Canne de combat

History

The “Canne de Combat” or “Canne d’Arme” is a product of French history and culture. It developed in the early 19th century as a self-defence discipline and was particularly used by upper class "bourgeois" gentlemen in big, unsafe cities such as Paris. Some speak of French martial art although its codification as a sport does not allow this name officially. The history of the discipline is closely linked to the development of the Savate boxing techniques which at the beginning was mainly using kicks and lately under the influence of the British incorporated also punches. Gentlemen trained into the Savate techniques mastered cane as a way of fighting from a certain distance as well as close combat kickboxing. The cane was in the hands of the city men, while the staff was in the hands of farm men. In fact, cane and staff were closely associated in many countries and cultures.

In the olden days, the techniques of “Savate” and “Canne d’Arme” increased in popularity up to the point that they were used by military and police forces (depicted in the TV series Les Brigades du Tigre, referring to a special police task force of the French Third Republic) until World War I. The millions of French lives lost during the war caused the discipline to nearly disappear. The techniques continued however to be taught in a few “savate boxing” clubs that reopened in between the two wars and managed to survive World War II. There is reputed to be a group who operated during the Nazi occupation who used cane techniques to carry out assassinations. Cane fighting techniques of the late 1950s and 1960s were influenced by a few skilled individuals who revived it.

Self-defence sport

During the late 1970s, the techniques of the “Canne d’Arme” were codified by Maurice Sarry with a view to rehabilitate it as a sport. This led to the discipline which is still today associated with the “Federation de Savate Boxe Francaise” (French Savate Boxing federation). Aside from the sport approach, self-defense techniques are still alive: e.g. “Master Lafond” technique.

Today, the sport “Canne de Combat” is practiced by a thousand “cannistes”, and the French staff by some hundreds of “bâtonniers” or “bâtonnistes”.

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 (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.

Rules

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

Variations

Canne de combat has several variations:

Canne

Canne is the biggest part of canne de combat. When playing canne, the cannists (competitors) have a stick in their hand, wear a protective suit and a fencing helmet, and try to score more points than their opponent during the match.

Scoring zones:

During canne bout, the cannists must use prescribed defensive and offensive techniques, combined with jumps and vaults. There is no simultaneous attack, meaning that if one of the player has started an attack, the other must parry or evade, and is allowed to counterattack only after the evasion. An evasion can be a step, a jump or a crouch. The stick can be held either in the left or in the right hand, and changing hands during the match is permitted.

Double Canne

During a double canne bout, the cannists hold sticks in both their right and left hands. They try to score hits with both hands using similar techniques as in canne, whilst they parry and counter-attack. The two stick style allows for much faster attack and defence.

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. The basic techniques are similar to those used in basic canne, but are expanded to include thrusts, slashes, parries and counter-attacks, neck and handlocks and releases from holds. During canne défense every vulnerable part of the body is considered a legitimate target: the elbow, the knee, the face, etc. It is under heavy development. Because canne défense techniques are more dangerous, there are no canne défense competitions or free sparring, only paired techniques.

Canne chausson

Canne chausson combines savate kicks with canne stick attacks.

Attacks

Canne de combat is based on six techniques, combinations, and other elements (jumps, voltes, hand switches).

Latéral Extérieur

Assuming the cane is in your right hand [you are allowed to switch hands freely in Canne]:

Keeping the point of the cane to the front, turn you upper body to the right slightly as you draw back your right hand. There should be a lifting of the left heel at the same time. Once your hand has passed the line of your spine (if viewed from the side), flip the point of your cane out behind you, so that your arm and the cane is now in line, and fully extended out to the rear. Next, bring your arm and the cane around from the rear to the front, along a horizontal line. If the target is the head, remain upright as you deliver your hit. Your arm should remain straight throughout the execution of the strike as the point travels through an 180 degrees arc from the rear to the front.

There is no need to think of delivering the strike with a 'blade edge'. In fact, it's better to deliver the strike with your palm facing down, so that the thumb side of the stick strikes the target [similar to striking with the back edge of your blade]. That helps enormously in keeping the arm straight throughout.

Latéral Croisé

Assuming the cane is in your right hand [you are allowed to switch hands freely in Canne]:

Keeping the point of the cane to the front, turn you upper body to the left slightly as you draw back your right hand (palm facing up i.e. towards you) and arm across your chest. Transfer your weight slightly to your back (left) foot and raise your front heel slightly as you do so. Your hand should pass the line of your spine (if viewed from the side). Now turn your hand over (anti-clockwise), in order to flip the point of your cane out behind you, with your hand and forearm over your left shoulder, and extend the cane out to the rear as far as possible. Next, bring your arm and the cane around from the rear to the front, along a horizontal line. If the target is the head, remain upright as you deliver your hit. Your arm should remain straight throughout the execution of the strike as the point travels through an 180 degrees arc from the rear to the front.

Defenses

Acceptable defenses in canne are the parry and the evasion. An evasion can be a step, a jump or a crouch. There is no simultaneous attack, which means that if one competitor starts an attack, the other has to parry or evade and is allowed to counterattack only after the evasion.

The canne strategy does not accept the theory of "getting a small hit in order to deal a bigger hit". If player A starts to attack and, instead of defending himself, player B also starts an attack, then the following is the rule:

This is similar to the right of way rules of modern sport fencing.

Lunges

There are five lunges in canne.

Valid attacks

Only valid attacks are counted. An attack is only considered valid, if it performed using one of the techniques described above, and:

Rules

Bouts are held in a 9-meter diameter circle. The cane is held with one hand but the competitor may 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 they accumulate penalties.

Bout duration and age-groups

Blue pommel

Green pommel

Red pommel

White pommel

Yellow pommel

Canne de combat in media

Events in Canne de Combat

Information and documentation about Canne