring we do looks different then what was in the video as well. We do alot of short range attacks with one end of the staff messing with our opponents legs and the other end attacking high. There are throws and joint locks incorporated with the staff training.

From a distance, the staff is held on one end. There is a snapping motion from the wrist with each strike. When done in the air, you should see the staff warp and the opposite end move several inches. This snapping motion creates a tourque power that travels through the staff into your opponent.

As we advance toward our opponent, our grip becomes more central. Their is a figure 8 digging motion to get past the opponents defenses. Once inside, then we do the trips, throws, locks etc.. with strikes.

There is also a set of techniques from a nonthreatening holding the staff as a walking stick. One end of the staff is planted into the ground and the other is cupped behind the staff. You then move arround the staff, keeping it generally vertical and between you and the opponent. Parries and strikes are done from this position.

Hey everyone,

do you have a vid of your staff-fights?

Thomas

i would love to see that too!
i just have this videos, not me, i was filming.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHBX7sZOY7o
here, controled sparing with real wooden sticks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEtqCVzhiMk
here, some more full contact sparing, in a relaxed, not competitive mood.
This are the actionflex sticks, they are not very good for jogo do pau since we use all the staffs lenth for our advantage in a fight and the grip is in one of the tips ofthe staff and if you used actionflex staffs they are soft on both sides, so it looks really sloppy.. hope we can get to a better solution in the future.

The full contact sticks seem suprisingly soft? Are there slightly stiffer variants of them or is that how they usually are?

they do are very soft, but at the moment they are the best solution at least for jogo do pau.
They use a technology that make it softer on the tip and stronger on the base, but that is for swords, for staffs they just put 2 soft tips on each side.
But this is great because it allows full speed hits and at the same time you can block with the center of the stick as you would with a normal one for security. And with the power of the hits in jogo do pau, anything stiffer would cause bruises or need for expensive armor(we tried lots of stuff) the only problem is that we don't have a decent grip on one of the sides and the back hand, that should be the stronger grip ends up gripping a soft part of it.

Hello Mambawaba,

what are the rule in your fightings?

Quote:

---

But this is great because it allows full speed hits and at the same time you can block with the center of the stick as you would with a normal one for security. And with the power of the hits in jogo do pau, anything stiffer would cause bruises or need for expensive armor(we tried lots of stuff) the only problem is that we don't have a decent grip on one of the sides and the back hand, that should be the stronger grip ends up gripping a soft part of it.

---

I know the problem of the bad gripping, this is part of our security tricks for the fight, if you have a bad grip cause the stick it to thick you cant hit so hard, then you also could use a less fexlible stick.

Sincerly

Thomas

you have here a little bit of combat with the old armors but the principles are the same.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3rJ9RSllZg
basically, you can hit any place but the strike needs to be judged as strong enough to knock down the opponent. If you hit with a weak/wrist based strike you wouldn't take down someone actually fighting with you so that doesn't count.
sword like hits, kendo like, wouldn't count too, because they work with a sword but are too weak for a stick... well i guess im talking to much, hope it helps.

cheers!

Hello,

I had the chance to get a best of Video of our last tournament. Here is the youtube link.

http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOvXS5nYUeA

I would love to hear your comments.

Thomas