are training with foam nunchakus the as good as the real one

[Samurai Shotokan]

I was wondering if it is good as using them because the wood ones ect are illegal in Canada so I got the foam ones cus there legal and they don't hurt exept if u hit yourself in the face or the wedding tackle.

[Pacificshore]

Hey if that's all you got to work with, then why not The obviously the difference will be in weight between the foam practice ones, and the wooden ones. Plus there is the difference in feel, wood vs. foam. Perhaps you can make a decent pair by going to the hardware store, and finding different size dowels(weight, thickness).

[tommarker]

Illegal to buy or own? You could always make yourself a wooden pair without much effort.

 

I personally am not a fan of foam nunchaku. They just don't feel right, probably due to the weight (or lack of) which means you generally have to swing them a lot harder, which means losing some finesse.

[Spin]

Foam nunchaku are usually only useful for your first steps into nunchaku, or for attempting difficult moves for the first time.. There is usually a big different between foam padded training nunchaku and normal wood or metal nunchaku.. although the wood or metal nunchaku will hurt more when you mess up, I think they are better for training, as nothing is as good as using the real thing.. Foam padded nunchaku are all well and good if you can find the right ones, I have some which have thin wooden bars under the foam and they are great, the wieght is quite realistic and its very hard to hurt yourself with them, which is a bonus when you do nunchaku like I do The ones with thin plastic bars under the foam are just crap, they dont wieght enough to get a realistic feel for how solid nunchaku will be, plus they are far too easy to break.. once I demonstrated to some friends how little being hit with plastic tube foam nunchaku actually hurts, whacked a friend round the head with them, and they broke

[Samurai Shotokan]

Well I have the ones with metal inside and are linked by a chain they are very well built

[White Warlock]

I do not recommend sole use of the foam nunchakus, especially without formal training. That is because the foam (or light) nunchakus do not behave the same and you may end up learning some very 'painful' habits. What i mean by this is, if/when you upgrade to 'real' nunchakus, you'll find some of the things you've been doing with the foam nunchakus were critically wrong... and you'll spend a helluva time trying to 'untrain' yourself from smacking your forehead.

 

*smack*

 

*wake up*

 

*smack*

 

*wake up*

 

*smack*

 

Also, foam nunchakus encourages flash over function, due to the facts they are so friggin' light (thus allowing you to swing them around really fast) and because there is no concern over hurting yourself, so what you end up with will serve you little. In fact, likely the opposite would be the result, whereby you pull out your 'real' nunchaku in a confrontation and...

 

*smack*

 

*you don't wake up*

[CloudDragon]

Foam nunchaku are quite possibly the bane of martial arts. There I said it. They encourage students to make stops, and passes incorrectly, and to expect speeds from real ones that would never be done without much more strength than they have. It also encourages the student to concentrate on barely controlable spins and flips that would have had people who had to use them in the past for true self defense laughing like crazy. The only legitimate reason to use them that I have ever heard is that it is for safety of spectators or other classmates.

[Rotten Head Fok]

If that's all you have to use then you do what you have to do then use'em. I think foam chucks have there place in training. Increasing your speed for a showmanship presentation, sure! Daily, practical fundemental understanding, No way!

[granmasterchen]

training with the real thing is the only real way to go, the foam should only be used as an introduction to the weapon....but you definitely need to train with the wooden ones if you want to really learn how to use the weapons with any true amount of skill

[White Warlock]

Also, Samurai Shotokan, if you see nunchakus in your school, or any other schools, then they are not illegal, only restricted. In California, nunchakus (and similar restricted weapons) can only be used in dojos or similar.

 

The nice thing is, dojo is a foreign word and refers to a 'training area,' and it has been 'foolishly' entered into the laws pertaining to such weapons. Thus, if you designate an area as a training area (or dojo), such as your home, then you are full authorized to own them within the confines of your home. And, since there is no law requiring you to register your dojo... loophole. Also, in California, transportation of nunchakus, from one training area to another is also legal, as long as they are placed in the trunk, locked in a chest, or made otherwise inaccessible.