Jogo do pau
Jogo do pau (German: literally game of the stick , free stick fencing ) is an old, Portuguese and Galician form of stick fighting .
The origin of this fighting style lies, among other things, in the medieval art of fencing, although in the course of the centuries an influence on the part of various Asian martial arts by Portuguese seafarers cannot be ruled out.
During the fascist dictatorship , the jogo do pau was only practiced in secret or in the context of folkloric dances, which almost led to the extinction of this old tradition. After the Carnation Revolution in April 1974, this European martial art experienced a renaissance and is enjoying growing popularity - not only in Portugal .
Today stick fighting, apart from the self-defense aspect, is also practiced as a competitive sport. Similar to kendo , the fight is done with a variety of protectors that were developed from roller hockey or ice hockey , as well as a specially padded fencing mask.
