Syllabus: 4ft/6ft staff

The following is applicable to different length staffs and can be applied to polearms and spears

Syllabus Overview

Stances

Demonstrated from Single handed, sword grip & quarter staff grip – all to high and mid section

  • Mid guard various grips
  • Low guard various grips
  • Overhead guard various grips
  • Hanging guard various grips
  • Dragons tail
  • Over shoulder

thrusts

1-4 demonstrated from Single handed, sword grip & qs grip – all to high and mid section

1. Mid section front
2. Mid section right
3. Mid section rear
4. Mid section left


6. Bar thrust
7. Reverse grip single handed round house
8. Reverse singlehanded grip floor
9. Underarm reverse grip short thrust
10. Over arm thrust

blocks

Single handed

1. Single handed rising
2. Single handed Reverse rising

3. Single handed carte high

4. single handed tierce high

5. single handed carte hanging low

6. single handed tierce hanging low

7. Single handed scooping high

8. Single handed scooping low

Sword grip
9.   Sword grip Double handed rising

10. Sword grip Double handed cross arm rising

11. Sword grip double handed carte high

12. Sword grip double handed tierce high

13. Sword grip double handed hanging carte low

14. Sword grip double handed tierce hanging low

15. Sword grip double handed scooping high

16. Sword grip double handed scooping low

Quarter staff two handed grip
17. Rising Bar block
18. Descending bar block
19. Bar block left
20. Bar block right

21. Overhand block left
22. Overhand block right
23. Inside scooping block high
24. Inside scooping block low
25. Outside scooping block high
26. Outside scooping block low

Strikes

16 strikes, 5 double handed, 6 single handed, 5 sword grip (repeated at high, mid, low where applicable)

Quarter staff grip

1. Downwards quarter strike
2. Descending downwards quarter strike
3. Cross Quarter strike either side
4. Rising quarter strike
5. Qs, qs, holding stick in middle

Single handed grip
6. Single handed cross
7. Single handed round
8. Single handed down
9. Single handed spinning downwards
10. Single handed rising

11. Single handed 4 diagonals

Sword grip
12. Sword grip Two handed downwards

13. Sword grip Two handed backhand

14. Sword grip Two handed circular

15. Sword grip 4 diagonals

16. Sword grip rising16 locks
1. Bar lock on arm, stick against chest
2. Bar lock on arm, stick against neck
3. Naked arm choke with stick
4. Arm up, rear strangle with stick
5. Rear cross hand strangle
6. Rear Head pushing strangle
7. Rear Knee pushing strangle
8. Front cross hand strangle
9. Front head pushing
10. Front knee pushing
11. Standing bar on wrist12. On floor fig 4
13. On floor across ankles
14. On floor across wrist
15. On floor across cervical spine
16. Short end against nerves

Striking combinations (13 x minimum)

1.Cross, circular head combination
2.Downward QS – thrust to throat
3.Rising strike to groin -middle thrust
4.Rising strike to groin –  two handed downwards
5.Long thrust – rising qs
6.Downward quarter strike -cross quarter strike
7.Circular head strike – spinning reverse middle thrust
8.Reverse grip descending strike to foot, rising short thrust to throat – reverse grip groin strike
9.3 QS combination (downward, cross, cross)
10.Cross strike, under arm thrust
11.Forward roll – cross strike to knee – middle thrust – stand descending strike to attackers groin as they lay prone
12.Roundhouse kick to knee –spinning cross to head – short thrust
13.Reverse rising heel kick – reverse thrust –over arm thrust – turning quarter strike
Additional combinations
14.Downwards QS – descending downwards as step – turning thrust
15.Downwards QS – thrust – rising strike to groin
16.Bar thrust to face – QS head, QS groin
17.Cross strike – under arm short thrust – single handed descending
18.Cross strike – roundhouse strike
19.QS –Thrust –QS
20.Downwards wrist – throwing thrust – descending  downwards
21.Single handed cross strike – spinning cross strike other hand – double downwards
22.Cross trike – roundhouse – downwards QS

Stick vs another weapon

Downwards strike

1) single handed rising block, with step off line of attack, allowing attackers weapon to slip down defending  stick, double handed water mill to neck, snooker cue

2) double handed rising horizontal bar block, scoop to right with left end of stick, quarter strike with right end to head, step rf forward thrust to ribs

3) reverse single handed rising block deflection, attackers stick slip off, backhand single stick strike to head, recover

4) bar block, move inside, push away, downwards strike rbe, qs left, qs right ,

5) rising bar block, push away, thrust to throat, descending qs.

