Weapon sparring.

**Ricw** · Posted On: 6/04/2012 7:26am

Getting ready to start sparring with staff. Anyone have advice on protective gear that balances protection with mobility.

The staff style is Chinese so it focuses on shins, knees and hands as targets. I have a lot of experience with striking full contact with minimal gear and some Kendo with full armor.

Ric

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**Tameshiwhaty?** · Posted On: 6/04/2012 8:15am

Originally Posted by Ricw

Getting ready to start sparring with staff. Anyone have advice on protective gear that balances protection with mobility.

The staff style is Chinese so it focuses on shins, knees and hands as targets. I have a lot of experience with striking full contact with minimal gear and some Kendo with full armor.

Ric

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Believe it or not but hockey gloves provide good protection but full finger mobility.

**SteveM** · Posted On: 6/04/2012 8:39am

We have taken pool noodles, cut them up, and slid them over the ends of the lighter "toothpick" type staffs and went for it. That is actually pretty safe as long as you tape them up so the padding doesn't come off and the tips don't become exposed.

Consider you can generate much more force with a staff than with a bokken, so I wouldn't recommend a full-weight hardwood staff even with some padding.

Also, cutting up the pool noodles with knife strikes is a cheap tameshigiri exercise.

**Tameshiwhaty?** · Posted On: 6/04/2012 8:49am

Originally Posted by SteveM

We have taken pool noodles, cut them up, and slid them over the ends of the lighter "toothpick" type staffs and went for it. That is actually pretty safe as long as you tape them up so the padding doesn't come off and the tips don't become exposed.

Consider you can generate much more force with a staff than with a bokken, so I wouldn't recommend a full-weight hardwood staff even with some padding.

Also, cutting up the pool noodles with knife strikes is a cheap tameshigiri exercise.

I would also suggest making sure there is about an inch or two of padding at the tip.

**ashkelon** · Posted On: 6/04/2012 9:50am

also make sure that if the padding accidentally gets removed no pointy bits get exposed.
a ninja almost got the deadly on me with a padded bo, 6 stitches right above the eye...

**Ricw** · Posted On: 6/04/2012 11:11am

I dont use a commercial bo. I cut a piece off light soft wood for forms and will be using hickory for a functional bo.

You have helped me shift my focus though. I've been looking at protective gear when I should be looking at the bo itself...

Thanks...

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**Chili Pepper** · Posted On: 6/04/2012 12:12pm

hockey gloves, fencing mask, elbow and knee pads, groin cup. A mouthguard (even with the mask) is also a good idea.

**Ricw** · Posted On: 6/04/2012 3:23pm

I've never worm a fencing mask. Is out less restrictive than a kendo Men head piece?

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**Permalost** · Posted On: 6/04/2012 5:24pm

Originally Posted by Ricw

I've never worm a fencing mask. Is out less restrictive than a kendo Men head piece?

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I find the fencing mask less restrictive. The kendo men makes it hard to turn your head sideways, which is fine for kendo since your two handed stance makes you stand more square to your opponent. When you're sparring with other stuff though, you may want to be more sideways. Also the clavicle protection can be a little cumbersome compared to a fencing bib. But honestly, if you're going at it with staves in earnest I'd say err on the side of caution. Even the Dog Brothers allow extra protection for staff fights. This can be in the form of headgear worn inside the fencing mask to absorb some impact (minimalist headgear like wrestling ear protection or something). I wear a beanie with ear covers inside my fencing mask for stickfighting. It takes some of the ring out of a head strike and minimizes rattling around.

**yli** · Posted On: 6/05/2012 1:11am

I'm one of those people who believes in wearing armor. This is not because I don't believe in hard contact, pain or bruises. It's that you are simply able to train for longer periods of time and fight harder than you would be without armor. In addition to what Permalost suggested, motocross gear is good, as are shin pads.

Also, wooden anything tends to break in hard usage, so get one of these: http://www.promausa.com/detail.php?live=16-68-0-412

Those don't snap in half as easily, making it less unsafe to use. At worst, they're aluminum in the center, so they'll just bend.