Want to learn to fight with a staff like Gandalf? Well, I can’t teach you that(I’m not over 7,000 years old), but I can tell you a little of Quarterstaff fighting.

The Quarterstaff, or Boe, is a simple enough weapon to get a hold of. It can be a walking stick, broom handle, or tree branch. The trick to staff fighting is not in it’s effectiveness as a weapon, but in how you think and ‘treat’ the staff. You must treat it as though it is an extra limb, not as a blunt sword or spear.

The Stance

Stand with your feet in an L shape, with the front foot facing forward, and the back foot pointing out at a 90 degree angle. Lay the staff in the palm of your forward hand, and grasp it comfortably in your back hand. The staff should be on an angle, and it should feel comfortable, not too tight, but just tight enough so you don’t drop it.

Movement

(You don’t need a staff yet)
Move forward with the back foot turning to parallel the front foot, and sliding forward and past the front foot, while the front foot becomes the back foot, and turns outward as the back foot, now the front foot, slides past. The L of your feet should now be facing the other way, as the inside of your stance becomes the outside. It sounds complicated I know, but try it and you’ll understand; just read each little part one at a time.

The Basics

Now, when you have your staff, don’t try twirling it around like a nitwit, hold it like I said earlier, take up your stance, and relax. This isn’t Jackie Chan versus the ancient Japanese ninjas of Tokyo or whatever; I’m giving you an insight, not teaching you how to be some fearless samurai. Ok, one tip first, how many weapons are you holding? One right? Wrong. You have your staff, but you also have your feet, knees, shins, elbows, shoulders, fists, etc, etc. So, have a go, pretend you have an invisible opponent, and try blocking with the staff and kicking, punching and following through with a double-handed sweep of the staff.

Experiment, just please try not to hurt yourself, ok?

Written by Shadowdagger