Beating on people with sticks

As some of you know, I take Kung Fu.

What you may not know is that I also take Kali.

























No, wrong Kali.

Kali (Also called Escrima) is a Filipino fighting art involving sticks, knives, swords, and other weapons, as well as unarmed combat.







Kali/Escrima sticks.


Though the sticks are supposed to be proxies for blades, like machetes or short swords, so you're really learning double-sword fighting techniques.











Up until this point, we've trained with one or two Kali sticks and rubber knives (Kali also teaches disarms), but last night, we finally got to do something I wanted to do from the get-go.

First, we put on protective gear, so I looked something like this:





















Then we got to beat on each other with sticks. :D

Full contact, full speed, no holds barred sparring. It was the most awesome thing I've ever done. Coincidentally, I was paired up with my husband, so I can truthfully say I smacked my hubby around with a stick. ^__^ But he hit me, too, so it's all good.

I also might've broken a stick over someone's helmet.

AND got a new bruise. Probably from smacking my arm into said person's helmet. This week has officially kicked my butt.

I can't wait to do it again. :D