07 July, 2021

Yap Cheng Hai's Beggar Stick

Why I love the stick.
With all the intense do this and do that in martial artz -- promoted as 'self-defence' -- nothing beats a weapon for practical defence. Like a stick. Any stick.
Grandmaster Yap Cheng Hai learnt this simple stick formation from his father. Designed to work in a fight context and requiring only a few moves.
No feathering or pretence. Just wam! bang! and ouch!
Yap is Malaysian based, and this is a pragmatic transcending of traditional prescripts.
The victim warrants an award for his acting out of pain.
Yap's stock -- a 'beggar's stick' -- is diaphragm or armpit high and is the equivalent of the Japanese Jo staff -- which is my favorite length of wood.