Canne de combat is a French combat sport. As weapon, it uses a canne or cane (a kind of walking-stick) designed for fighting. Canne de combat was standardized in the 1970s for sporting competition by Maurice Sarry. The canne is very light, made of chestnut wood and slightly tapered. A padded suit and a fencing mask are worn for protection. History The canne de combat or canne d'arme originated in France in the early 19th century as a self-defence discipline and was particularly used by the upper classes in large, unsafe cities such as Paris. Some classify it as a 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 in earlier forms largely used kicks and later, under the influence of the British, incorporated punches. Gentlemen trained into the savate techniques mastered cane as a way of fighting from a distance as well as close combat kickboxing. The cane was more common in cities, whereas a staff akin to a European quarterstaff was more popular in rural areas. The tactics used were largely interchangeable between these disciplines. The techniques of savate and canne d'arme increased in popularity up to the point that they were used by military and police forces until World War I. The death of many of its practitioners during the war caused the discipline to decline substantially. Its techniques continued, however, to be taught in a few savate boxing clubs that remained after the First World War 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 revival efforts of enthusiasts. Self-defence sport During the late 1970s, the techniques of the canne d'arme were codified by Maurice Sarry with a view to rehabilitating it as a sport. This led to the discipline which is still today associated with the Federation de Savate Boxe Française ("French Savate Boxing Federation"). Aside from the sport approach, self-defense techniques are still alive; e.g., the "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. Canne de Combat in USA In the USA