You know what? I know many martial arts techniques, and I know many ways to expresses those techniques. I have a real large metaphorical toolbox of techniques. I can do this that way, or from this way or upside down for that matter. I can hit this way or that way, turn a fist here, or keep it that way; it does not really matter too much.
However, in my daily martial arts I really apply, “Stick Logic”. Paring my techniques down to a few that really work for me and I have success with, Stick Logic you say? Stick Logic comes from my youth on the farm. Not the name but the idea.
Stick logic reads this way, “I can do a lot with as strong stick.” If I have a strong stick, I can scratch out a water ditch for the garden – I do not need a hoe. If I have a strong stick, while building a fence I can stretch it to make it tighter – I do not have to have a winch. If I have strong stick I can poke, bend and pry, I do not have to have a specialized tool, and martial arts are the same way. It is nice to have specialized tool, it has its place but a strong stick gets you a long, long way. So learn everything you can, do not ever stop learning, fill your tool box with all sorts of special tools, but walk day-to-day with your stick, and apply Stick Logic when it comes to your martial arts techniques.
Here is a fascinating BBC clip of a tribe stick fighting, although a ceremonial fight, you will still see men using the sticks as walking sticks, and clearly it can be assumed as tools in everyday life.
