Expert Village....

**W. Rabbit** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 1:28pm

I normally stay out of Youtube comments but sometimes I go gem hunting; I found a pearl.

MonkeyScrotumCleaning.tv: Horsestance+swordwielding=luls
Swordsmanship is not a static art, in fact no form of combat is. Settling into a "stance" warrants a badge of retardation that must be worn permanently until stupid faith in improper technique gets you killed in a real fight, in which case that "badge"of retardation can be swapped for a Darwin Award

Oh by the way, Expert Village is now part of eHow.com

**ermghoti** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 2:44pm

Makes sense, two useless sites merge into one Deval Patrick site.

**Colin** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 5:06pm

Originally Posted by yli

If by "sparring" you mean "accidentally hitting oneself", then yes.

I think he's pointing out that all that awesomesauce doesn't actually happen during a fight.
In reality, the 3-section staff ends up being a worse heavy chain, with regard to the way attacks are launched. The energy required to keep the unpredictably swinging staff under control way outweighs the unpredictability of the attacks.

Direct attacks are effective, ie: sword, spear, staff, and even stick.
indirect attacks, ie: nunchaku and sectioned staff require more energy to keep them under control than they transfer to the enemy in a direct hit.

Moral to the story: 3-section staff looks great in Jackie Chan movie, not so great against an ACTUAL weapon. How many armies had dudes in it carrying 3-section staff? Compare this to the spear.

Consider a Spartan Phalanx.

How the **** you going to attack spears and shields with a flexible weapon?

**W. Rabbit** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 5:15pm

You have offended me, and you have offended the Shaolin Temple.

Seriously though, I would not compare an obvious CIVILIAN weapon (staff of almost any kind) with military weapons like spears.

Anyway, EVERYONE knows Gordon Liu invented the 3 sectional staff in order to defeat the Temple Abbot's butterfly knives.

Video evidence at 1:21:

**CrackFox** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 5:17pm

**** the Shaolin Temple.

**Colin** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 5:18pm

is that from 'invincible pole fighters' a.k.a The Brothers Yang?

**W. Rabbit** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 5:28pm

Originally Posted by Colin

is that from 'invincible pole fighters' a.k.a The Brothers Yang?

It's a hodgepodge, most of it is Master Killer/36th Chamber of Shaolin.

Seriously though I've seen two different types of 3 section staff technique, one type involving swinging the whole thing whiplike (which seems wild and did not makes sense to me, as you suggested), but another that made more sense using it like dual batons (like San Te does in the movie, in fact).

That way, the staff becomes essentially like two rattan sticks connected with a middle stick. There is probably a decent design reason for using them this way, and maybe the whiplike forms are just movie bullshit that gets thrown around?

I forget what the "official" history of the three section staff was supposed to be..I'll have to ask sifu. Most of these weapons (as you already know) develop for a certain reason. I'd like to know the reason for a 3 section staff...homework for next week.