Padded helmets, gloves & shinguards aren't a recent development in martial art training, the earliest form of protection involved stuffing straw into the stockings to avoid the full force of a shin-kick and in the 1700's Donald McBane recommended stuffing a wet towel in your hat as added protection against a weapon blow to the head. These Staff Fighters in the British Army at Aldershot can be seen using a similar type of safety gear used today! (the quarter-staff training developed bayonet/rifle-butt skills) Louie
