Zulu Stick Fighting...

[Sabre]

After watching Last Man Standing I thought it would be educational to see what else I could learn about Zulu Stick fighting. Below I have included a couple links that I thought were interesting. I must admit I was surprized that 4 of the westerners won their fights with only a few days training. I do not know if this was "part of the show" thou.

http://ejmas.com/jalt/jaltart_Coetzee_0902.htm (socio-historical overview)

Zulu stick fighting clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqPshesdlqw

[arnisador]

I haven't been watching LMS...should I be?


Zulu stick fighting clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqPshesdlqw

Looks like a sinawali! There's a brief Wikipedia entry for Zulu stick fighting (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zulu_stick_fighting) (as Nguni stick fighting).

[arnisador]

Nuba (http://www.nubasurvival.com/Nuba%20Culture/4.%20Nuba%20stick%20fighting.htm) traditional stick fighting (Sudan).

[Brock]

I must admit I was surprized that 4 of the westerners won their fights with only a few days training. I do not know if this was "part of the show" thou.

Probably not. I've watched most of the shows and they don't seem to win very many of the other events.

[arnisador]

I've never heard of anyone teaching one of these arts in the U.S. Tood bad! It'd fun to see one in person.

[Nemesis]

I know we should disrespect another people's threads and PLEASE don't take this the wrong way. BUT COME ON!!!! THAT CLIP WAS SO FAKE!!!

Would somebody please explain me why they holding the sticks in the middle?? They were just begging to be hit in the hands!! And those strikes !!?? There were no power in them !! Even if the strike landed it wouldn't do much damage!

[arnisador]

I've heard it suggested that some of the "fights" are more ritual nowadays.

[Nemesis]

I can understand that, but for me it's not that it wasn't a real fight it was only a demonstration, I know that.

It's just the their technic simply didn't convince me at all. In a real fight using that kind of strikes they wouldn't go very far. I still can't get over of how they holded their sticks! Why have a stick that big if your going to hold it in the middle thus only using half it's size! I don't get it!

[arnisador]

I've seen people do this briefly so they can switch to either end of the stick quickly as a surprise. But that might work better if the other person didn't have a comparably-sized staff.

[Nemesis]

The way I see it if I was fighting those guys instead of aiming at them I would aim at their hands, they are way too exposed.
And another thing, by holding the stick like that they are not using it's full strengh (shorter stick = less momentum = less power!)

[arnisador]

Traditional Nigerian boxing:
In pictures: Traditional boxing in Nigeria (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/08/africa_traditional_boxing_in_nigeria/html/1.stm)

[gagimilo]

Hey, I found this video of some Zulu traditions. Stick fighting starts at 1:45...

http://www.rbgtube.com/play.php?vid=1227

[arnisador]

Is the left hand holding a stick and a shield, or is that stick attached to and part of the shield?

[Paul]

Right Guys,
The right hand is usually the striking stick, they are very flexible and often whip thin,since the idea generally is to mark your opponents back, the left hand holds a stouter blocking stick about half way along usually with a hide cover for the hand, when your opponent strikes you extend your blocking stick out and hopefully your opponents stick will bend around that and not catch you, you do the same and it's first one to quit, very simple, very addictive, very painfull.

[pguinto]

Is the left hand holding a stick and a shield, or is that stick attached to and part of the shield?

There's a lot more in History Channel's Warriors with Terry Schappert: Episode 8 Zulu Siege.
If you have Comcast, you can view it ON DEMAND.

[arnisador]

I have it taped already, but haven't gotten around to viewing it yet!

[gagimilo]

Hey guys, check Burt Richardson's take on the things...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_qgilAJi4U&feature=channel_page

[Paul]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vH600iNUHE&feature=related

This is closer to what I was shown, the sticks are longer than in Burts video, which appear to be much closer to our Largo Sticks with a weight on the end.
A longer stick with a bit of flex makes it a whole lot more difficult to defend against, I know on Last Man Standing they said that each tribe/village has a slightly different set of applications rather like all the different Escrima styles.

[Paul]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqPshesdlqw&NR=1

Another one to watch, Jo in left hand, stick in right, couldn't be simpler.

[arnisador]

An episode of Warriors (http://www.fmatalk.com/showthread.php?t=6207) includes Zulu stick-fighting!

[robertlk808]

An interesting clip from Guro Burton Richardson in regards to the FMA and Zulu Stickfighting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_qgilAJi4U

[arnisador]

Neat!