Tirada Sa Tiedesitas

Blade Arts Manila (B.A.M.) presents the second Tirada sa Tiendesitas! Come test your skills in our cross-discipline stick fighting event!  If you have ever wondered how your martial experience would hold up or wanted to set your self against another martial art to see how you would do, now is your chance.  This event is open to all stick fighting martial arts.  We will supply the sticks you supply the skills.

Have a look at this years rule set.

BAM Ruleset (2024-25 season)

B.A.M. RULESET

I. Weapon variants allowed:

HEMA style single stick 36 inches in length. Approximately ¾ inches in diameter.
Double rattan sticks as practiced in FMA clubs. (24-28 inch length max).

• All optimal striking surfaces may be painted or taped to improve judging quality.

• Sticks will be provided by the host organization.
  
  

II. Scoring actions and point allocation:

• Total points to victory: 9 (Nine)

III. Cuts:

All blows are expected to have sufficient rotation, and deliver adequate force to the intended target, as per our demonstration video, and pre-tournament fighter briefing and demonstration.

Sport fencing type touches, and tip taps will not be scored. They will be ruled as insufficient contact and fighters and coaches may be reprimanded if the officials warnings are repeatedly ignored.

IV. Valid point allocation:

• Head: 3pts.

• Weapon arm: 2pt.

• Torso: 1pt.

• Arms/Legs: 1 pt.

Important note: Thrusting is prohibited in this tournament. Opponents using a stick thrust will be given a warning, a point deduction, and an ejection if they insist in using this device.

 

V. Miscellaneous:

1. Ring out - 1pt.

2. Hand parry - 1pt or *full target value* if hand parry prevented the cut from continuing to a superior target (i.e. head cut, covered thrust, etc).

3. Afterblow:  A valid blow is struck and the receiver of the blow is already in motion and lands their strike.  This second strike before the hold is called will be deemed an afterblow.

• -1 pt deduction from a valid hit. But in the case where the first hit is determined to be invalid or insufficient, full value may be given to the afterblow.
  
  

1. Doubles:

• Standard double hit:  Both fighters get hit at the same time. 

• After 3 doubles the match ends (except in elimination rounds).

• Each double is worth -2 to a fighter's point score.

• In elimination all doubles after 3 result in cumulative negative point score for the following round.

• Faulted double:   Happens when a fighter makes no attempt to defend and launches a suicidal attack resulting in a double hit, in this scenario the fighter that ignores the danger is the one that gets the penalties.

• Each faulted double is worth - 6 to point score.

• 2 faulted doubles will make a competitor lose the match.

VI. Forbidden targets and actions.

1. Forbidden targets: A competitor is expected to have the skill to correctly and accurately choose their targets. The following target areas are prohibited.

• Foot.

• Back of the head.

• Clear intention to strike the groin

1. Forbidden actions:

• Turning the back of your head towards the opponent.

• Spin moves, or moves that expose the back of your head deliberately are prohibited and may result in a warning, point deduction, point awarded to your opponent or even expulsion from events in repeated occurrences.

• Willfully accepting a blow. This is often done in order to game the afterblow rule. If one is observed to accept a blow without an attempt at defense just to return a hit to an opponent it will result in a warning, point deduction, point awarded to your opponent or even expulsion from events in repeated occurrences.

• Revenge blows.

• Hitting an opponent after hold is called. Striking an opponent after hold has been called and they are walking back to the corner.

• Stick catching. A blade / stick that is not moving may be seized in a grapple, one that is moving cannot be seized.

• Blatant rules gaming/Manipulation. Any attempt to circumvent the spirit of the rules by an attempt to use a loophole to gain an advantage, will be quickly and swiftly dealt with. Rules gaming is not looked upon kindly in our tournaments, and a warning will be issued and may or may not come with point deduction, loss of match, or ejection from the event.

 

VII. Gear

1. Jackets:

Recommended (not required for stick series).

• Spes - Light (AP and others), Officers, etc.

• Combat hoodies or motorcycle jackets.

• Arnis padded shirts

1. Masks + Overlay (Recommended Examples):

• Wukusi Cobra.

• PBT HEMA.

• AF HEMA Mask.

• Leon Paul Coaching mask.

• Arnis Competition Mask

• Kendo Mask

All gear must be relatively clean, be in good working order, and masks must have minimal damage, i.e. be in decent condition to ensure the greatest protection available. Hard plates or plates for the back of the head are required to appease safety concerns.

1. Other clothing:

Please make sure there is no exposed skin in our tournaments. Make sure you wear long pants, or socks that cover the skin and go past the line of your shorts.

1. Hard armour:

Required:

• Elbows and forearms.

• Gloves, (hockey, lacrosse or equivalent).

• Knee.

• Throat.

• Groin protection.

• Breast protection (women).

Recommended:

• Ankle protection.

• Small plates for shoulder and upper arm (like on pro SPES jackets).

• Soft “SPES” skirt protector.

• Shin protection or grieves, baseball legs (protection from knee down).

• Clavicle plates.

• Fencing plastron.

Not allowed:

• Full pauldrons.

• Full armour made of plastic, leather or other materials.

• Metal Armor.

• Full helmet (non mask).

• Fantasy looking or larp armour.

• Breastplates.

VIII.  Important Terminologies.

 Insufficient Contact or ‘IC’. - A blow landed with no rotation, on the flat, or flicked toward the opponent to make a touch, but that would not result in a fight ending blow.

 Revenge hit - Late blow made with a great deal of force to facilitate punishing or intimidating opponents.

 Faulted double - A double that happens when a party drives in with no respect for the weapon of their opponent.

 Rule-gaming - An attempt to exploit a potential flaw in the ruleset to one's advantage.

 Flat hit or “Flat”- Sticks are meant to simulate knives, swords or machetes. A blow with the flat of the blade will be called insufficient contact.

Tip/Tap - A tap with the blade which would not constitute a fight ending or potentially fight ending blow (i.e. insufficient contact).

Weak - Not sufficient contact.

Continue - Continue fencing.

Hold - All action Stops.