# wooden sticks



## Manny (Sep 3, 2009)

I am disapointed, I order a set of rattan sticks yo use in my Kenpo Class and I got a set of hard wood sticks instead. Don't want to talk about it, the fact is I have now the hard wood sticks and that's it.

This set of sticks weight almost if not twice the weigh of the rattan sticks so they are a little harder to control, remeber I'm a beginer in this stuff.

What can you tell me about the hard wood sticks, are good? what can I spect form them? I have blisters in my thumbs for the little practice I had this evening in my office.

Manny


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## Carol (Sep 3, 2009)

Hey Manny!

Do not use hardwood sticks in class or when training with another person.  .  It is not safe.  Hardwood can splinter and break, and result in much greater risk of injury than rattan, which frays instead. Eye injuries are a particular risk.

Keep the hardwoods for your own training.  They can be good for building up your arm strength, working on your grip, or even for home defense if needed.   Wear safety glasses (like the kind used for shooting) when you use them and don't use them around other people (unless they are protected as well


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## arnisador (Sep 3, 2009)

Definitely, hardwoods are not for partner work!


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## Manny (Sep 4, 2009)

I think this heavy sticks (vs the rattan ones) could gime some edge helping me to build up arms strenght so when I grab the rattan ones my speed will be enhanced. Offcourse I will use this wooden stick for solo practice and ..... if need it (and I hope not) to wack some scumbag, so maybe I will carry one of the sticks in my car as a self defense tool.

Now for parthner practice where the sticks are smashed against the other guys sticks I will not use them cuase the fractura or splinter of the sticks.

I am now practicing with the sticks I really love them I think they are a nice response to denden one-s hide agaist two or more bad people.

Manny


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## Ken Morgan (Sep 4, 2009)

You don't use hardwood?

What type of hardwoods? 

We only use hardwoods in jodo, for both the jo and the bokken.
http://ejmas.com/pt/ptart_taylorcol_0603.html


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## Brian Jones (Sep 5, 2009)

I agree, hardwoods are Ok for solo training but they will, depending on the wood and the diameter, eventually splinter. Or If they are a really heavy wood, you'll damage your partner's sticks to where they can't train with you. 
  And be careful with the solo training. It will add some strength and help you with coordination. But swinging them long term or long periods of time will wear on your joints


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## Ken Morgan (Sep 5, 2009)

Again, i ask what hardwoods are you using? They all react differently when hit by another. Hickory for example works great.


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## Chris Parker (Sep 5, 2009)

Hi Ken,

I'm thinking that they're probably the cheaper "red oak", that would be one of the most common. But I'm with you in the use of hardwoods, I prefer it. However, the use of a pair of short sticks in Kenpo will most likely be based on the FMA approach, so it'll involve faster, whippier actions, and the lighter sticks are definately recommended in partner work, particularly if in the beginning stages of learning. This is a bit different to the JMA approach of Jodo/Jojutsu/Kenjutsu where hardwood is my prefered material.

For the record, I like white oak (the real Japanese one, not the terrible bleached one found in the majority of martial art stores here...), although woods such as sunuke are also very good. I'm kinda traditional in my approach in that I won't handle a bokken made from biwa, although fortunately that is a rare thing to find.


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## still learning (Sep 5, 2009)

Hello, For the kids in class...we found homemade PVC pipes 1/2 ID...works for them real well! (sticks)...we also paint them too for effects.

Rattens will crack over time..great to work with for solo's...

Those foam (commercial) ones...works great...can't think of the name right now..(great because you can hit harder with them on your oppoent..too!

Aloha,


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## Kenpo17 (Sep 5, 2009)

I would not use hardwood sticks in my Kenpo class.  I use sticks I bought off of Century Martial Arts http://www.centurymartialarts.com/Martial_Arts_Weapons/Escrimas/Hand_Carved_Escrima_Stick.aspx 
They are escrima sticks, but I also use them when needed in my kenpo class.  Hope this helps.


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## Manny (Sep 7, 2009)

Ken Morgan said:


> Again, i ask what hardwoods are you using? They all react differently when hit by another. Hickory for example works great.


 
Don't know. They sold them to me as a hardwood, it's all I can cay but I think they are pine but so sure. In the web page where I find the sticks they have rubber ones,rattan ones and hard wwod ones.

Manny


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## Xinglu (Sep 7, 2009)

The term hardwood implies a definition as to the type of wood used such as oak, beech, ash, maple, and cherry woods.  Those are common and most likely what your sticks are made of.  Although, they could also be made of holly, boxwood, holm oak, teak, mahogany, ebony, lauan, or yellow ceder.  Though those are less common and would be fairly expensive.

Softwood implies a definition  as well, such as pine or yew.

So trust me when I say your sticks are not made of pine, that would dent and break easily, they would also seem very light.


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## Josh Oakley (Sep 14, 2009)

I've used both hardwood and rattan both in personal training, training with partners, and now teaching. When I teach I only allow students who have demonstrated control to even be a part of stick class. Both one thing I have found is that if you rount the ends of a hardwood stick, and sand and refinish as needed, they'll last a lot longer and splinter much less often.

The reason I use both rattan and hardwoods is that you have no control over what you find on the streets to use. I don't generally carry a stick for protection around town. I don't keep one in my car, either. in a situation where I'd actually _use_ a stick, I likely won't have time to retreive it from my back seat. If I had the time and monopolized it, the cops would be less likely to call it self-defense. I may as well take the time to get back in my car, lock the doors, and drive off.

AS far as repetition goes, I've used ironwoods for my 10,000 rep sets for over a decade with no damage to joints. Proper form helps a lot.


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