Staff Basics

Gripping

• Hold the staff at the end for maximum reach
• Both palms down or one down, one up
• Basic position is roughly parallel to floor and held about shoulder height
• Staff is parallel to your chest
• Hands about shoulder width apart (maximum reach and wrist flexibility)
• Point of the staff is aimed at your target

Hitting

• Hit as if you were doing a pushup – both arms extend simultaneously
• Strike starts by moving forward. The recovery back to ready position happens AFTER the strike, not before.
• Fire the arms fast (almost like you are throwing). “Rip” the shoulder.
• Roll the hit – the tip of the weapon describes a flat ellipse during a full strike
• When stabbing, also roll the weapon
• When hitting or stabbing, keep the weapon parallel to your chest
• Involve the body in your hit. Drop your weight or, rise with the hit.

Zoning / Suppressing

• “Zoning” means you hit to a specific target
• The rolling / elliptical motion of the strike allows for the power of a follow-through with the fast recovery of a focused / stopped strike.
• “Suppressing” means you stop the weapon before it completes its path to the intended target

Hitting combinations

• Full rolling hit with both feet pinned (use body drop or rise)
• Full rolling hit with one foot pinned and other foot stepping
• Two full hits to same point, lead foot stepping forward and back (so, the strike when the foot lands in the back position has to be longer)
• Work suppressed hits followed by a second hit or stab
• Same as above with rolling stabs.
• Work rolling stabs with sliding footwork (rear foot is launch for shuffle step)