Double Stick Training Delivers Benefits Galore!

Double stick training comes to us from the province of Pampanga and the town of Macabebe.

Many men of Macabebe traveled around selling clothing. These men carried two sticks. One stick supported the bundled clothing on the shoulder. The other stick was to ward off threats, such as animals or thieves.

Not surprisingly, the men of Macabebe were proficient in a style characterized by the interweaving motions of their two sticks. This style is more commonly known as sinawali.

Sinawali is a Tagalog word that means weaving.

The late Grandmaster Leo Giron once said, “If you can play with the double sticks without tangling up, then you’re doing good sinawali.”

Doorway Catalyst

Double stick training serves as a major stepping stone into espada y daga; as it provides the seed for growth and maturity in espada y daga.

It acts as doorway by providing access to the realm of double weaponry.

It serves as a catalyst by laying the double weaponry foundation that will accelerate espada y daga development when that enters the training picture.

Attributes Developed

Double stick training develops a variety of traits, such as coordination, fluidity, mixed-handedness, and symmetry.

Coordination

Two-stick training demands more coordination than single-stick training. Coordination refers to the proper and harmonious functioning of the involved parts to produce a desired result.

Fluidity

Many drills that require a pair of sticks help to develop fluidity. Fluidity is the ability to flow freely from one movement to another smoothly.

Mixed-Handedness

Training with two sticks simultaneously aids the development of mixed-handedness, which is where a person may have a preference for one hand over the other but can still perform tasks with the non-preferred hand. While many may disagree with me, I do not believe that most people can attain true ambidexterity, which is the ability of the left and right hands to perform a task equally well.

Symmetry

Training with double sticks helps aid symmetry by stimulating the development of balanced movements, such as striking or blocking from both the left and right sides.

Offensive Applications

The attacking applications of double stick training are likely obvious; even to a novice.

For instance, the Heaven Six pattern of sinawali could be applied offensively as a right angle one forehand, a left angle one backhand, and a right angle two backhand. The first two strikes would be directed to the opponent’s left temple while the third strike would be directed to the right temple. These three strikes could be immediately followed by a left angle two forehand, a right angle two backhand, and a left angle one backhand. The fourth and fifth strikes would be directed to the opponent’s right temple while the final strike would be directed to the left temple.

This is an oversimplification, but I believe it serves the point for now.

Defensive Applications

The defensive application of the sinawali pattern being considered here may be more or less obvious to a student.

An example of a more obvious defensive application can be seen in the Roof Six sinawali pattern. During the second syllable of motion, the right hand executes a Roof Block while the left hand is executing an angle one backhand strike. The Roof Block can clearly be used for defensive purposes.

An example of a less obvious defensive application can be seen in any of our common sinawali patterns. Let’s use the Heaven Six pattern as the example again. The strikes of the pattern may be directed to the opponent’s weapon-wielding hands instead of his head or other areas. In this manner, the strikes are actually serving a defensive purpose.

Mixed Applications

Mixed applications may arise from sinawali patterns or two-stick drills.

One example of a mixed application could come from the Standard Six pattern. The first syllable of motion could be a right angle one forehand to the opponent’s left temple. The second syllable of motion could be a left angle three backhand directed at the opponent’s right hand that is hitting a right angle three forehand. This hit to the opponent’s right hand serves a defensive purpose.

Another example of a mixed application could come from a drill in which your partner feeds a right angle five thrust and you respond with a near-simultaneous left inside guiding deflection / right angle one forehand.

Many Benefits

As you can see, double stick training provides a variety of gains. These gains involve cultural connection, foundational development, enhancement of physical components, and varied applications.

• Learning about the double-stick wielding men of Macabebe connects this training method to its cultural roots in the town of Pampanga in the Philippines.
  
  
• Training with two sticks provides the foundational development that will accelerate espada y daga progress.
  
  
• Two-stick training enhances coordination, fluidity, mixed-handedness, and symmetry.
  
  
• Double stick training develops offensive, defensive, and mixed applications.

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