La canne

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La canne is a French martial arts weapon. It is a walking-stick designed for fighting. Standardized in 1970s for sporting competition, la canne is light, made of chestnut wood and slightly tapered. A padded suit and a fencing mask are worn for protection.

1 Use
2 Technique
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Use

The use of the cane as a weapon, as originally taught in weapons schools, was codified by the masters of savate so that the cane was taught as a weapon of self-defence. The French tradition includes techniques of medieval stick fighting (see also bâton français), excepting those techniques considered too dangerous to be used in sport. The medieval stick is too heavy a weapon to be used in competition. Its use has thus been lost and today la canne itself is disappearing. There is, however, a martial tradition passed down to the Swiss Master Pierre Vigny in the 19th century which was used for codification of techniques using the Indian cane at the beginning of the 20th century, forming a separate tradition from the more common sporting cane seen in France today.

The cane, first used for support and then as a gentleman's accessory, also provided a useful weapon. A normal walking stick is usually within the boundaries of legal self-defence, but the loaded cane (weighted with lead at one end) may be considered a weapon in some legal systems.

[edit] Technique

In the modern sporting la canne system found in France, bouts are held inside a ring. The cane is held with one hand but the player can change it from hand to hand during the bout. Strokes are made either horizontally or downward, thrusting or stabbing blows being prohibited. The scoring zones are the calves, the torso and the head.

To count, all strokes must be with the cane, and low blows must have a lunging movement. The bout is won on points, the lightness of the cane and the protective clothing making a knockout impossible. Points are scored for style, according to the correctness of body positions during fighting. Contact with prohibited areas such as the arms are penalized. It is thus possible to win a match without landing a blow on one's adversary, if he or she accumulates penalties.