The,Martial,Art,Weapons,Every, sports The 3 Martial Art Weapons Every Martial Artist Should Know A

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Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-qformat:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin-top:0in;mso-para-margin-right:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;mso-para-margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}Martial art weapons have been around since man has had aneed to defend himself.  The history ofmartial art weapons is an interesting one and has included a multitude of armaments.  Some of these weapons were everyday tools andsome were not so common and maybe even bizarre. Three of the most popular martial art weapons today include the bo(staff), sai, and nunchaku.1.       The Bo (Staff).  The bo is an ancient martial art weapon andhas been a part of nearly every culture in every country.  It probably made its first appearance in Asiaand gradually developed into a sophisticated martial art weapon by Buddhistmonks and commoners.  The staff evolvedinto the bo when it become part of the Okinawan martial art weapons systemknown as Kobudo. Mostbos were a rokushaku bo, meaning theymeasured approximately six feet in length. The advantages of the bo lie in its ability to be used as a longdistance martial art weapon and its ability to be multi-dimensional.  Every part of the weapon can be used to blockor strike and is not limited to any one method of attack or defense.  Its versatile arsenal of techniques includesparrying, re-direction, entrapments, and even sweeping sand into an opponent’seyes.  Thebo is considered to be an “extension of one’s limbs” and is used in similar waysto open hand methods.  For example, whenthrusting the wrist is twisted much like punching.  To generate power, the back hand moves awayfrom the body while the front hand merely guides.  This is usually coupled with evasive footworkto put oneself in a strategic position. This martial art weapon is one of the most popular and well known in usetoday.2.      The Sai.  The origins of the sai can be traced back toseveral Asian countries.  Among thesecountries are India, Thailand, China, Vietnam, and others before the inceptionof the sai into Okinawan Kobudo in the early 17th century.  Interestingly enough, the sai represents animportant Hindu-Buddhist symbol and may have been developed by this culturalgroup.  While we may never know withcertainty the true origins of this historic martial art weapon, we do know itwas an effective instrument of self-protection against many differentthreats.  Most modern day sai feature a long,pointed shaft with two yoku (prongs)towards the base.  The prongs are veryeffective at trapping and re-directing a blow. Along with its ability to hook and grapple it can also be used to stab,strike, or punch using the handle end. Due to its unique design it is effective against martial art weaponssuch as the sword and staff.  There aremany different Okinawan sai kata available, and though the martial art weaponis not seen as often as the staff, it is still well known and entertaining tosee performed by a competent wielder.3.       The Nunchaku.  This is probably one of the most obscure, yetpopular martial art weapons today.  Itspopularity was more than likely sparked as a result of old Kung Fu movies,namely Bruce Lee.  However, when it comesto martial art weapons the nunchaku (pronounced nun-chok-oo) traditionally wasnot a popular choice.  This is evidencedby the fact that no known nunchaku kata exists, perhaps due to its inefficiencyagainst other martial art weapons such as the sword. Many theories exist surrounding itsorigins.  Many say it was originally usedto thresh rice or soybean, and yet other stories indicate it was developed as aresult of the martial art weapons ban on Okinawa in the 17th centuryby the invading Satsuma clan.  The ideaof rebellious peasants with farm tools as martial art weapons is more thanlikely popular folklore (not all martial art weapons were banned- nobility werestill allowed to carry).  Anotherimportant point to mention is that the aristocracy was the only ones allowed topractice martial arts, so this sort of dispels the myth of rebelliousfarmers.  There are also Chinese legends thattell of the nunchaku being a variation of the two-sectional staff.  Regardless of where it came from, most modernsociety is use to seeing the martial art weapon used as a fast, swingingcontraption.  This is great for keepingopponents at a distance, but the nunchaku was not always used in thismanner.  Generally it was used in similarways to a “mini” bo.  It was often utilized as a blockingand hitting weapon that could also trap or lock with its chain.  Often it was used as a concealed weapon (hidin the sleeve) and quickly deployed to surprise and overwhelm an aggressor.  While the nunchaku may not have been a popularmartial art weapon then, it certainly is now and is here to stay.  Many different martial arts styles train withthis weapon now and it is being seen more and more at competitions anddemonstrations.These three classic martial artweapons have both an interesting history and are all effective asself-protection devices.  Training withmartial art weapons in general opens the mind up to use the body in similar waysto these martial art weapons as well as everyday objects.  We are probably not ever going to have to usethese classic weapons in a real situation, but the training received from themcan allow us, just like our ancestors, to improvise and adapt to ourenvironment around us.