Training Tip #4 – 9 Gates of Attack and Defense One of our prior tips was focused on how to set up your training area and make full use of […]
The Combat Shillelagh Blog
How to Find Success as a Student
Training Tip #3 – Success Factors in Becoming a Better Student Any good student does research and invests the time to REALLY understand the subject matter of whatever they are […]
Striking Post
Training Tip #2 – How to put together a striking post One of the best ways to practice your strikes and striking patterns is to actually HIT something. When you […]
Training Safely in Irish Stick Fighting
Irish Stick Fighting is a weapon-based martial art. That reality should shape the way we train from the beginning. A shillelagh, bata, cudgel, or even a simple wooden training stick […]
Irish Stick Fighting History: How Faction Fights Shaped the Use of the Blackthorn Shillelagh
Yes, faction fights in rural Ireland were absolutely connected to Irish Stick Fighting. In fact, when people start looking into the history of bataireacht, this is one of the first […]
Does Irish Stick Fighting Use One Hand or Two?
Yes. That is the simple answer. It is also a bit of a trick answer, because in most Irish stick fighting circles, you will see examples of both one handed […]
What are the Core Techniques of Irish Stick Fighting?
When most people first hear about Irish Stick Fighting, or bataireacht, they picture two people standing toe to toe swinging heavy blackthorn sticks at each other. And honestly, I get […]
Can you really learn Irish Stick Fighting online?
Let’s answer the question directly: Can you really learn Irish Stick Fighting, self-defense, and combatives principles online? Yes, if the course is structured correctly. That is the key. Bad online […]
The Four Basic Truths of Violent Assault
Violent assault does not usually happen the way people imagine it. Most people picture violence as something with a clear beginning, a dramatic warning, and enough time to decide what […]
Stacked Response: Doing More Than One Thing at a Time
In a real self-defense encounter, simple is good. But simple does not mean shallow. A strong defensive response should not be a collection of disconnected movements. It should be efficient, […]