my new dog bros sticks! Review/opinions/plans

**Mr. Machette** · Posted On: 9/30/2009 11:43am

Originally Posted by Punisher

For what its worth, I also get all my sticks from Nick at KIL. Pretty much any stick I've ever gotten from anywhere else has been laughable by comparison.

He knows his stuff and will take the time to answer any questions you have and help you find out what size and type of stick you really need/want.

Nice! I'm glad to know the good service I've gotten from him wasn't a fluke.

I've always gotten the impression that Nick does this because he really loves the art, and not just to sell some suckers the snake oil.

**Mr. Machette** · Posted On: 9/30/2009 11:44am

Originally Posted by selfcritical

The big dangers are

a) Turning everyone elses's sticks into dust, which makes you a dick.
b) Getting tennis elbow because the kamagong won't absorb impact, just put it straight into your arm
c) braining your training partner.

This man speaks the truth! Listen to him.

**jspeedy** · Posted On: 9/30/2009 11:45pm

Originally Posted by Punisher

For what its worth, I also get all my sticks from Nick at KIL. Pretty much any stick I've ever gotten from anywhere else has been laughable by comparison.

He knows his stuff and will take the time to answer any questions you have and help you find out what size and type of stick you really need/want.

Originally Posted by Mr. Machette

This man speaks the truth! Listen to him.

You don't think think they'll break while hitting tires? I pretty much figured they were out for training with partners for the obvious reasons.

I've broken hardwood sticks while hitting tires although it wasn't my stick it looked kind of like a Kamagong but it could have been any kind of dark wood I guess. I've hesitated to use my kamagong sticks on tires or any impact training for this reason. I guess the tennis elbow is enough reason not to use them for striking.

Did you say you use 1 1/4" sticks? That it pretty damn big. You must have huge hands. the 1-1/8" from the Dog Bros I got seem a bit much but 1 1/4" , perhaps i'll get used to them over time. I tried the 7/8" sticks out in class tonight they felt a bit "klunky" and sluggish. Not sure if I'd rather take one of my more awkward strikes from one of the bigger sticks or a smooth fast strike from f a smaller stick. I guess it'll take some getting used to.

**Mr. Machette** · Posted On: 10/01/2009 12:07pm

Originally Posted by jspeedy

You don't think think they'll break while hitting tires?

I've broken hardwood sticks while hitting tires although it wasn't my stick it looked kind of like a Kamagong but it could have been any kind of dark wood I guess. I've hesitated to use my kamagong sticks on tires or any impact training for this reason. I guess the tennis elbow is enough reason not to use them for striking.

Did you say you use 1 1/4" sticks? That it pretty damn big.

I guess it's possible? I mean, there could be flaws in the wood, or the sticks developed cracks from hitting hard objects over time. I dunno. Everything breaks sooner or latter.

As for hitting things with them. Well that's what they were made for! Of course, they were made to hit much softer things than wood...

..like, faces and stuff. :5crackup:

I wouldn't worry about the tennis elbow from hitting tires though. The tire should absorb the impact. If you're felling a lot of shcok traveling down your arm while hitting soft stuff like that, it sounds like you might be using your arm primarily for the power in your swings. (extending your elbow till it locks or almost to that point. While this gives you added range, it is a weak position for your elbow to absorb shocks.) If that's the case, try keeping your arm slightly bent at the elbow, almost relaxed, and use your hips to generate the torque for your blow. Don't swing your arm outward as much. Keep it tight into your center of gravity. Turn your whole body into it, and treat the end of the stick almost like the end of a whip. Your hips twist, then your shoulders, then your stick swings out and BAM! Just like throwing a punch in boxing. If you strike in this way, the shock will go mostly into your shoulder, and becomes barely noticeable. My school trains with a relatively short stick (@ 18") so this method is integral to generating power for us. (That could be why I almost never see sticks break come to think of it. Shorter stick, less torque against the wood when it hits something.)

As for the 1 1/4" sticks, yeah, I've got a pair of mits. I think that's about as wide as I'm comfortable with. But between 1" and 1 1/4" is about right for me. I can go wider or skinnier and still work out, but not for extended periods of time.

**JKDChick** · Posted On: 10/01/2009 4:35pm

Originally Posted by selfcritical

The big dangers are

a) Turning everyone elses's sticks into dust, which makes you a dick.
b) Getting tennis elbow because the kamagong won't absorb impact, just put it straight into your arm
c) braining your training partner.

Yeah, totally. We had a guy with hardwoods and I trained with him for an hour, then never again. He was just hammering everything as hard as he could. Small man syndrome or something.

I hate training with hardwoods myself, and frankly, given that I know (personally) a man who has killed someone with rattan, I think it's plenty deadly enough.

**jspeedy** · Posted On: 10/01/2009 5:46pm

Originally Posted by Mr. Machette

I guess it's possible? I mean, there could be flaws in the wood, or the sticks developed cracks from hitting hard objects over time. I dunno. Everything breaks sooner or latter.

As for hitting things with them. Well that's what they were made for! Of course, they were made to hit much softer things than wood...

..like, faces and stuff. :5crackup:

I wouldn't worry about the tennis elbow from hitting tires though. The tire should absorb the impact. If you're felling a lot of shcok traveling down your arm while hitting soft stuff like that, it sounds like you might be using your arm primarily for the power in your swings. (extending your elbow till it locks or almost to that point. While this gives you added range, it is a weak position for your elbow to absorb shocks.) If that's the case, try keeping your arm slightly bent at the elbow, almost relaxed, and use your hips to generate the torque for your blow. Don't swing your arm outward as much. Keep it tight into your center of gravity. Turn your whole body into it, and treat the end of the stick almost like the end of a whip. Your hips twist, then your shoulders, then your stick swings out and BAM! Just like throwing a punch in boxing. If you strike in this way, the shock will go mostly into your shoulder, and becomes barely noticeable. My school trains with a relatively short stick (@ 18") so this method is integral to generating power for us. (That could be why I almost never see sticks break come to think of it. Shorter stick, less torque against the wood when it hits something.)

As for the 1 1/4" sticks, yeah, I've got a pair of mits. I think that's about as wide as I'm comfortable with. But between 1" and 1 1/4" is about right for me. I can go wider or skinnier and still work out, but not for extended periods of time.

I don't have any trouble with strikes or tennis elbow, I was just wondering if anyone has used the Kamagong sticks to stike with over a long period of time, and how well they hold up. I like to use my cold steel polyresin(or whatever they call it) stick to hit tires, along with some of my more stout rattan sticks.

I'll have to try out the larger diameter Dog Bros. sticks and see how it feels to hit with them. I tried them out for some cuentada drills, they felt kind of sluggish. I guess it'll take some getting used to.