 According to the 14th and 16th century writings of Johannes Liechtenauer and Paulus Hector Mair, the quarterstaff is held with the back hand a hand’s breadth from the butt end of the staff, and the other hand up to the middle of the staff.This is likely because of the transition of techniques from quarterstaves to polearms in Mair’s compendium.Of these the low guard is considered the central guard.