Canne de Combat
Canne de combat is a French martial art. As weapon, it uses a cane or canne (a kind of walking-stick) designed for fighting. Canne de combat was standardized in the 1970s for sporting competition by Maurice Sarry. The canne is very light, made of chestnut wood and slightly tapered. A padded suit and a fencing mask are worn for protection.
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 Canne de combat 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.
Technique
In the modern sporting Canne de combat 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.
Weapons
Canne (stick) is a chestnut stick that comes in two versions. First (marked with a green line) is heavier and used for training of basic techniques. Canne used in competitions and advanced training is lighter (marked with a black line). Lighter stick are faster and safer to use (you can't seriously injure your opponent because the stick breaks first). The length of a canne is 95 cm, weight is cca 120g for green and cca 100g for the black canne.
Baton (staff) is a two handed stick of cca 140 cm and 400g.
Parts
Canne de combat has more parts:
Canne: fight with one stick
Double canne: fight with two sticks
Baton: Quarterstaff
Canne défense: self-defense with the stick
Canne chausson: savate kicks combined with canne techniques
Canne
Canne is the biggest part of canne de combat. When playing canne, the cannists (canne players) have a stick in their hand, wear a protecting suit and a fencing helmet, and try to achieve more and more hits during the match.
Scoring parts:
Head: the top, the sides, and from front
Torso: only for males
Calves
During canne you have to use the valid attacks and defenses, combined with jumps and vaults. There is no simultaneous attack, which means, if one of the player started an attack, the other has to parry or evade, and is allowed to counterattack only after the evade. An evade can be a step, a jump or a crouch. The stick can be held either in the left, or in the right hand, and it is allowed (and suggested) to change hand during the match.
Double Canne
During the double canne the players hold a stick both in their right and in the left hand. They try to make a hit with a right and with a left hand using similar techniques like in canne, whilst they parry and counter-attack. The two stick allows much faster attack and defense.
Bâton
Bâton means long stick techniques and is based on the movements of the medieval longsword and longer countryside walking stick, extended with the movement base of canne.
Canne défense
Canne défense means self-defense with the canne. It's base is the movements of canne, but it contains thrusts, slashes, parries and counter-attacks, neck and handlocks, releases from holds. During canne défense not only the scoring points are a target, but every vulnerable part of the body: the elbow, the knee, the face, etc. It is under heavy development. There is no competition from défense, only pair techniques.
Canne chausson
Canne chausson combines the savate kicks with the canne stick attacks.