 Cross strike

1) vertical bar block , scoop to right quarter strike with right end, step rf forward, thrust with right end

2) over shoulder vertical block, drop to left knee, Single hand circular cross strike to knee, quarter strike chest

 Forehand/ Roundhouse

1) Right hand up bar block, push away, descending thrust to face, downward strike to head

2) LH up bar block, drop to knee, pass attack overhead, RH, single cross strike to knee, qs rib

Thrust to throat

1) Parry, thrust, qs, qs


Unarmed vs attacker with a stick

Single down – entering throw
Round – body wheel
Cross – strangle
Ankles – jump flying kick
Thrust face – tenshin/ heaven and Earth/ – aka clothes-line
Thrust low – sukui nage/ scooping throw

Armed with stick vs unarmed attacker

Lunge punch stomach

1) Bar block, bar thrust face/ nose, quarter strike right side head, quarter strike left side head

2) bar block, under armpit and onto posterior shoulder, rotary throw

Downwards attack

1) scoop, strike throat and drive to ground

2) Bar block, move inside, slide across throat front cross hand strangle

3) Bar block, step behind, slide across neck, cross hand strangle from rear

 Round house attack

1) change grip rh thumb up. Slide behind neck cross hand choke into shoulder throw

2) bar block, RH up, around neck and under arm, air throw

3) Bar block rh up, scoop arm -step behind, naked arm choke using stick

Front kick

1) step to outside, mauve belt lifting leg scooping throw, butt thrust

2) parry, moving to outside outside, put in between legs, rotate to ground figure 4 leg lock with stick or brace stick against a knee

Backhand/ Cross attack

1) bar block, lh up, catch wrist with RH, stick cross hand strike ribs, rh control wrist arm lock against stick which is levered against the stomach or against neck

2) bar block Rh grip stick above attackers arm, arm entanglement

3) Bar block LH up, right hand let go, under attackers arm and grab stick, stick in cruck of armpit, arm entanglement, take down, butt thrust

 Lunge high

1) bar block, strike stomach lh with stick , bar stick against neck, control rh arm into arm lock

2) bar block parry moving to outside lock against shoulder

3) Parry with a strike, tenjin across throat

4) Parry, straight bar strangle from rear


Disengagement

Single hand grab middle

Single hand grab end
Single hand grab end from rear
Double grab front

One handed grab middle of stick

Slide hands together trapping attackers hand by placing thumbs onto theirs, shiho nage, or shiho nage with Stick across their throat

Two handed grab, hands either end

Switch RH to under hand grip, tai o toshi

Single hand butt grab

Rotate around wrist and thrust

Single hand grab end from reverse

One handed grab middle of stick

Slide hands together trapping attackers hand by placing thumbs onto theirs, shiho nage, or shiho nage with Stick across their throat

Two handed grab, hands either end

Switch RH to under hand grip, tai o toshi

Double handed butt grab from front

Go with grab towards the floor

Knife vs stick

Downwards

Pick attack. Deflect, across throat drive to floor thrust

Wrist strike left end, left end thrust, left end hook leg, single right hand spinnnf strike to head.

Forehand slash

Strike wrist right end, strike head right end, left end strike groin, spin reverse snooker cue thrust right end.

 Striking block to wrist, right end behind neck, left end under arm. Rotary throw

Backhand strike

Vertical block, single left hand strike to ribs. Control arm, stick under chin, arm bar against stick. Stick across back of neck, arm bar

Thrust to stomach. 

Downwards block, right end rotate under arm, figures four arm bar, thrust them away.

Stick vs Stick attacking/ blocking sequences

Sequence 1

  • RF forward quarter strike downwards at head (block hand apart above head)
  • Thrust (block scoopin hands back together)
  • Step left leg forward quarter strike downwards at head (block hands apart above head)
  • Spin stick over left shoulder stepping back with LF into guard

 Sequence 2

  • Guard RF forward
  • RF forward quarter strike to head (block hands apart above head )
  • LF forward hip strike to head (block RHS stick running length of forearm lH thumb down)
  • RF forward hip strike to ribs (block hand apart by changing grip RH)

 Sequence 3

  • Guard RF forward
  • Single RH groin uppercut (block hand apart out front)
  • Bring stick back in arc two hand overhead strike with shuffle forward (block hands apart overhead)
  • Bring stick back sliding hands stomach thrust
  • Shuffle back with rotation over lH back to guard RF forward.

