stop dissin teh nunchaku

[Spin]

right, im getting a bit bored of people here (and other places) disrespecting flashy nunchaku use. I primarily regard the nunchaku as a toy, and enjoy 'performing' with the nunchaku to entertain myself and others.. It seems everytime nunchaku are mentioned on a martial arts forum people pipe up bitching about how pointless 'that flashy stuff' is.. Now, let me put the nail in this coffin, your wrong, you lose, go home..

 

I have practiced nunchaku for 7 years now, improvising my own flashy techniques and stealing moves from the net and from friends. recently I started training combat techniques.. Heres the punchline.. In the classes Ive taken, I learn MUCH quicker than the other students BECAUSE im already familiar with nunchaku.. SOOOOO that defeats any argument about flashy nunchaku techniques not being beneficial, as ANYTHING you learn with a weapon, practical or not, will increase your familiarity with the weapon and make for better foundations on which to build a competent fighting style..

 

True along with self taught technique may come bad habits, which are then harder to break out of once you start 'real' training.. But Id rather be familiar with a weapon, have that headstart and have a few bad habits, than start learning from scratch with nothing to build on.

 

I'm not trying to start an argument, more put a point across and maybe vent a little frustration.. I'm damn good at what I do, its not easy and its taken a long time to develope my skills.. but to the stricter martial artists, what I do is still a joke.. I concur, it may not be martial art, it maybe more circus skills, but its fun... thats what matters to me.. Plus it beats sitting infront of *insert_games_console_name_here* like a vegetable..

 

[Shorin Ryuu]

Wouldn't 7 years of practical nunchaku training beat 7 years of flashy nunchaku training? In other words, you say at least the flashy stuff gets you familiar with the weapon, but if you spent those 7 years learning practical things, then you wouldn't merely by familiar, you'd be extremely good.

 

You admit you could build bad habits, but downplay their effects. Don't...

 

It would be like saying you get familiar with the sai by watching daredevil...the only thing you would get famliar with would be poor sai technique...

 

Sorry, I just saw that big hole in your logic and decided to jump in...nothing personal.

[Ravencroft]

Yeah thats true but spin is right just by playing around you will get more familiar with the weapon thats just a plain fact anyway you look at it. but what you really have to remember is that not everyone can take formal lessons and teaching themselves is all thats available(like in my case). not everyone can afford it, or have a ride, or whatever the reason. and besides, its really not that difficult to break habits it just takes a little re-learning is all.

[CloudDragon]

Spin, congrats to you and your dedication. As far as learning bad habits and familiarity with the weapons goes, for most people it is better to start with a clean slate, obviously for you this doesn't apply, and that is great! I must disagree with your thoughts that as a general rule it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with a weapon before seeking as you describe 'real' training for one simple reason. Don't spend your time learning things you know you will have to unlearn. Put the nunchaku down and learn something that you have access to competent instruction with. It will be time well spent. As you age and reflect back on your training you will be glad you waited and spent your time productively.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

right, im getting a bit bored of people here (and other places) disrespecting flashy nunchaku use. I primarily regard the nunchaku as a toy, and enjoy 'performing' with the nunchaku to entertain myself and others..

 

Well, if you regard the nunchaku as a toy, you will develop "toy-like" techniques, which is what I see WAY to much of in dojo's and tournaments. The people that do this are often instructors that will pass along this "toy-like" technique to their students, claiming it is legitimate good technique, not flashy trash. THAT is my complaint with it.

It seems everytime nunchaku are mentioned on a martial arts forum people pipe up * about how pointless 'that flashy stuff' is.. Now, let me put the nail in this coffin, your wrong, you lose, go home..

 

Sorry, but I'm still here. Perhaps it might give you a clue when flashy technique is brought up, and good, legitimate martial artists complain about it?

I have practiced nunchaku for 7 years now, improvising my own flashy techniques and stealing moves from the net and from friends. recently I started training combat techniques.. Heres the punchline.. In the classes Ive taken, I learn MUCH quicker than the other students BECAUSE im already familiar with nunchaku..

 

Punchline? Did I miss a joke somewhere? it only makes sense that you'd learn faster, but also along with that, breaking bad habits, and I'll bet you have plenty of them, will be difficult, but not impossible.

