"Simplicity is the shortest distance between two points." ― Bruce Lee, The Tao of Jeet Kune Do The Art and Science of Stick Fighting is a unique, non-style specific, approach to fighting with the short stick. Its curriculum is streamlined and divided into nine logical stages of training that allow the reader to quickly and methodically learn and develop the skills needed for competative fighting and self-defense with the stick.

In Venezuelan Stick Fighting: The Civilizing Process in Martial Arts, Michael J. Ryan examines the modern and historical role of the secretive tradition of stick fighting within rural Venezuela. Despite profound political and economic changes from the early twentieth century to the modern day, traditional values, practices, and imaginaries associated with older forms of masculinity and sociality are still valued. Stick, knife, and machete fighting are understood as key means of instilling the values of fortitude and cunning in younger generations. Recommended for scholars of anthropology, social science, gender studies, and Latin American studies.

For centuries the Irish have been associated with a stick weapon called the Shillelagh. And for generations of Irishmen, the Shillelagh was a badge of honor - a symbol of their courage, their martial prowess and their willingness to fight for their rights and their honor. In modern popular culture, the Shillelagh has acquired a less appealing image, one that attempts to declaw the Irish through negative racial stereotypes of the Victorian era, which depict the Irish as harmless club-weilding Leprecauns or drunken, half-witted brawlers. John Hurley's illuminating study forever alters our view of this much maligned and misunderstood cultural icon by revealing the true martial arts culture of the Irish people, its history, evolution and decline and the resulting effects on the Shillelagh - the most powerful and controversial of Irish icons.

Cane Fighting Techniques For The Real World! Cane Fighting: The Authoritative Guide to Using the Cane or Walking Stick for Self-Defense is a no nonsense book written for anyone who wants to learn how to use the cane or walking stick as a fighting weapon for real-world self-defense. The Ultimate Self-Defense Weapon for Everyone! While seemingly inconspicuous, the cane or walking stick is both a practical and devastating weapon for all ages, young and old, regardless of size or strength or experience and skill level. Most importantly, you don’t need martial arts training to master this incredible self-defense weapon. One Book For All Kinds of Fighting Sticks With over 200 photographs and step-by-step instructions, Cane Fighting is the authoritative resource for mastering the following weapons: The Hooked Wooden Cane, The Modern Tactical Combat Cane, Walking Sticks of all types, The Irish Fighting Shillelagh, and The Bo Staff Powerful Cane Fighting Techniques At Your Fingertips Cane Fighting is devoid of tricky or flashy cane fighting moves that can get you injured or possibly killed when defending against a determined attacker. Instead, it arms you with practical and powerful cane fighting techniques that actually work in the chaos of real-life street assaults. In fact, the skills and techniques found in these pages are surprisingly simple and easy to apply. Cane Fighting Covers These Essential Topics: How to choose the right tactical cane for your needs, advantages of the combat cane, weapon requirements, grips, essential dos and don’ts, weapon terminology, high and low concealment stances, strikes, power swings, preparing for impact shock, first strike techniques, combinations, striking angles, cane chokes, self-defense stages, blocks, deflections, footwork skills, cane fighting attributes, target areas, medical implications of cane strikes, use-of-force concerns, workout routines, conditioning exercises, and much more! Whether you are a beginner or advanced practitioner, student or instructor, Cane Fighting: The Authoritative Guide to Using the Cane or Walking Stick for Self-Defense teaches you powerful street-oriented techniques and proven fighting methods to get you home alive and in one piece.

Covering a variety of preparatory stretches and warm-up exercises, the 12-zone striking and defense systems, hand-to-hand combat ("trapping hands”), flow-practice drills, sinawali and redonda, this 160-page, fully illustrated text gives novices a tangible amount of self-defense skill through specific drills. For example, the sinawali is taught without sticks, in empty-hand fashion, to illustrate how its weaving motions can be easily translated into empty-hand movements for blocking, punching, and takedowns. He discusses the 12 important angles of attacks on the human body, 12 basic ways of dealing with each angle, plus stick and sword disarming techniques.

Eskrima, which is also known as Arnis (De Mano) or Kali, is the indigenous martial art of the Philippine Islands. Dynamic and flexible, with a wide range of training methods it can be practised by students of all ages and levels of fitness. Well known and respected as a highly practical weapons-based system, Eskrima is practised worldwide by civilians, law enforcement personnel and special units within the military. Eskrima uses training weapons (rattan sticks and daggers) from the earliest stages, alongside purely unarmed techniques. These training methods have been found particularly effective at increasing co-ordination and reflexes, providing a fast track to developing the qualities needed for practical self-defence. This fascinating book traces the history and evolution of this art form. It highlights Eskrima's essential principles and concepts. The instructional section illustrates how the Eskrimador is able to succeed in a wide range of combat situations involving fighting with both weapons and open-hands. Techniques, two-person flow drills, self-defence applications, training with specialized equipment, the philosophy of the art and 'self-defence and the law' are all covered in depth.

The Shillelagh has become synonymous with stereotypes about the "Fighting Irish." The truth is that shillelagh fighting was originally a form of fencing which required training, discipline and skill. Often combining stick-fencing with boxing and wrestling, shillelagh fighting was a once a complex mixed martial art. Now for the first time "Fighting Irish: The ARt Of Irish Stick-Fighting" describes and analyzes this fascinating sport, its essential nature and techniques. This authoritative classic contains clear cut descriptions of the most important offensive and defensive stick-fighting positions and methods. For the first time in history the basic concepts of Irish shillelagh fighting are laid out and explained for both the martial artist and the the interested reader.

Barbados Stick Science, otherwise known as Bajan Stick Licking, is the indigenous martial art of Barbados. The details and method of the Johnson style of stick fighting was been known by only a few people, until now. This manual has been created to introduce the first position (lesson) of the Johnson method of Stick Licking, and is the first such document in existence.

This is a guide to pressure point striking for the average martial artist. Sang H Kim demystifies the lore of vital point striking and shows you realistic applications of vital point strikes for self-defence and combat sports. For those new to the concept of vital points, he begins by examining the Eastern theory of acupoints, meridians and ki (qi) and the Western scientific concepts of the nervous and circulatory systems, pain threshold and pain tolerance, and the relationship between pain and fear. This synthesis of accepted Eastern and Western theories helps the reader understand what makes vital point striking work and why it can be not only useful in fighting, but deadly. Based on this introduction, you will learn about 202 vital points for use in fighting including the name, point number, location, involved nerves and blood vessels, applicable techniques, sample applications, and potential results for each point. The points are illustrated in detail on an anatomically correct human model, with English, Chinese, and Korean names as well as point numbers for easy reference. In addition to identifying the vital points, Sang H. Kim gives you detailed information about the type of techniques that work for vital point striking including a discussion of fighting zones and ranges, plexus strikes, stance and footwork, bodily weapons, striking directions and angles and dozens of applications for common empty hand, grappling, groundfighting, knife and gun attacks. Based on over thirty years experience in the martial arts and in-depth research, Sang H. Kim has created one of the most complete books available on the art and science of vital point striking.

A comprehensive study of the practice of combat sports in the ancient civilizations of Greece, Rome and the Near East.