Staff Syllabus

Level 1

Forms

Form 1 stances

Blocking techniques:

  • Rising block
  • Reverse rising block
  • Bar blocks high and low

Striking techniques:

  • One handed descending
  • Short descending QS to head
  • Two handed descending to head
  • Spinning one handed descending to head
  • Back hand single handed to head
  • Fore hand, circular to head

Combination technique

  • Cross – circular head
  • Downward QS – thrust to throat

Locking/ strangles X 3

Defences against an armed attack

  • One handed downwards – Rising block, circular forehand to head
  • Backhand to head – side bar block, short QS to head

Disengagements

  • End of stick held
  • Middle of stick held

Level 2

Forms

Form stick 2

Blocking techniques

  • Scooping blocks – high, low and mid
  • Over arm block
  • Inside forearm block
  • Outside forearm block

Striking techniques

  • Rising strike to groin
  • Bar strike to nose/ throat
  • Thrusts – long, short, high, mid, low, side
  • Quarter strikes – down, descending, cross, rising (both ends)
  • Forehand side of head

Combinations

Rising strike groin – mid thrust

Rising strike groin – two handed downwards

Downaward qs – cross qs

Long thrust – rising qs

Locking/ strangles x 6

Disengagements

  • Wrist held from front
  • Front strangle
  • Single lapel
  • Double lapel
  • Wrist held from rear

Defences against an armed attacker

  • Backhand to head – side bar block, deflect, mid thrust
  • Mid thrust – parry, mid thrust
  • Descending qs – reverse rising block, circular backhand

Level 3

Forms

Form – stick 3

  •  

Striking techniques

  • Reverse middle
  • Reverse over arm
  • Descending middle

Striking combinations

  • Circular head combination – reverse thrust
  • Reverse grip descending thrust to foot – rising short thrust to throat – reverse grip groin strike
  • 3 qs combination
  • Cross strike – short thrust

Disengagements

  • All previous – against random attacks

Combination defences against armed attacker

  • Circular forehand head strike  – side bar block, defelct, mid thrust
  • High thrust – parry, return strike of choice
  •  Descending quarter strike – parry – return strike of choice

Defences against an unarmed attacker

1 defence from each:

  • Downward
  • Circular
  • Cross
  • Punch high
  • Punch mid
  • Front kick

Sparring

3 bouts – full contact stick vs stick

3 min rounds

Showing movement and continual flow

Level 4

Forms

Form – stick 4

Striking techniques

Test of Accuracy and control – strikes and thrusts all

Opponent wearing protective equipment, breaking tiles or suspended rings.

Striking Combinations

All from previous – On strike shield

Demonstrating speed, power, accuracy and control

Locking/ Strangling

All from previous in pressure test

Combination defences against an armed attacker

Pressure test – at least two defences from each of the following:

  • Down
  • Forehand
  • Backhand
  • Thrust high
  • Thrust mid
  • Low legs forehand
  • Low legs backhand

Unarmed defence against an armed attacker with stick

  • Downward
  • Circular forehand to head
  • Backhand head
  • Thrust high
  • Thrust mid
  • Low legs forehand
  • Low legs backhand

Sparring:

Full contact – stick vs stick

Full contact stick vs sword

Level 5

Forms – Demonstrate forms 1-5

Combination defences against an armed attacker -All previous

Random attackers in a circle

Evasions – Demonstrate evasions against all attacks

Level 6

Forms

Demonstrate forms 1-6

Combination defences against an armed attacker

All previous

Random attacks – range of different weapons attacking

Striking techniques

All – with speed, power, accuracy, control

Live target, tiles and suspended rings

Combination techniques

X 13 on shield target

Disengagements

Under pressure test

  • One end of stick held from front
  • One end stick held from rear
  • One end stick held from front with two hands
  • Both ends of stick held from front
  • Both ends of stick held from rear
  • Middle of stick held one hand
  • Middle of stick held two hands

Sparring

Stick – stick

Stick – sword

Stick – unarmed

Unarmed -stick

Level 7

Forms

Forms 1-7

Speed, power, accuracy, control

Combination techniques

All 13 plus……..

Flow, speed, power, accuracy, control

Defence/ Sparring

  • Against TWO attackers with swords and sword/stick, any combination of weapons
  • Against attacker with spear
  • Against attacker with knife
  • Against attacker with axe/ entrapment weapons
  • Against attacker with sword (and different types of sword)

Disengagements

  • Previous under pressure test
  • 10 methods using nerves/ vulnerable points with stick