Shin-kicking, also known as shin diggings or purring, is a

combat sport A combat sport, or fighting sport, is a competitive contact sport that usually involves one-on-one combat. In many combat sports, a contestant wins by scoring more points than the opponent, submitting the opponent with a hold, disabling the oppon ...

that involves two contestants attempting to

kick A kick is a physical Strike (attack), strike using the leg, in unison usually with an area of the knee or lower using the foot, heel, tibia (shin), ball of the foot, blade of the foot, toes or knee (the latter is also known as a knee (strike), ...

each other on the

shin Shin may refer to: Biology * The front part of the human leg below the knee * Shinbone, the tibia, the larger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates Names * Shin (given name) (Katakana: シン, Hiragana: しん), a Japanese ...

in order to force their opponent to the ground. It has been described as an English

martial art Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the preserv ...

, and originated in England in the early 17th century.

History

It was one of the most popular events at the

Cotswold Olimpick Games The Cotswold Olimpick Games is an annual public celebration of games and sports now held on the Friday after Spring Bank Holiday near Chipping Campden, in the Cotswolds of England. The games likely began in 1612 and ran (through a period of dis ...

from 1612 until the Games ended in the 1850s. When the Games were revived, in 1951, the sport was included as the World Shin-Kicking Championships and remains one of its most popular events, drawing crowds of thousands of spectators. Shin kicking also became a popular pastime among Cornish miners. Known as clog fighting or 'purring' in the mill towns of Lancashire, it was a

combative Combatives is the term for hand-to-hand combat training and techniques within the Army branch of the United States military. History Sometimes called Close-Quarters Combat (CQC or close combat), World War II-era American combatives were large ...

means of settling disputes popular in the later 19th century until the 1930s. Clog fighting and its associated gambling by spectators was illegal. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the sport was also practised by British immigrants to the United States.

Technique

During each round, the combatants face each other and hold on to each other's collar or shoulders. Traditionally (in the Cotswold Olimpicks), they wear white coats, representing shepherds' smocks. They typically attempt to strike their opponent's shin with the inside of the foot as well as their toes. Success in the event requires both agility and the ability to endure pain, the loser crying out "Sufficient" when he has had enough. The matches are observed by a

referee A referee is an official, in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The official tasked with this job may be known by a variety of other titl ...

, or

stickler Stickler is a family name which may refer to any of the following: * Alfons Maria Stickler (1910, Neunkirchen — 2007), Austrian Roman Catholic clergyman * Carla Stickler, American musical theatre actress * Richard "Dick" E. Stickler, U.S. p ...

, who determines the score of the match. Modern competitions are won by the combatant who wins six out of ten against his competitor. Legend has it that some shin-kickers wore

steel-toe boot A steel-toe boot (also known as a safety boot, steel-capped boot, steel toecaps or safety shoe) is a durable boot or shoe that has a protective reinforcement in the toe which protects the foot from falling objects or compression. Safety shoes a ...

s during the competitions and tried to build pain tolerance by hitting their shins with hammers. In modern competitions, the combatants are required to wear soft shoes and stuff their trouser legs with straw for padding. Ambulance crews also attend the events in case of injury.

References

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Bibliography

Drayton, Michael, et al. (1636), ''Annalia Dubrensia: upon the yearly celebration of Mr. Robert Dovers Olimpick Games upon Cotswold-Hills'', London: Robert Raworth.
* Gandy, Rob (2021), "Bold Dover", ''The Fortean Times'', FT408, (August 2021), pp.46-50. Combat sports Folk wrestling styles Sports originating in England English culture

History

Technique

See also

References

Bibliography