Singlestick, also known as
cudgels, refers to both a martial art that uses a wooden
stickStick fighting is a generic term for martial arts which use simple long slender, blunt, hand-held, generally wooden 'sticks' for fighting such as a staff, cane, walking stick, baton or similar....
as well as the weapon used in the art. It began as a way of training soldiers in the use of
broadswordThe term Broadsword defines a sword with a, usually substantial, straight two-edged blade, and historically may refer to:*Basket-hilted sword, a family of Renaissance cavalry and military swords...
s such as the
sabreThe sabre or saber is a kind of backsword that usually but not always has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger...
.
Canne de combatCanne de combat is a French martial arts weapon. It uses a cane or canne designed for fighting. Canne de combat was standardized in the 1970s for sporting competition by Maurice Sarry. The canne is very light, made of chestnut wood and slightly tapered...
, a
FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
form of stick fighting, is similar to singlestick play, but is more of a method of self-defense with a walking stick.
The singlestick itself is a slender, round wooden rod, traditionally
ashFraxinus , common name Ash, is a genus of usually medium to large trees, mostly deciduous though a few subtropical species are evergreen. Genus Fraxinus are the true ashes, and are in Oleaceae, the olive family, along with olives and lilacs. The leaves are opposite , and mostly pinnately-compound,...
, with a
basket hiltBasket-hilted swords are a group of sword types characterized by a basket-shaped guard that protects the hand. An early example was recovered from the wreck of the Mary Rose, an English warship lost in 1545. It could be considered a development of the complex hilts used on rapiers and "side-swords"...
.
Singlestick, also known as
cudgels, refers to both a martial art that uses a wooden
stickStick fighting is a generic term for martial arts which use simple long slender, blunt, hand-held, generally wooden 'sticks' for fighting such as a staff, cane, walking stick, baton or similar....
as well as the weapon used in the art. It began as a way of training soldiers in the use of
broadswordThe term Broadsword defines a sword with a, usually substantial, straight two-edged blade, and historically may refer to:*Basket-hilted sword, a family of Renaissance cavalry and military swords...
s such as the
sabreThe sabre or saber is a kind of backsword that usually but not always has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger...
.
Canne de combatCanne de combat is a French martial arts weapon. It uses a cane or canne designed for fighting. Canne de combat was standardized in the 1970s for sporting competition by Maurice Sarry. The canne is very light, made of chestnut wood and slightly tapered...
, a
FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
form of stick fighting, is similar to singlestick play, but is more of a method of self-defense with a walking stick.
Weapon
The singlestick itself is a slender, round wooden rod, traditionally
ashFraxinus , common name Ash, is a genus of usually medium to large trees, mostly deciduous though a few subtropical species are evergreen. Genus Fraxinus are the true ashes, and are in Oleaceae, the olive family, along with olives and lilacs. The leaves are opposite , and mostly pinnately-compound,...
, with a
basket hiltBasket-hilted swords are a group of sword types characterized by a basket-shaped guard that protects the hand. An early example was recovered from the wreck of the Mary Rose, an English warship lost in 1545. It could be considered a development of the complex hilts used on rapiers and "side-swords"...
. Singlesticks are typically around in length and in diameter and thicker at one end than the other.
It bears approximately the same relationship to the
backswordA backsword is a sword having a blade with only one edge. The back of the sword is often the thickest part of the blade and acts to support and strengthen it....
as the
foilA foil is a type of weapon used in fencing. It is the most common weapon in terms of usage in competition, and is usually the choice for elementary classes for fencing in general.- Components:...
to the
small swordThe small sword or smallsword is a light one-handed sword designed for thrusting which evolved out of the longer and heavier rapier of the late Renaissance. The height of the small sword's popularity was between mid 17th and late 18th century...
in being a sporting version of the weapon for safe practice.
The original form of the singlestick was the
wasterA waster is a practice weapon, usually a sword, and usually made out of wood, though nylon wasters are also available. The use of wood or nylon instead of metal provides an economic and safe option for initial weapons training and sparring, at some loss of genuine experience...
, which appeared in the
16th centuryAs a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century lasted from 1501 through 1600.During the 16th century, Spain and Portugal explored and conquered the world seas. Latin America became a Spanish colony, while Portugal became the master of the Indian Ocean.In Europe, the Protestant...
and was merely a wooden sword used in practice for the
backswordA backsword is a sword having a blade with only one edge. The back of the sword is often the thickest part of the blade and acts to support and strengthen it....
