Hatsumi Masaaki - Stick fighting

Introduction
WE HAVE OFTEN wondered why the stick as a weapon has been so neglected
in recent years Inevitab ly, traditional forms of hand to-hand combat were
preJud iced by the increasing use o f firea rms. and yet, in spite of this.
boxing, wrestling, fencing, and archery have all survived and even flour­
IShed 1n their sport forms Until the early part of the nineteenth century in
England, th e art of the quarter stave was an essential part of a man's
education. and it con ti nued to be practiced until very recently by the Boy
Scou ts. However. in general it is a forgotten art. and even among the
pol1ce-the only people perm1tted by law to carry a sticl( as a weapon
the standard of techn1que is lamentably primitive
Someone may well object. "Why should st1ck f1ghting be revived?
Surely there are enough weapons already Without remtroducing an art
that has fallen 1nto d isuse 7" The answer I think is simple. In every soc1ety
there are people who resort to v1olence to cheat and molest innocent
VICtims. If you became such a victim. you would have no WISh to submit.
and if you saw someone else being attacked. you would feel bound to
go to his assistance
If you are armed. of course. you will stand a much better chance. But
wh1ch weapon would you choose 7 A gun is certamly effective. but it IS
lethall y so. A kntfe IS undoubtedly expedient. but 1f you use one. you are
forced to kill or maim. On the other hand. let us not go to the other ex treme
and say of an armed assai lant that he is merely psychologically disturbed
and th at we must avotd hurting him Our aim. then. ts to de fend ourselves
adequately. and at the S