Kung Fu Staff Techniques

The monks of ancient China took pilgrimages to temples and monasteries as part of their training. Because carrying weapons went against Buddhist belief, the monks had to develop a means of self-defense that required a non-lethal weapon---the waxwood staff. The Chinese developed staff fighting styles that combined a mixture of conventional staff techniques and spear techniques.

  1. Grip

    • The grip of a Chinese staff differs from the Japanese bo or European staves. In those styles, the grip of the staff tends to be equal. Because Chinese staff techniques are derived from spear techniques, the grip should be closer to one end. Place your right hand halfway point of the staff. Place your trailing hand two fist widths away from the end of the staff. Turn your lead hand so your thumb rests on top of the staff, and grip most strongly with your little and ring fingers. You should grip more evenly with the fingers of your trailing hand, but orient it the same.

    Stance

    • Stand with your right foot forward, pointed straight ahead. Place your left foot two shoulder widths behind it, and keep your torso facing straight forward. Turn your left foot so your toes point 30 degrees outward. Different Chinese staff techniques advocate different degrees for sinking to the ground---some have nearly a horse stance, while others teach standing nearly straight. Low stances allow balance but sacrifice mobility. High stances allow you to move around your opponent but you can be pushed off balance.

    Staff Rotation

    • Rotating a Chinese staff may seem overly flashy or impractical in a fight, but it has a purpose. According to China Strategies, Chinese forms appear so fluid because they incorporate seemingly useless motions to get the staff from one position to the next in preparation for attack. It distracts the opponent and hides your real attack. Also, the rotation itself can serve as a strike. To rotate the staff, hold it with both hands at the halfway point and bring the staff around in a forward circle by your right shoulder. When the staff reaches its original point, allow it to move to your left and make a circle on your left side.