(see
sabreThe sabre is one of the three weapons of modern sport fencing, and is alternatively spelled saber in American English. The sabre differs from the other modern fencing weapons, the épée and foil, in that it is possible to score with the edge of the blade; for this reason, sabreur movements and...
), and of the same general shape. By the first quarter of the
17th centuryThe 17th Century was that century which lasted from 1601 to 1700 in the Gregorian calendar.The 17th Century falls into the Early Modern period of Europe and was characterized by the Baroque cultural movement, the French Grand Siècle dominated by Louis XIV, and the beginning of modern science and...
wasters had become simple
clubsA club is among the simplest of all weapons. A club is essentially a short staff, or stick, usually made of wood, and wielded as a weapon....
known as cudgels with the addition of a sword guard. When the basket hilt came into general use about twenty five years later, a
wickerWicker is hard woven fiber formed into a rigid material, usually used for baskets or furniture. Wicker is often made of material of plant origin, but plastic fibers are also used....
one was added to the singlestick, replacing the heavy metal hilt of the backsword. The guards, cuts and
parriesA parry is a fencing bladework manoeuvre intended to deflect or block an incoming attack.-Execution:To execute a parry, fencers strike the opponent's foible, or the area near the tip of the blade, with their forte, or the part of the blade near the handle of the sword...
in singlestick play were at first identical with those of backsword play, no thrusts being allowed (see
FencingFencing is a family of sports and activities that feature armed combat involving cutting, stabbing, or bludgeoning weapons that are directly manipulated by hand, rather than shot, thrown or positioned. Examples include swords, knives, pikes, bayonets, batons, clubs, and similar weapons...
).
History and technique
In
16th centuryAs a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century lasted from 1501 through 1600.During the 16th century, Spain and Portugal explored and conquered the world seas. Latin America became a Spanish colony, while Portugal became the master of the Indian Ocean.In Europe, the Protestant...
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, hits below the girdle were considered unfair. In the
18th centuryThe 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini/Common Era numbering system.However, Western historians sometimes specifically define the 18th century otherwise for the purposes of their work...
, all parts of the person became valid targets. By the turn of the 19th century, the target area had been restricted to the upper body (with the exception of the back of the head) and the upper part of the forward leg. These rules are in use today by the Association for Historical Fencing. Historically, the target area has varied, with bouts sometimes only being decided by the drawing of blood from the head of one of the contestants, in the manner of the
MensurAcademic fencing or Mensur is the traditional kind of fencing practiced by some student corporations in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and recently to a minor extent in Latvia, Poland and Flanders as well.-Technique:...
.
Under Kings
George IGeorge I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of Hanover in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
and
George IIGeorge II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death....
, backsword play with sticks was immensely popular under the names cudgel-play and singlesticking, not only in the cities but in the countryside as well,
wrestlingWrestling is an ancient martial art that uses grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, generally between two people, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
being its only rival. Towards the end of the 18th century the play became very restricted. The players were placed near together, the feet remaining immovable and all strokes being delivered with a
whipThe word whip describes two basic types of tools:A long stick-like device, usually slightly flexible, with a small bit of leather or cord, called a "popper", on the end. Depending on length and flexibility, this type is often called a riding whip, riding crop or "bat"...
-like action of the wrist from a high hanging guard, the hand being held above the head. Blows on any part of the body above the waist were allowed, but all except those aimed at the head were employed only to gain openings, as each bout was decided only by a broken head, i.e. a cut on the head that drew blood. At first the left hand and arm were used to ward off blows not parried with the stick, but near the close of the 18th century the left hand grasped a scarf tied loosely round the left thigh, the elbow being raised to protect the face.
Thomas HughesThomas Hughes was an English lawyer and author. He is most famous for his novel Tom Brown's School Days , a semi-autobiographical work set at Rugby School, which Hughes had attended. It had a lesser-known sequel, Tom Brown at Oxford .- Biography :Hughes was the second son of John Hughes, editor of...
's story
Tom Brown's School Days contains a spirited description of cudgel-play during the first half of the
19th centuryThe 19th century was a period in history marked by the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Ottoman, Holy Roman and Mughal empires...
