| With all the many different and often romanticized | | | | can deliver strikes that sweep, glide, jab, and crush |
| fighting styles, staff fighting is a discipline that isn't | | | | skulls. If you have little or nothing with which to block a |
| getting much attention. | | | | twirling staff, the outcome of the battle is almost |
| Just turning on the TV and flipping through the channels | | | | decidedly in the staff fighter's favor. |
| will give you a taste of just about any other | | | | Although the staff is an impressive weapon for |
| weapons-based martial art. Most people know about | | | | offense techniques, it also makes an extremely useful |
| karate or sword fighting, but very little people can tell | | | | defensive weapon. |
| you much about staff fighting techniques. If more | | | | Whether your opponent throws a punch or a kick at |
| people knew just how effective and devastating this | | | | you, you can use the staff to block or parry virtually |
| weapon can be, it would certainly get a lot more | | | | any strike. If you're unfortunate enough to get caught in |
| attention. | | | | a hold, you can even use the staff to break out of it. |
| Still, staff fighting is slowly getting more attention lately. | | | | Many different cultures have used staffs as weapons, |
| There was a recent feature on a popular TV program | | | | and each culture has developed its own unique rules |
| that described the different weapons wielded in martial | | | | and methods for staff fighting techniques. |
| arts that showed just how powerful a simple piece of | | | | For example, China developed lots of methods and |
| wood can be when wielded in the hands of an expert. | | | | techniques for staff fighting. The staff is an integral |
| You don't want to mess with someone who is trained | | | | part of China's wushu or war arts style. |
| in staff fighting techniques: A properly wielded staff | | | | |