STICKS & STAVES
杖 - 棍

Staff training is an advanced weapon study taught at Imperial Combat Arts in Denver CO. To the Ancient Chinese the Staff was known as the "Grandfather of all Weapons". Training the Staff also teaches the basic weapon handling of all other types of pole weapons. Training staves at a combat level is a much different study than the theatrical and acrobatic staff training often seen today. Theatrical staves are very light and flimsy for form competitions and the techniques are almost all for show. Combat training with real staves against all types of weapons is a battlefield study.
Our staff weapon training has direct lineage to the battlefield, and can hold its own with, or surpass any other weapon system in the world, and blends seamlessly with our hand to hand, ground systems, and chin na, as a complete combat study. The staff is the first pole-weapon taught before other pole-weapons such as spear.

WOODEN STAFF
​​木棍

MU KUN | MU GUN
These traditional weapons are usually measured as tall as the eyebrow or top of the head and are often know as "Eyebrow Staff's". Imperial Combat Arts uses staves of Red Oak or similar hard woods that work for heavy striking against other weapons, and that offer enough weight to help absorb impacts. The training with these weapons teaches weapon handling that can be applied to numerous other weapons.

TRAVELERS STAFF
​​游棍

YU KUN | YOUGUN
These staves are shoulder height, a preferred length for hiking and travelling, as they do not interfere with the field of vision but are also long enough to assist in descending steep hills. Especially when sightseeing most practitioners would prefer a full view of their surrounding at the sacrifice of a half a foot of reach. These staves are often more ornate and may feature cap or spike on the bottom.

TAPERED STAFF
​​尖细棍

CH'IEN HSI KUN | JIANXIGUN
​Staves may taper their entire length or from center to the ends. This might intentional to decrease weight, or often to make use of a piece of wood that naturally tapers. A center tapered staff has other advantages such as preventing the rear hand from sliding up and keeping more weight at center mass for faster and more dynamic handling. The lighter ends also allow for faster strike returns.

OCTAGONAL STAFF
​八角棍​

PA CHIAO KUN | BAJIAOGUN
​The Eight Sided Staff is a traditional signature weapon of our arts that is cut to have eight flat sides the full length of the staff. The eight sides represent the Eight Trigrams and the Pa Kua (Bagua) of Taoist philosophy. Aside from symbolism these sides have combat uses, both offering a better hand grip on the weapon, and multiple ridges that lessen the striking surface, so as to cause more impact damage.

LONG STAFF
​​长棍

CH'ANG KUN | CHANGGUN
​Long staves or poles are head height up to 25 feet in length. Seeming quite long by today's standards but historical Pikes and Spears were often much longer for reach on the battlefield. These long poles teach the weapon handling of these incredible weapons. Today weapons of this length are taught as a lesser important sub-style, however after training them a practitioner finds their normal staff near weightless.

STEEL CAPPED STAFF
​钢末尾棍​

KANG MO WEI KUN | GANGMOWEIGUN
Staves are often capped with steel to both protect the ends, and to offer a harder striking surface. These caps are often blunt but can also be pointed making the weapon a double tipped spear of sorts. Some end-caps are ornate and feature symbolism of the Animal Martial Arts, dragons, or feature some of the Nobel Plants that have symbolism in Chinese culture and in weapon study.

STEEL STAFF
​钢棍​​

KANG KUN | GANGGUN
The Steel Staff is a full metal staff that requires much more strength to wield, but also offers far greater striking power than wood. While there are lightweight versions of these weapons, true steel staves are full metal. People may doubt that men could wield these weapons dynamically as they do require conditioning at a high level. At Imperial Combat Arts the Masters of our power styles wield these powerful weapons. 

IRON STAFF
​铁棍​​

T'IEH KUN |TIEGUN
​The Iron Staff is a signature Tiger Kung Fu weapon and otherwise dates back to China's Iron Age. This incredible weapon is heavier still than the Steel Staff and requires perfect form and years of conditioning to wield dynamically without self injury from weight.
Tiger Masters train with this weapon for an hour in practice, which adds tremendous power to their hand to hand, and makes other weapons seem weightless. 

DRAGON STAFF
​​​龍棍​

LUNG KUN | LONG GUN
This traditional blunt weapon is a metal staff with a dragon intricately carved or forged into the steel. The whole surface is cut with detail and scales that give texture and grip to the Staff. Additionally the dragons head may be wider and its horns and teeth may offer points to the end of the Staff. Other types of martial animals may also be used and sometimes double dragons or dual animals on one Staff.

