Shiny Weapons

[harleyt26]

I do not do tournament competition,I train fighting techniques.If in a fighting situation with me and you wanted to spin your bo or throw it in the air,I would love it.If everybody did this kind of kobudo I would not need to train so hard.Keep practicing it sure looks pretty although totaly ineffective.

[battousai16]

it's not really a matter of people pretending they can fight with spins and tosses and the like. if someone attempts to do that in a confrontation, they deserve to get thwocked upside the head. it's more a matter of understanding your weapon and getting a feel for it.

[steveb]

it's not really a matter of people pretending they can fight with spins and tosses and the like. if someone attempts to do that in a confrontation, they deserve to get thwocked upside the head. it's more a matter of understanding your weapon and getting a feel for it.

 

Exactly. It's like the Marine drill team doing their fancy rifle show (like at the beginning of the movie A Few Good Men). Nobody confuses their drill with actual combat training, but that doesn't make it any less impressive or inspiring. Also, noboby (who doesn't want to get shot, that is) would argue that they do not know how to handle their weapons. Training in the fundamentals is essential but there is nothing wrong with having a little fun too.

[gojuchad]

i have allways heard flash is trash, which is to say that anything to fancy will not work and for the most part i feel this holds up. In these tournaments it seems that we have gotten away from real ma's and it is now gymnastics and cheerleading. Maybe im just a stick in the mud but I would rather see one or two sharply executed techniques rather than a million flashy techniques.

[harleyt26]

If you practice your bo like a baton it is not a weapon.I was in the army what they practiced the drills with were mock wooden toy guns,and that was only the drill team.There was a sequence of moves for weapons inspection in a formal setting though.At no point was I taught to use my M-16 for any flashy or impressing movements.I use kihon practice to familiarize myself with my bo.Extremly bad habits that are very hard to break can be built by the flashy useless training.Any time you hold your bo with one hand or out away from your body or( hopefully) throw it into the air,it does not belong to you anymore you have lost possesion and control at that point.I would agree that cheerleaders look very cute doing that with their batons though.

[Shito Ryu]

The only time I use a "flashy" weapon is when I practice with a Katana.... Oh wait it has a silver blade... Does that count??? Cause that can be a VERY flashy weapon if you practice on a bright sunny day Blindingly flashy if the sun reflects off the blade into your eyes... Hehehehe yeah.

[nickb123]

I don't see whats wrong with the flashy weapon display thing. If thats what you wanna do then go for it. I'm not really a fan myself but spinning and twirling weapons isn't that bad a thing in my view. I mean its impressive and it shows you're confident with the weapon. As long as you know how to handle the weapon properly, then why not develop your skills and do some swish looking moves

[Budderfly]

PS. I want to see someone throw a spinning bo into the air and one-handed, no-look catch it with a traditional bow. Not going to happen.

 

A long staff would be difficult cause it is a long range weapon. You'd have to get some serious height, but it can be done. My master did it in one demo but even he thought it looked "useless".

 

I used to do baton twirling (haha, I am such a geek) so I've started using those techniques into my nunchucku demo. I would throw them up in the air with a thumb toss, so a 360 spinning crescent kick and catch the nunchucks. It looks flashy but honestly, am I really going to do that if I needed to defend myself? Better yet, am I really going to be carrying nunchucks if I'm in a situation where I have to defend myself?

 

SURVEY SAYS... no.