SOOOOO that defeats any argument about flashy nunchaku techniques not being beneficial, as ANYTHING you learn with a weapon, practical or not, will increase your familiarity with the weapon and make for better foundations on which to build a competent fighting style..

 

The last part of this statement is correct, but the part about flashy techniques being beneficial...well, I guess twirling a baton would be just as beneficial, and you could at least use that in your yearly parades in front of the jr. high marching band.

True along with self taught technique may come bad habits, which are then harder to break out of once you start 'real' training..

AHA! He see's the light! Why learn bad technique, and then have to make all those corrections later on?

I'm not trying to start an argument, more put a point across and maybe vent a little frustration..

 

EXACTLY what I am trying to do.

I'm damn good at what I do, its not easy and its taken a long time to develope my skills.. but to the stricter martial artists, what I do is still a joke..

 

Only if you're trying to pass it off as good technique it is. If you tell me "I know it's junk and flashy, but it's fun to do."..then I'll accept it as that. But if you tell me it's good technique, then we have an issue.

I concur, it may not be martial art, it maybe more circus skills, but its fun... thats what matters to me..

 

And that's just fine as long as you know the differance, and apparently you do.

 

[Sauzin]

So, Spin, to be specific here. You are advocating the use of two sticks tied by a string or a chain to spin around and play with as a “toy”. I don’t understand what this has to do with the “KarateForums ->weapons” forums you are posting in. Here are some places where this might be more relevant:

 

https://www.jugglemania.net

 

https://www.juggle.org

 

https://www.circusarts.org.uk

 

Now if you want to bring any relevant point out of this you could say that this applies to the application of juggling two sticks tied by a string to the defense arts surrounding the weapon known as a nunchaku. But simply put, there is no application. I guarantee that you would have had an easer time learning applicable martial nunchaku without your juggling experience. You’d never know now because you can’t go back and unlearn to find out, but I can tell you that I’ve seen bad habits caused by this in other students and there is a noticeable difference in the time it takes to unlearn this as compared to someone who is starting fresh. I mean you could say that jumping rope would help someone learn nunchaku because it makes them more fit and familiar with swinging things, but if they thought of the nunchaku as a jumping rope then how helpful would that be really?

 

You can compare this to the yo-yo, a Philippine weapon that used to be deadly now used to “walk the dog” and perform “rocking cradles”. But what good is a “rocking cradle” going to do in a fight? This is exactly what kobodo practitioners are trying to prevent. The loss of a weapon’s combat art due to the propagation of “yo-yo” like performances. There’s a whole generation of people out there that think that’s what a nunchaku is about. This is truly a tragedy that many of us are rightfully upset about.

 

Not to mention the concerned that someone is going to go out onto the street and try to defend themselves by spinning a nunchaku around and get themselves killed. I’m just trying to propagate accurate information that won’t get someone hurt. This information is simple. If you practice performance nunchaku, don’t try defending yourself with it. Don’t try teaching it as a defensive art. Don’t even call it a weapon, because it’s not when used in that way.

 

Furthermore when these things are explained to beginners don’t take offense. It’s not like we’re telling you not to juggle, we just don’t want to encourage its practice in a martial arts context.

[Spin]

Thanks for the replies guys.. I didnt mean to show any disrespect by the way, my way with words can get a bit , well, I dont know the word, but I didnt intend disrespect

 

I'll have to leave this thread for a little while, as important and delicate things have come up which require my attention, and Id rather leave the thread for a while then come back and reply in depth than just bang a quick reply up and forget about it... rest assured I shall return to it !

[Chibi]

I think there's a place for both flashy stuff and the way the nunchaku was designed to be used. 'The flashy stuff is no good in combat' is what I hear a lot. I don't know anybody that carries nunchaku around in their pockets looking for a fight. I like both styles of training.

[Pacificshore]

It's the Yin and Yang of weapons training.....the flash vs. the practical, without one of them nearby, you will become unbalanced

[Shorin Ryuu]

It's the Yin and Yang of weapons training.....the flash vs. the practical, without one of them nearby, you will become unbalanced

 

Are you being sarcastic or serious...If you are being serious, then what you have just said absolutely makes no sense (a downside of online forums is that sometimes sarcasm is harder to detect)...