# weapon sparing with a 6 ft bo



## donald1 (Aug 25, 2013)

occasionally in sparring events we might use foam weapons so we can go full contact, when i go up against the higher ranks occasionally they use close weapons and i don't know some, but not many ways to keep controlled spacing. do you have any ideas?


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## Blindside (Aug 26, 2013)

donald1 said:


> occasionally in sparring events we might use foam weapons so we can go full contact, when i go up against the higher ranks occasionally they use close weapons and i don't know some, but not many ways to keep controlled spacing. do you have any ideas?



Are you asking how to keep shorter weapons at a distance?  Generally it is thrust more, swing less, and footwork, footwork, footwork.  Are you doing a centerhold or are you down on one end?  The guy with the shorter weapon will always be looking to close, so you need to guard your hands and keep one tip aimed at his face, think more spear than staff.  You can combine you high thrusts with low slashes to take their lead leg.


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## shaGua (Aug 26, 2013)

practice. and it also depends on how soft the foam sticks are. if it's really soft, it might be unrealistic so they can close in easily. if it is more stiff, have to realize that a strong shot from a staff is more damaging than a punch or kick or shorter foam weapon. The soft foam might take away some of the realism in that aspect where people will feel that the punch or kick hits harder and they end up taking a hit or two with the foam staff just to get close...


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## lklawson (Aug 28, 2013)

shaGua said:


> and it also depends on how soft the foam sticks are. if it's really soft, it might be unrealistic so they can close in easily. if it is more stiff, have to realize that a strong shot from a staff is more damaging than a punch or kick or shorter foam weapon. The soft foam might take away some of the realism in that aspect where people will feel that the punch or kick hits harder and they end up taking a hit or two with the foam staff just to get close...



^ This

It's really hard to make sparring pole-arms "safe" for sparring.  And when they are, the weapon tends to be so whippy, flexible, and padded, that the opponent has zero respect for the weapon.  A decent swing from a staff can crush a skull and cause the brains to leak out the ears.  A single strike to an arm can be instantly disabling.  A single thrust to the abdomen can easily break ribs.  A solid staff of reasonable diameter can easily plow through hard blocks of many weapons, including swords, tonfa, and 2-foot sicks, and then smash into the body.

I've seen maybe 3 people in my life spar realistically with/against staff weapons.  One of them is Paul Wagner of Australia, who teaches (among many other things) European Quarterstaff.

One thing that sometimes helps is to convince the Sensei to have a "test" session with the weapons.  Think of it as sort of demonstration tameshigiri to "verify the power of the weapon."  Take a "live" staff and crush a few coconuts (popular with Silat practitioners because it is said to be similar to human skulls) and smash through a few 1" Oak dowels (said to be similar in strength to the radius and ulna, or a rib).

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk


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## Kenpo5.0Hawker (Aug 30, 2013)

lklawson said:


> ^ This
> 
> It's really hard to make sparring pole-arms "safe" for sparring.  And when they are, the weapon tends to be so whippy, flexible, and padded, that the opponent has zero respect for the weapon.  A decent swing from a staff can crush a skull and cause the brains to leak out the ears.  A single strike to an arm can be instantly disabling.  A single thrust to the abdomen can easily break ribs.  A solid staff of reasonable diameter can easily plow through hard blocks of many weapons, including swords, tonfa, and 2-foot sicks, and then smash into the body.
> 
> ...



I love this post. I've used all sorts of weapons in tests as a kid..Recommend any weapon practitioner do as much as possible to get a real feel for how it performs. Swords, lances, war clubs, chucks, native and Mongol bows. All have been test fired/used by myself. Both mounted and on foot.  Most times the destructive potential of these weapons has surprised me. especially with the advantages of speed and height from a fast moving horse. 

I once used a good bo on a friend. Broke his leg. Now I use dummy targets only. (still very sorry Vince). Also hit Vince with a lazy chuck attack. Split his head open so bad I was worried I'd killed my best friend. Turns out head wounds just bleed a lot. Thank goodness!

Some test results based on my notes. - "my Conanche style "Noggin Knocker" war club easily broke a 2x4 on foot. Yet it broke a similar 2x4 with very little effort despite the stone head coming off the stick handle due to my inexperience working rawhide at the time. any sort of melon was smashed. 

Much more penetration with spear or lance from a running horse than from standing and striking with same. same experiance with my horsebows. Both the Mongol style and a plains Indian style bow. Both drew at #45. The Mongol bow penetrated s bit further tho. also noticibly more penetration using a bow from horseback as long as you are moving toward the enemy. The rear (parting shot) does seem to lack that same power. A side shot usually happens before your exactly even with target and seems to penetrate just as deep as a forward shot from a horse traveling at same speed. 

My saber broke 2x4s better than my Katana but that same Katana drastically out cut the same saber (both very sharp) in watermellon and coconut head choping drills.  Almost no rezistance was felt with a (cheap) Katana. Saber I felt more impact but still cut them pretty much the same. 

A plains Indian type "lance" penetrated far deeper on average than a European heavy lance but the european lance with a hand guard allowed me to knock over my dummy much easier.  

Speed chucks don't generate much more power than reg chucks when both chucks generate energy at a similar velocity. But my bro who was real good at chucks could get the speed cucks going a bit faster and was able to break more boards. 

PVC pipe makes a comparable blowgun to any Tradirional Oriental or Cherokee blowgun. It's all about the fit and quality of your darts...


ive tried most of these on various objects. Melons, 2x4,4x4, plywood (various thicknesses) bales of hay or straw, etc.


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## Brian R. VanCise (Aug 30, 2013)

We were Filipino Body Armor for our 6 foot weapon sparring sessions.  The following video shows a lot of thrusting as that was a focal point we were working on but we certainly swing it around and utilize the butt of the stick as well.  Enjoy!






One thing with longer weapons you are either in or out.  If you stay in the middle due to the reach you are getting smashed.

6 foot sparring is a lot of fun!


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