Tepiù pugna

Tepiù pugna, also known as Caphirian Cane Fighting, is a Caphirian martial art that uses a tepiù or cane (a kind of walking-stick) designed for fighting. The tepiù is very light, made of chestnut wood and slightly tapered. A padded suit and a fencing mask are worn for protection. Tepiù pugna was standardized in the 1957 for sporting competition by Đureș Aleorizio Cambri, a Caphirian senator.

History
Tepiù pugna is a product of Caphirian history and culture. It developed in the early 19th century as a self-defence discipline and was particularly used by new Patrician class gentlemen in big, unsafe cities such as Venceia or Castra Hydruna. The history of the discipline is closely linked to the development of the pugură boxing techniques which at the beginning was mainly using kicks but also incorporated punches. The aristocrats trained into the pugură 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. As a result, a symbol of the cane and staff known as the soscura became associated with the dual tiers of the aristocracy in general.

During the mid 20th century, the techniques of tepiù pugna were so popular that they were used by local police forces. However, the death of many of its practitioners during the Great War caused the discipline nearly to disappear. The techniques continued, however, to be taught in a few pugură boxing clubs that reopened after the war. It is speculated that the Imperial Legion had a covert unit that used tepiù pugna to carry out assassinations during the Second Great War. In the late 1950s and 1960s, tepiù pugna was revived once more by several popular practitioners, including Đureș Aleorizio Cambri, a wealthy and prominent senator. Cambri was an a fervent advocate for the practice, codified the techniques and campaigning for several years for it to be organized as a legitimate sport.

In 1957, the Ministry of Culture approved tepiù pugna as a legally recognized sport and would be under the purview of the National Pugură Guild. Aside from the organized sport, tepiù pugna as a self-defense is still alive and practiced to this day.

Rules
In the modern tepiù pugna system found in Caphiria, contests are held inside a 9-meter ring. There are three rounds of two minutes each. The cane is held with one hand but the player (tepiludio) 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

 * The tepiù (stick) is a chestnut stick that comes in two versions. The first, marked with a green line, is heavier and used for training of basic techniques. A tepiù used in competitions and advanced training, marked with a black line, is lighter. Lighter sticks are faster and safer to use (serious injury to one's opponent is avoided because the stick breaks first). The length of a tepiù varies from approximately 80 to 100 cm (31-39 in); the weight is about 120 g (4.2 oz) for green, and about 100 grams (3.5 oz) for black.
 * The basă (staff) is a two handed stick between 2-3 meters (78-118 in) and 400 g (10 oz).

Variations

 * Tepiù proelium: the basic form, using one stick
 * Doppio tepiù : using two sticks
 * Basă pugna: quarterstaff
 * Doppio basă : two quarterstaffs
 * Tepiù depulsio: self-defense with the stick
 * Tepiù Antre : pugură kicks combined with tepiù techniques

Tepiù proelium
Tepiù proelium is the biggest part of the tepiù pugna system. When playing tepiù proelium, the tepiludio (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:


 * Head: the top, the sides, and front
 * Torso: only for males
 * Calves

During a tepiù proelium bout, the tepiludio must use prescribed defensive and offensive techniques, combined with jumps and vaults. There is no simultaneous attack, meaning that if one of the players 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.

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

Basă pugna
Basă 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 tepiù.

Tepiù depulsio
Depulsio means self-defense with the tepiù. The basic techniques are similar to those used in basic tepiù proelium, but are expanded to include thrusts, slashes, parries and counter-attacks, neck- and hand-locks and releases from holds. During tepiù depulsio every vulnerable part of the body is considered a legitimate target: the elbow, the knee, the face, etc. Because depulsio techniques are more dangerous, there are no tepiù depulsio competitions or free sparring, only paired techniques.

Tepiù Antre
Tepiù Antre combines the kicking techniques of pugură with the stick attacks of tepiù. There are many tepiù antre practitioners, gyms, and leagues across Caphiria. It is a popular recreational activity and method of working out.

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


 * Mitare
 * Parvio
 * Leci ascurâs (calva, lateri, crus: head, torso, leg/low)
 * Leci comnaiò (calva, lateri, crus: head, torso, leg/low)
 * Quaturânt
 * Dartus fis

Leci ascurâs
Assuming the cane is in your right hand:

Keeping the point of the cane to the front, turn your 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 a 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.

Leci comnaiò
Assuming the cane is in your right hand:

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 a 180 degrees arc from the rear to the front.

Defenses
Acceptable defenses in tepiù pugna 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 tepiù pugna 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:


 * If nobody hits, nobody gets a point
 * If B hits, nobody gets a point
 * If both A and B hit, then A gets a point (because they attacked first)

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

Lunges
There are five lunges in tepiù pugna.


 * Ante (front)
 * Tergum (behind)
 * Exterum (outside)
 * Sollatum (balance stance)
 * Rana (frog)

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


 * Every strike must be armed (strikes made without the tepiù are considered invalid)
 * The hit is clear
 * The hit reached a valid target zone
 * The hit is done with the upper 1/4 part of the stick
 * The stick is in one line with the hand
 * There was no sabering movement

Ranking system
The tepiù pugna ranking system awards a practitioner different colored pommels to signify increasing levels of technical knowledge and practical skill. Currently, there are 6 levels/colors: blue, green, red, white, yellow, and purple. Each rank has a corresponding theme, topic, or principle that the practitioner should be mindful of as a general philosophy.

Blue pommel

 * Theme: "finding skill"
 * Technical requirements: balance, quality, the six techniques, the eight parries, dodgings
 * Theory: knowledge of the weapon, and the history of the tepiù

Green pommel

 * Theme: "understanding skill"
 * Topic: "I touch and I am not touched"
 * Theory: Criteria of the validity of a hit (movement, valid areas)
 * Technical requirements: slits, voltes and framing

Red pommel

 * Theme: "development of skill"
 * Topic: "I am not touched and I touch"
 * Principle: defensive organization and concept of response
 * Theory: regulation tepiù and basă are in use, the behavior, the equipment, players' obligations, the principles of judgement, the sanctions and penalties
 * Technical requirements: Shift, overflow, opposition, management of effort
 * Allows to be initiator

White pommel

 * Theme: "application of skill"
 * Topic: "I touch before being touched"
 * Principle: anticipation
 * Theory: the file of J/A, the categories of age and the various types of competition
 * Technical requirements: behavioral diagram, sequence prepared for a demonstration, interiorization of the practice (closed eyes)

Yellow pommel

 * Theme: "refinement of skill"
 * Topic: "I disturb for touching"
 * Principle: pretence
 * Technical requirement: work in cane, double cane and stick
 * Theory: to have the diploma of achievement, take part at the various meetings (official and semi-official)
 * Allowed to be instructor

Purple pommel

 * Theme: "perfection of skill"
 * Topic:: "I strive for knowledge"
 * Principle: higher understanding
 * Theory: understanding of advanced techniques and pugură
 * Technical requirement: mastery of advanced techniques and pugură