bo staff

[monkeygirl]

My bo is made out of graphite so it's super light and never warps.

hmm. yea, my instructor told me that people become one with their weapons and sometimes even name them. does any of your weapons have names?

 

HA! See, I'm not crazy!!!!

 

I named my kamas. The right one is Rita and the left one is Lolita.

 

I love my kamas dearly

[IAMA_chick]

lol. i will name my bo, or any other weapon when i get it. so, do you like the graphite bo? can you do flying side kicks and such on it without it snapping?

[karate_woman]

I haven't named mine but am obsessive about being the only one to use it; if someone else uses it I've had it fly right out of my hand - even if I didn't know someone had used it.

[jake]

i have the same type of bo as monkeygirl except mine is a two piece bo(it makes it easier to carry around). i havent named any of my weapons but ill have to. sounds fun.

[monkeygirl]

lol. i will name my bo, or any other weapon when i get it. so, do you like the graphite bo? can you do flying side kicks and such on it without it snapping?

 

I'm going to assume you mean using the bo as a sort of pole-vault, and that you don't mean actually kicking the bo. That would hurt

 

Anyway, yes, I've used it in this "pole-vault" fashion before, with no apparent damage to the bo. But then again, I'm a shrimpy person: 5'1", 98 lbs. The graphite bo isn't terribly flexible, but it is pretty strong. After all, a bo is much, much thicker than a mechanical pencil lead

 

I've always wondered though: if all of the paint chips off on the tip, could I use it like a giant pencil?

 

Graphite bo's are very sleek and shiny looking, which make them pretty cool and fun to use. The surface of the bo is very smooth. I thought this meant my hands would slip off once they got sweaty, but quite to the contrary: it actually seems to grip quite well. I've had my bo for over a year, and the only problem I've had is that the paint chips off pretty easily if you should, say, drop it in the parking lot, or down a cement staircase. Also, you may want to wipe the bo down every now and then for fingerprints, which can really muddle the shine.

[tommarker]

I've seen bo staffs as expensive as 150 bucks

 

I think a 2 piece would only be needed if you HAD to break it down in order to travel. Like if you rode a bike to class and didn't want to balance a 6 foot staff while doing so.

 

As to what sort you should buy, I'd suggest starting with what your instructor suggests for class. Some schools use a tapered, skinny staff, and others use the more traditional thick staffs. Other arts may use a staff that is thick on one end and tapered to a skinny end.

[monkeygirl]

Well, having a two-piece may not be necessary, but there are people who just prefer the feel of it. A two-piece definitely feels different than a one-piece. Don't ask me why...maybe it's because the metal joining hardware provides a sense of weight at the center? I don't really know.

 

I guess jake could enlighten us on this issue

[IAMA_chick]

lol. thanks for all the posts guys.

 

if i get a bo now i have to make up my own competition form and do you have any idea's on that?

[karate_woman]

I thought you were being taught? Why would you have to create a competition bo kata right away?

 

I don't compete in creative forms but I'd think it would be hard to make up a kata if you haven't done any other bo kata. Why not use a traditional one like Matsu Higa no kon/bo? The only thing is it isn't usually the first one taught, as it is more complex than some.

[benedictbm]

I started using a bo staff when i was a green belt (7th kyu). I started swining a stick around when i was about 4 or 5. usually of i call my bo anything it is out of anger ( either dropped it or hjit my head...yea i know it is my fault not the bo's)