 singlestick, also known as cudgels, refers to both a martial art that uses a wooden stick as well as the weapon used in the art. it began as a way of training soldiers in the use of swords such as the sabre. canne de combat, a french form of stick fighting, is similar to singlestick play, but is more a method of self-defense with a walking stick. ==weapon== the singlestick itself is a slender, round wooden rod, traditionally of ash, with a basket hilt. singlesticks are typically around  in length and  in diameter and thicker at one end than the other. it bears approximately the same relationship to the backsword as the foil to the small sword in being a sporting version of the weapon for safe practice. the original form of the singlestick was the waster, which appeared in the 16th century and was merely a wooden sword used in practice for the backsword (see sabre), and of the same general shape. by the first quarter of the 17th century wasters had become simple clubs known as cudgels with the addition of a sword guard. when the basket hilt came into general use about twenty five years later, a wicker one was added to the singlestick, replacing the heavy metal hilt of the backsword. the guards, cuts and parries in singlestick play were at first identical with those of backsword play, no thrusts being allowed (see fencing). ==history and technique== in 16th century england, hits below the girdle were considered unfair.  in the 18th century, all parts of the person became valid targets. by the turn of the 19th century, the target area had been restricted to the upper body (with the exception of the back of the head) and the upper part of the forward leg. these rules are in use today by the association for historical fencing.{{cite web |url=http://www.ahfi.org/rules/singlestick.p
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