The Problem With Stick Fighting!

[@antrimbatalausanne2147]

Wonderful video as always. This idea of "passive defense while attacking" is deeply engrained in German thrust and cut fencing, they even have a word for this : gedecktes (covered). Hence the name "Covered Cut/thrust-fencing" or "Gedecktes Hieb/Stoss-fechten". It's something that is missing in a lot of fencing traditions where the "parrying while attacking" is either resolved through fencing conventions (Right of way) or with a deeper understanding of attacking preparations to confuse the defender and make his tempo attacks harder to compute. It's important imo that each system as a solution for this, otherwise this tend to created communities of fighter waiting for the opponent to attack to that they can capitalize on their mistake and ultimately it does not empower people to take the initiative and train their attacks.

[@bataireachtandhistoricalfe239]

We appreciate your feedback and the additional info!

[@defaultoandores626]

A very interesting video on a topic not very well explored within the stick fighting community ! A good reminder that the stick is only a weapon when in motion.

[@bataireachtandhistoricalfe239]

Thanks for your comment!

[@wayoflifetaichi3864]

Quite and interesting video. I like the fact that you mentioned about keeping your hand close to the body in stick fighting especially what playing a swordsman

[@richardbeare11]

I've gotten hit in the hand many times as a result of *not doing that 😂. You can see that happening in my "Irish Stick Fight" video, on my channel. Eventually it'll become more like second nature! Context: I practice at BAHFF. Lucky to have Max as my instructor.

[@Izhkoort]

Coming from Eskrima (I returned to Hema 2 years ago) this is weird for me, what you said has stands/guards we tended to avoid, we didn't use all big motions, the way you hold the stick even is different, I understand is not the same since is a different period and different place, but I have been stuck in a "why?" expression for a while

[@maximechouinard8902]

Our definition of "big motion" is probably quite different. I'm not sure which style you practice, but with the stick do you attack by moving the hand in a straight linear line, back and forth? I certainly hope not. As for our different stances, you are quite right, and this has to do primarily with the fact that our grip allows us to have an actual guard on our stick, being the buta, the lower part of the stick. This allows us to keep the elbow a little bit more stationary without risking getting sniped on the arm. We also use a thumb grip. which I know is regarded as a terrible thing in many FMA circles, but this grip gives us better protection for the thumb, and much better retention and control as long as we use a stick size proportionate to our hand.

[@Izhkoort]

I think it was dog brothers' style but i'm from south america so it may differ (i didn't train directly from them to know), we didn't do linear movement, I meant that the guard we used the stick primarly up front, usually with the hand at the height of the weist/hip and the tip at the height of the head, for easy blocking, with body and hand constantly in movement, most defenses to the hand were regularly practiced to avoid handsnipes, but not having a stationary guard was part of the defense for them. They usually teached a hammer grip, but many used knife or even thumb grip, depending on what was better. I'm not criticizing you, the "why?" is more that I just learned the opposite of this and it clashes in my head EDIT: Big motions: I meant that we use more writs/elbow than elbow/shoulder like i undertood from the video (I may be wrong)

[@maximechouinard8902]

We spar regularly with our local DB friends, and what I say in the video here applies to them as well. What you describe also lines up with what I was explaining: keep the hand back, move it, don't attack with a linear motion. Our movements here are exaggerated to make our point clear, but are mostly coming from the elbow. We don't rotate the wrist much, as this opens up our guard, but use the fingers and of course the hips and shoulders.

[@Izhkoort]

@@maximechouinard8902 maybe is the exaggerated part plus difference in language (since I'm translating what I think), as I said I'm not saying that is wrong, only said the postures in the video feel weird for me because of the way I learnt it, missinterpretation can also happen that appears to be the case in my part

[@maximechouinard8902]

@@Izhkoort No worries! Always glad to discuss what we do!

[@HypocriticYT]

Max is "Walking Tall". 1973

[@MichaelRickicki]

GRMMA! This is really useful.

[@bataireachtandhistoricalfe239]

Glad it was helpful!

[@williamkrevey1098]

To many kendo sessions to find this problematic. What's good for the goose is good for the gander and all that, if your opponent doesn't recognize your technique etc. etc.

[@TheGuidoSamurai]

You guys make me laugh. Throw on a pair of Kombat instrument gloves and stop being a baby yea they are thin but missing fingers make you WAY better dog……too week for my cult sorry boys

[@bataireachtandhistoricalfe239]

You seem to have retained enough fingers to type out a comment, so I'm going to assume you practice some form of passive defense of the hand in your sparring, if your group does any.

[@TheGuidoSamurai]

@ WOW, tell me you can’t type with your prosthetic battle hands without telling me you can’t type with your prosthetic battle hands….do people pay coin for your lessons? Seriously I’m curious

[@maximechouinard8902]

Sorry, I think you forgot to include a point here? Do you not protect your hands at all? We regularly spar with our friendly neighborhood Dog Brothers, and nothing I say here would sound out of place to them.

[@TheGuidoSamurai]

@ nerds

[@maximechouinard8902]

​@@TheGuidoSamurai Wait... You didn't watch the whole video did you? You think we're talking about hand protection as in gloves and stuff, aren't you?