Weapons

[Aefibird]

Do you train with weapons? Either traditional or modern.

Also, what MA weapons do you own?

[AngelaG]

I have had a few lessons with weapons - but nothing much at all. However I own nunchaku, a Katana, Wakizashi and Tanto set. Three other swords, one which is an antique brought back from the orient by an ancestor who was in the army (proper ceremonial sword, beautiful), and a dagger. Oh and a bokken.

[Andy]

Wooden ones.
I spent a lot of time working on staff, and also more formally on double and single stick ALA Eskrima.

[Sionnagh]

I have bo, sai, tonfa, jo and bokken. I train with all of these. I also have a couple of ornamental katana but they don't really count because they're not real and you couldn't actually use them I think.


Mick

[Aefibird]

...only maybe to whack someone over the head with them.

[Sasori Te]

I have 3 bo's, training katana and wakizashi, sai, 2 sets of escrima sticks, 6 canes, 2 shinai, 2 actionflex katanas, 2 actionflex canes, an action flex knife, 3 training knives, 2 folding knives, a pair of chizikun bo and a partridge in a pear tree.

[Sionnagh]

What's the partridge for? Do you use it by itself or do you also have to use the pear tree with it?


Mick

[Aefibird]

You can only use the partridge AND the pear tree when you get up to black belt level...

[AngelaG]

sasorite said:

I have 3 bo's, training katana and wakizashi, sai, 2 sets of escrima sticks, 6 canes, 2 shinai, 2 actionflex katanas, 2 actionflex canes, an action flex knife, 3 training knives, 2 folding knives, a pair of chizikun bo and a partridge in a pear tree.

And a spare house to store it in?? ;D

[RigsVille]

I don't have any weapons and I have never trained in any weapons but I would love to try some form of stick and knife skills such as bo, jo, escrima and Kali.

[AngelaG]

do people on here think that weapons' training also helps their "empty handed" training?

[RigsVille]

angelag said:

do people on here think that weapons' training also helps their "empty handed" training?

I'm obviously not an expert on weapons but I understand that in some filipino martial arts you learn how to use weapons first before empty handed skills.

[Sionnagh]

I do. I think that swinging things around helps with stuff like balance and coordination. The extra weight also means things like poor stances are highlighted. And having to hold the weapons while you're manipulating them develops strength in the hands and arms.

There's also the quickness of movement you develop if you stand near someone who is clumsy...


Mick

[thingy]

angelag said:

do people on here think that weapons' training also helps their "empty handed" training?

In the tai chi class I've been attending for the last 2-3 months, the more senior students train with swords and spears and the like. I've not seen what they do with them because we train in seperate classes.

Personally I've never been fussed about training with weapons, though reading some documentation on their syllabus, it says that the weapons training is used to learn how to develop power.

Obviously, I'm no expert on this at all, but this makes a bit of sense to me, it seems to be a pretty common thing in MA training that movements start off really big, and become smaller and more refined as you get more skilled, and there's not much bigger than swinging a big stick around. Practicing big oversized movements can really help you to get a grip of the principles involved.

[Andy]

angelag said:

do people on here think that weapons' training also helps their "empty handed" training?

Definitely.
Particularly Wing Chun and Escrima.

If you have poor hand coordination, double stick amplifies it and makes it more obvious, making close quarter empty hand more logical.
You can really tie yourself in knots with escrima, and it highlights the need to train both sides.