STICKS & CLUBS
​棒

KANG |BANG
Shorter than staves Imperial Combat Arts teaches the combat use of the Stick and Club.  A standard Club is one the first weapons taught to students, a study that includes 100's of Chin Na (joint lock) techniques, grappling, and various chokes. Other Traditional Clubs are also trained such as the; T-Batons, and Whip Stick. Some of these weapons also feature hand guards like the Iron Whips. Enter Page> Clubs

STAFF FLAILS
​武器梿​

WU CH'I LIEN | WUQILIAN
Flail Weapons can deliver tremendous impact force and strike around enemy defense on unpredictable angles. These weapons evolved from ancient farming tools to become common place on many battlefields. Classic Chinese flails taught at Imperial Combat Arts include weapons such as The Meteor Hammers, Spiked and Ball Flails, as well as Two and Three Section Staves. Enter Page> Flail Weapons

POLE WEAPONS
​杆武器

KAN WU CHI | GAN WU QI
​Staff training prepares students for a fully immersive study of Pole-arm weapons, by learning to fight with the shaft of these weapons. Pole-arms include several types of spears and halberds with various lengths and heads, as wells as Glaives or Sword Staves. These include classic spear tips, hook spears, axe heads, the traditional dagger-axe, the Assalut Sword and the legendary Kwan Tao.  Enter Page> Polearms

STAFF TRAINING

While there are several types of Staves trained at Imperial Combat Arts, it is still essentially one weapon study. All Staves share the same basic characteristics, and skills developed with each unique Staff transfer directly to the next. All students start with the Wooden Staff to first learn how to use the shaft of a pole-arm as a weapon.  From there students can move into the study of other Pole-Weapons.

STAFF DRILLS

Drills are an important part of training Staves for combat. These drills teach the primary grips, stances, maneuvers, blocks, parries, strikes, and thrusts, and build these important movements into the body as a second nature reflex. Weapon drills are done in the air, vs partners, dummies, and all types of specialized equipment. The intricate artwork painted on the floor of the school at Imperial Combat Arts is designed for students to drill attacks and defenses in all 8 directions. 

STAFF FORMS

Staff forms are one of the primary ways Masters pass on the ancient knowledge of stick-fighting to the next generation of Warriors. These challenging forms teach dynamic flow, maneuvers, weapon handling, and numerous proven and effective techniques. Every movement and technique in the Staff forms at Imperial Combat Arts relate directly to combat, and are trained dynamically in sets, and matching. Several of the types of Staves on this page share the same basic forms.

STAFF SETS

Dynamic sets allow students to learn effective techniques and staff applications that could never be used in sparring. Even with full pads a staff can cause serious injury or death and so mastering Staves requires a skilled and dedicated partner with focus and control. This repetitive partner interaction is one of the ways proven techniques are taught. At Imperial Combat Arts weapon sets are done vs multiple opponents, with realistic training weapons, as well as with padded weapons.

STAFF MATCHING

Matching with Staves is an important part of preparing for the chaos and fray of battle. This matching is also done in unusual and compromised ways, such as blindfolded, or on beams and posts. Most all matching done at our school, whether armed or unarmed, is done versus multiple opponents.  Aggressive Staff matching can only be done safely with padded weapons and armor. This matching is done vs other staves as well as other types of weapons.

STAFF VS OTHER WEAPONS

Aside from staff vs staff, there are numerous traditional sets to teach Staff's interaction with other weapons. Many schools only spar with like weapons when in actuality most fights are mismatched, and some of these pairings are legendary such as Staff vs Sword. Additionally learning how to use long weapons in close quarters is an important part of melee weapon mastery. These important concepts and lessons transfer directly to empty hand tactics, such as fighting in tight spaces. 

IMPROVISED STAFF

One great benefit of Staff Training is that basic Staff can be a quickly improvised weapon in modern combat, as simple as a broom handle. Even these makeshift staves can offer a huge advantage in melee combat as they offer a reach superior to most common melee weapons such as knives, crowbars, tasers, etc. In addition Staves can be made from nature allowing a Staff practitioner to quickly fashion their weapon of mastery in almost any world setting.