The British Quarterstaff Association

Events for men only. Nowadays the staff fighting tradition has been developed to become a way of developing the mind, body and heart. It’s still for the common man - you don’t need to be superfit or a fanatical ninja in order to take part, and it’s not all about fighting. It teaches physical skills but also skills of the mind such as awareness and calmness, and perhaps most importantly qualities of the heart, such as courage. 

For a weekend we usually camp out in woodland, living close to nature. In the modern world this helps us to get back in touch with our instinctual abilities. We cook for ourselves and usually have a good campfire in the evening.

One aspect of the training is self-reliance, and everyone will be able to make their own staff over the weekend, starting by finding a suitable sapling.

The work with the staff involves learning different ways of moving based on animals such as the stag and the bear. We learn sequences of moves for attack and defence and how to use our body weight to develop real power.

For more information, visit the Quarterstaff Association website at http://www.quarterstaff.org/index.html