. This kind of single-sticking practically died out during the third quarter of that century, but was revived as a training weapon for the
sabreThe sabre or saber is a kind of backsword that usually but not always has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger...
within some military and civilian academies, the play being essentially the same as for that weapon. The point was introduced and leg hits were allowed.
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
PresidentThe President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition...
Theodore RooseveltTheodore Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States. He is well remembered for his energetic persona, his range of interests and achievements, his model of masculinity, and his "cowboy" image. He was a leader of the Republican Party and founder of the short-lived Bull Moose Party...
and his friend,
GeneralIn the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
Leonard WoodLeonard Wood was a physician who served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Military Governor of Cuba and Governor General of the Philippines. Early in his military career, he was awarded the Medal of Honor...
were fond of this sport and used to emerge from a contest quite bruised from their rounds.
Singlestick was an
eventAt the 1904 Summer Olympics, five fencing events were contested, all for men only. The third edition of the Olympic fencing program included a team event for the first time, as well as the only Olympic singlestick competition. Events for fencing professionals were eliminated...
at the
1904 Summer OlympicsThe 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States from July 1, 1904 to November 23, 1904, at what is now known as Francis Field on the campus of Washington University...
, but the sport was already in decline. With the introduction of the light
ItalianItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
fencing sabreThe sabre is one of the three weapons of modern sport fencing, and is alternatively spelled saber in American English. The sabre differs from the other modern fencing weapons, the épée and foil, in that it is possible to score with the edge of the blade; for this reason, sabreur movements and...
in the early 20th century, singlestick play became unnecessary and was subsequently neglected. Stickplay with wooden swords as a school for the
cutlassA cutlass is a short, broad sabre or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket shaped guard.-History and Use:...
remained common in some navies.
The art, occasionally practiced by a few
fencingFencing is a family of sports and activities that feature armed combat involving cutting, stabbing, or bludgeoning weapons that are directly manipulated by hand, rather than shot, thrown or positioned. Examples include swords, knives, pikes, bayonets, batons, clubs, and similar weapons...
veterans in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
, was revived by the
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
in the 1980s. Within today's martial arts community, a growing interest in traditional
Western martial artsWestern Martial Arts refers to formalised fighting techniques and skills of European or generally Western origin, as distinct from those originating in Asia....
has revived interest in this particular form of weapon training.
See also
- Bâton français
The Bâton français, French for "French staff", also known as French stick fighting, is a European historical fencing discipline which uses a staff about 1.2 m long...
- Bokken
A bokken , is a wooden Japanese sword used for training, usually the size and shape of a katana, but sometimes shaped like other swords, such as the wakizashi and tantō. Bokken is a term synonymous with bokutō in Japan, but is more widely used in the west...
- Canne de combat
Canne de combat is a French martial arts weapon. It uses a cane or canne designed for fighting. Canne de combat was standardized in the 1970s for sporting competition by Maurice Sarry. The canne is very light, made of chestnut wood and slightly tapered...
- Egyptian stick fencing
Tahtib is a martial art that originated in Egypt. It relies primarily on the use of a wooden stick for striking, defensive or dodging techniques.- Etymology:...
- Eskrima
"Eskrima" or "Escrima" refers to a class of Filipino Martial Arts that emphasize stick and sword fighting. The term and the art most probably originates from the Spanish word "esgrima" which is the term for fencing....
- Federschwert
The Federschwert , or Fechtfeder , is a type of training sword used in Renaissance Fechtschulen to train safely at full speed and power...
- Fencing
Fencing is a family of sports and activities that feature armed combat involving cutting, stabbing, or bludgeoning weapons that are directly manipulated by hand, rather than shot, thrown or positioned. Examples include swords, knives, pikes, bayonets, batons, clubs, and similar weapons...
- Shinai
is a weapon used for practice and competition in kendo and are meant to represent a Japanese sword. Shinai are also used in other martial arts, but may be styled differently from kendo shinai, and represented with different characters....
- Stick fighting
Stick fighting is a generic term for martial arts which use simple long slender, blunt, hand-held, generally wooden 'sticks' for fighting such as a staff, cane, walking stick, baton or similar....
- Waster
A waster is a practice weapon, usually a sword, and usually made out of wood, though nylon wasters are also available. The use of wood or nylon instead of metal provides an economic and safe option for initial weapons training and sparring, at some loss of genuine experience...