The original posting describes a scene common to stick fighters, at least those who are close - or in - fighters. I use two twenty-eight inch sticks and stand about that distance from my opponent.
The best way which I found to practice was on hanging sticks.
I was taught to use two different types of sticks; a thin, light one one, about 4 - 5 feet in length, for developing speed and courage, and a heavy one, of the same length, to develope strength and to learn to receive fast, hard attacks. I added a third stick to my own practices; thin, light and very crooked.
All are hung from a height of about eight feet, the lower they are hung the faster they will react to your blows due to the short radius of the rope. The first two sticks are tied so that they hang horizontal, at what ever level you wish to practice at. The third stick is hung so that it hangs vertical. This stick will jump and twist fairly unpredictably.
Over time I hung these sticks in groves so that they would strike surrounding trees and return to me very rapidly from unexpected angles.
There is another set of sticks which I have not had good luck with; multiple sticks on the same rope.
I have been practicing in this manner for about sixteen year, and I have found that practicing alone in the woods in this manner has been effective training. I practiced with sticks and not live blades but I do use axes and other edged tools very regularly in my work, including some long knives, and I have found that the stick work translates very well.
