Issues with bo

[Erin]

When i first started training, I was certain I would HATE nunchuks and love the bo.

Guess what? It's the other way around. I have picked up nunchuks pretty well and despite concerns over the fact I have no depth perception, have become fairly comfortable in using them.

The bo staff. Not so much.

I have problems keeping it straight on my shoulder during ten ryu no kun, I have issues making proper looking figure eights, I have issues chambering properly.

I know I need to practice practice practice but truthfully, picking up my bo anymore makes me feel self-conscious.

Any great words of wisdom or advice to someone that needs help being more comfortable with a bo in her hands?

[ninjanurse]

I know I need to practice practice practice but truthfully, picking up my bo anymore makes me feel self-conscious.

I think you said it yourself. Practicing those skills we are less comfortable with is always a challenge but a neccessary evil if we are to conquer them.

[bushido_man96]

Practice will help. Also, ask lots of questions of your instructor to get good corrections. It may also take some time to build the strength and coordination needed to weild the bo. But stick with it, and you'll be fine.

[BDPulver]

believe it or not I had some problems with Bo also Erin. What I did which worked for me but not all was to practice blindfolded with someone. They would give me instructions on what I was doing right or wrong and in my minds eye I could see it.

Now I can pretty much work around the bo like a expert but I still like to throw a blindfold on from time to time.

[Traymond]

Ask for personal instruction for the Bo if that is accessible, that way you can have his focused attention on your work, this way he can critique you all the way through, and some weapons are just easier for some people, like the Sai was the first weapon I could handle correctly, second the tuifa, last of all was the bo, so I feel you.

[Erin]

Thanks all I appreciate it. I just sort of assumed it would be the easiest to use, it's just a big stick! Whole lot more awkward than I could've imagined. I'll keep at it and ask for help whenever possible.

[BDPulver]

Dont feel bad Erin I thought the same thing when I first started with it. Never thought you could whack yourself in the head with it but I did it.

I was always intimidated by the sai. I thought those where gonna be hard to learn but it was the oppisite with me.

[Traymond]

Thanks all I appreciate it. I just sort of assumed it would be the easiest to use, it's just a big stick! Whole lot more awkward than I could've imagined. I'll keep at it and ask for help whenever possible.

Its harder to use because unlike the nunchuk or sai you have to use both hands simultaneously, with the nunchuk or the sai if you do use both at the same time, its easier to coordinate them, because with the bo its almost like trying to say rub your stomach with your right hand and pat the top of your head with the left hand at the same time, the brain has a hard time to function to do it, it needs practice.

[Traymond]

Dont feel bad Erin I thought the same thing when I first started with it. Never thought you could whack yourself in the head with it but I did it.

I was always intimidated by the sai. I thought those where gonna be hard to learn but it was the oppisite with me.

I use to be always intimidated by the Kama, I would always thought that I would end up embedding them into my knee one a certain jump back in Okuta Gawa No Kama. But I got over it, I did how ever put sai into my foot though...hurt like a (explicitly deleted)...haha.

[Erin]

At a tournament back in October I watched as a brown belt girl poked herself in the forehead with her sai. Her back was to the judges at this point in the kata, and when she turned around, blood was just POURING. I have never seen 3 black belts move so fast to end a routine. Thing was, the girl didn't want to stop, she just kept going.