Competition format

**Escrima9** · Posted On: 6/07/2007 5:12am

Do any of you compete in stick-fighting competitions?

I have taken part in both fully armoured and minimal armour competitions. The armoured comps are run in Denmark and Sweden. The rules are:

3 pnts headshot
3 pnts disarm
1 pnt strikes to anywhere but the head
No Kicks below the knee
No straight kicks to the thighs
No grappling,
No Take down
No Groin shots
No butt-strike
No stabbing
Probably a few others that I forgot.

Armour is a TKD vest, hockey gloves, Helmet. In addition you can wear arm protection and a cup.

The armoured comps try to gear you towards using the weapon and scoring with that.

The low armour comps are run by the call2arms guys (www.call2arms.tv) The rules should be on the site.

This is a really long winded way to set up the question: which format do you think is better?

Points with armour takes out the pain element and a lot of the things you could employ in a real fight(like low kicks, grappling, etc). While the low armour format makes head shots worthless because people will walk through them to land a punch that without the helmet would never be possible.

Hopefully this hasn't been discussed before and I missed it. Interested to hear what you guys think.

**Permalost** · Posted On: 6/07/2007 4:19pm

You may wear a cup? I wouldn't make that optional. In a DBMA match, Arlan took a strike across the nuts, and you can see the red mark across both of his thighs. That would be a day ruiner without a cup.

I think focusing on the use of the weapon over kicks, etc is a good thing, because FMAs are often designed to simulate fighting with a bolo or actual fighting stick, but use a rattan stick as a trainer. In actual fighting the weapon should be a lot more damaging than striking with the body.

**Escrima9** · Posted On: 6/08/2007 5:37am

We have these really padded sticks in armoured comps. They used to be solid plastic bound up in foam. I think now they are hollow plastic bound up. In the low armour comps we use those light weight sticks most flicky kali places use.

Training we use the heavy burnt rattan sticks or hickory. (<- assuming I got the names right).

I agree on using the cup being mandatory. Some guys just don't choose to wear one. Makes them feel tough or something. I'd rather keep my jewels safe than feel tough :P

**Wavemaninawe** · Posted On: 7/01/2007 4:09pm

I'll be damned... wasn't aware of this taking place in Sweden.

Could of course be because I'm still a noob to FMA.

Where can I find more info on the subject?

**Wavemaninawe** · Posted On: 7/01/2007 4:12pm

Never mind... I missed the link at first glance.

**Escrima9** · Posted On: 8/13/2007 10:07am

My bad didn't check back to this thread for a while. Call2arms have a event coming up in September in the UK. For other events check:

http://www.escrimaconcepts.com/calendar.php

usually has the european events/seminars listed.