Kobudo

[bushido_man96]

I know that many Okinawan Karate styles incorporate Kobudo training into their curriculum, but I have heard that it tends to be a seperate set from the standard Karate curriculum.

Does your school offer Kobudo? Is it mandatory, or optional? What weapons and requirements are reflected in it?

[brokenswordx]

Yes. It's optional. We mostly train with the bo, nunchuku, and escrima. Some students train with the sai. Sometime kobudo, mostly bo, is part of our promotion, but sensei tells us what to practice and prepare before the testing.

[Montana]

Kobudo is a seperate art within the art of karate, and as such, has a seperate ranking system also.

Myself, I teach karate and kobudo as one art, but the kobudo training doesn't begin until sankyu karate level. I wouldn't say that kobudo training is "mandatory", but rather it's taught more like just going to another level in your karate training.

Primarily, the weapons are taught in this order.

Bo/Jo

Sai

Tonfa

Kama

Nunchauku

Niton Bo

Ikku

I also toss in the cane here and there, which in my opinion, is the best. Go to your local farm and ranch store and get a "bull" cane. Literally, it's a cane used to prod and handle bulls...lightweight, but thick and very strong.

[Ikigai]

In Okinawa Kenpo, Seikichi Odo created concurrent karate and kobudo programs. They are separate, but act as augmentations of one another.

Students from other styles of karate who are affiliated with us can come in and learn kobudo separately; however, okinawa kenpo karate students are expected to learn kobudo as well.

When Dan ranking is achieved, the student receives separate certifications as each is its own 'system'.

The weapons taught are:

Bo, Sai, Tunfa, Nunchaku, Eiku Bo, Nunti Bo, Tekkos, and Kama

[Traymond]

I have taken Yoshinkan, Yafu and Matayoshi Kobudo. We have done weapons such as the,

Jiwa

Chisai Kun

tonfa (tuifa)

Sai

Kama

Rokushaku Bo

goshaku Bo

Jo

Eku

Naginata

Tanto

Thats the whole list of the weapons that I have done.

It is optional...but its also in the monthly package so why not do it? their are testings in our kobudo as well seperate from our Karate

[Kruczek]

When I teach, I teach them as independent arts. I teach bo, sai, nunchaku, tonfa, hanbo, along with teaching my students how to use every day items such as a broom, cane, pen, flashlight, etc.

[Traymond]

Oh yes improvised weapons are extremely fun, I love using spatulas, haha.

No but my real favorite improvised weapon would have to be the tire Iron not the cross one but just the two sided one, I mean...if you hit someone across the skull with one of those...LIGHTS OUT!...haha.

[BDPulver]

It's part of my style but does not have to be taught.

Mainly Tatsou introduced Sai, bo and tonfa. He left it open for others to introduce more.

My sensei's teacher introduced Kama and from my understanding also nunchaku.

Lately, I've been exploreing others like the kai (oar) and a few others that slip my mind at the moment.

[Traymond]

It's part of my style but does not have to be taught.

Mainly Tatsou introduced Sai, bo and tonfa. He left it open for others to introduce more.

My sensei's teacher introduced Kama and from my understanding also nunchaku.

Lately, I've been exploreing others like the kai (oar) and a few others that slip my mind at the moment.

What kai katas do you know.

and do you use an angled Kai or a straight Kai?

[BDPulver]

Right now what I'm doing is researching our bo katas and changing some of the techniques that might be better suited for use with the kai.

This is pretty much my own thing and hoping to get it introduced to our style as a option weapon.

Straight Kai atm, I am looking into get a angel'd one soon.