About Jogo do Pau

Jogo do Pau is the Portuguese defense system with staffs.

It was initially developed through the use of long staffs (varapaus, which literally means poll staffs), as a consequence of the fact that people lived in rural environments where the walking staffs were always at hand during one’s daily living.

At the end of the nineteenth century, big industrial cities were formed, which led to the distinction between rural and urban Jogo do Pau. The first centered its practice around combat in outnumbered scenarios for self defense purposes, while the second focused on combat one against one for recreation and, later on, transferring the system to the walking cane and batons.

Master Nuno Curvello Russo, still alive, teaching, sparring and considered the most effective Jogo do Pau combatant of recent generations, traveled all over Portugal and was able to gather the most effective techniques of each school under one technical program. Later, Master Russo also conducted several biomechanical studies at a Portuguese Sport Science University in order to perfect the technique’s effectiveness (speed and power) and, at the same time, improve its efficiency (reducing the energy needed to perform).

This art is practiced with staffs (1,55m) / batons (0,80m) mostly made of quince or lotus. Of the two extremities that these staffs have staffs one is thicker (like a baseball Bat). This way, the weapon has added resistance for the parrying and achieves greater speed when performing rotational attacks.

Training and sparring is divided between combat one against one and in outnumbered scenarios, having their respective contents organized in a technical program which is formed by four training levels (yellow, green, red and black). There is also the color purple, but it is just the symbol worn by the eldest master alive.

Friendly blows,
LFP