This evening we went through the fundementals of quarter staff fighting using stage combat basics.

Beginning with the basic movements and some differences between quarter staff fighting and oriental staff fighting techniques we quickly moved onto fighting one another with the principles of our stage combats five points of attack and defence. A primary lesson for all was the hand positions when defending against shoulder blows and the various ways of moving the quarter staffs into position quickly and effectively.

After this the group was taken through some slightly more advanced techniques of thrusting and associated defences, learning some binds in the process; laying the foundation of the next step - spear work.

These techniques will be used to form the bedrock of any pole weapon for our events, be it a trident, spear, pole axe, boarding pike or quarter staff and will be built upon in subsequent training sessions.