Bo

[sensei8]

While I'm very well versed in the Bo, I find nothing wrong with swinging the Bo like a louisville slugger. Batter-up!

Yep..however, the Lousiville slugger is shorter and requires less space....

True, quite true!

[Montana]

I understand what you mean to a point here, and I was at the time just in the experimental stages of what I can do. Mostly a fan just watching different videos. My formal bo training didn't start until this month. Would you disagree that figure 8's are affective both offensively, and/or defensively?

Stop and think about it for a moment...do a figure 8 and then have somebody stick another bo, broomstick or such straight at you in the middle of your figure 8ing..and what happens? You probably just dropped your bo ON THE GROUND!

The only person it would intimidate is an inexperienced opponent. Waste of time and effort in my opinion. Spend that same time working on good techniques.

[RichardZ]

I understand what you mean to a point here' date=' and I was at the time just in the experimental stages of what I can do. Mostly a fan just watching different videos. My formal bo training didn't start until this month. Would you disagree that figure 8's are affective both offensively, and/or defensively?[/quote']

Stop and think about it for a moment...do a figure 8 and then have somebody stick another bo, broomstick or such straight at you in the middle of your figure 8ing..and what happens? You probably just dropped your bo ON THE GROUND!

The only person it would intimidate is an inexperienced opponent. Waste of time and effort in my opinion. Spend that same time working on good techniques.

what? I thought figure 8's we were talking about skating

[sensei8]

I understand what you mean to a point here' date=' and I was at the time just in the experimental stages of what I can do. Mostly a fan just watching different videos. My formal bo training didn't start until this month. Would you disagree that figure 8's are affective both offensively, and/or defensively?[/quote']

Stop and think about it for a moment...do a figure 8 and then have somebody stick another bo, broomstick or such straight at you in the middle of your figure 8ing..and what happens? You probably just dropped your bo ON THE GROUND!

The only person it would intimidate is an inexperienced opponent. Waste of time and effort in my opinion. Spend that same time working on good techniques.

what? I thought figure 8's we were talking about skating

[Ichi_Geki]

I understand what you mean to a point here, and I was at the time just in the experimental stages of what I can do. Mostly a fan just watching different videos. My formal bo training didn't start until this month. Would you disagree that figure 8's are affective both offensively, and/or defensively?

Stop and think about it for a moment...do a figure 8 and then have somebody stick another bo, broomstick or such straight at you in the middle of your figure 8ing..and what happens? You probably just dropped your bo ON THE GROUND!

The only person it would intimidate is an inexperienced opponent. Waste of time and effort in my opinion. Spend that same time working on good techniques.

I agree with you Montana.

And on a side note. A good beginners kata for Bo Jutsu would be

Sakugawa no Kun

This is the style I practice. Gushi Sensei Version.

[mauger]

The first Bo kata I ever learned was Shodan Bo. it isnt very technical, mostly just low strikes and high strikes. my favorite Bo kata is one that my sensei created with our head of style years ago.

Next week I will be starting shushi no kon, wish me luck haha

[Shotoseidoka]

This figure 8, are we talking one hand or two? one hand I aggre it is a waste of time. Two hand, some good bo on bo techs are possible with it.

A good bo kata to learn is Tokumine no kun:

Not really a kata for beginners though...

[vantheman]

I personally love the bo staff. What seems to be arising in this form is the two different applications of the stff: traditional weapon, and demonstration purposes. While the figure 8 only may intimidate the opponent, it looks really cool if you are doing a form with a lightweight tapered bo. If you are using a heavy, thick hardwood bo, twirly moves are going to be more challenging, but that's just because a wooden staff was not designed for that. If I had to use a staff to defend myself, I would rather use the wooden one with a few basic strikes.

An example of the differences is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGhCnBUkGJo

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STtxUDYjK74

While the first one looks cooler than the second, I would choose the second one in a heartbeat if I had to defend myself.

I like both uses of the bo staff, but it is essential to know the difference between a demonstration style and a traditional self defense style.

-VTM

[Montana]

I personally love the bo staff. What seems to be arising in this form is the two different applications of the stff: traditional weapon, and demonstration purposes. While the figure 8 only may intimidate the opponent, it looks really cool if you are doing a form with a lightweight tapered bo. If you are using a heavy, thick hardwood bo, twirly moves are going to be more challenging, but that's just because a wooden staff was not designed for that. If I had to use a staff to defend myself, I would rather use the wooden one with a few basic strikes.

An example of the differences is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGhCnBUkGJo

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STtxUDYjK74

While the first one looks cooler than the second, I would choose the second one in a heartbeat if I had to defend myself.

I like both uses of the bo staff, but it is essential to know the difference between a demonstration style and a traditional self defense style.

-VTM

This brings up a good point, and a personal pet peeve of mine. Whether in the dojo or a competition, a REAL bo should be used. I absolutely HATE light weight weapons and "twirling". I've been a center weapons judge at all style tournaments since around 1980 or so and any competitor that comes before me with a broomstick or such lightweight weapon will not recieve more than a 7 (out of a possible 10) from me for a score. Twirl it once in your fingers, and the score starts dropping. Swing it over your head one handed...drop another point.

I'm a traditionalist and hate to see the ruination of the arts into a sport and for play.

But hey, that's just me.