Singlestick / Cudgels
Singlestick (also known as cudgels), a form of Stick Fighting, is a martial art that uses a wooden stick. It began as a way of training sailors in the use of swords, but evolved into a competitive sport. Competitions started in single sticks as early as the 16th century but by the 20th century it was becoming rare.
The singlestick weapon is a slender, round wooden rod, traditionally made from of ash, with a basket hilt. They are typically around 36 inches (91 cm) in length and 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, becoming more narrow at the tip.
The sport was contested as a part of the Olympics in 1904, and was discontinued after that due to lack of participation. The sport is now not practiced widely. The art of singlesticks was revived by the Royal Navy in the 1980s, and is used occasionally as a form of weapon training.
Similar Sports
- Stick-Fighting — a type of martial arts which uses a hand-held long slender wooden stick for fighting. Includes variations such as singlestick and canne de combat.
- Canne de Combat — a French martial art in which opponents battle each other inside a ring with a cane in one hand.
- Fencing — competitors face each other and attempt to touch each other with the tip of a thin sword.
- Kendo — a form of Japanese martial art that originated from kenjutsu, using bamboo swords and armor.
- Arnis — the national martial art sport of the Philippines which emphasizes weapon-based fighting usually with a stick or cane.
Related Pages
- La Canne, or French stick fighting, was a demonstration sport at the 1924 Olympics.
- A similar sport, Singlesticks, was once an Olympic event.
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports
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