weapon forms

[tommarker]

Tell her that some guy on the internet says that is dangerous and will impede your progress

 

So at any rate, what do you have so far? Avoid the temptation to get TOO fancy. Sticking with the basics will give you a better form than trying to throw all your tricks in one bag.

 

Before we were taught the first bong (korean for bo staff ) hyung, our instructor wanted to see how we thought it would look. We'd spent the last three classes doing the techniques in the form, and he was curious to see how WE'D put them together.

 

As it turns out, we made a hyung (korean for 'kata form') that looked more like the third form, but still much more complex than what was required. And it was a fun experience.

 

And no one was hurt.

[Sauzin]

Kids (and adults for that matter) are going to do it out of natural curiousity regardless of whether it is right or wrong. Some lessons can be learned from out of class exploration. At first? Perhaps not, but why try to douse a student's natural curiousity by using blanket statements like "you'll shoot your eye out."

 

I was not trying to douse a student's natural curiosity. From her first statement it sounded like she had an instructor who either wasn't able to or wasn't willing to teach her a kata and she was going to try to create a kata herself. All I wanted was for her to work with an instructor. Since she is doing that, I wish her the best.

 

There are undoubtedly others out there that do not have instructors and would like to learn the bo. I would implore them to find someone with at least a passing familiarity to show them some basics, otherwise they may seriously injure themselves. You would not believe some of the injuries that board aspiring martial artists out here in Boise, Idaho get when they are fooling around. No brain impalements yet, but anything could happen. There is a misnomer that the bo is just a stick and therefore you can play around with it and not hurt anyone. I'm just trying to bring awareness to the potential implications of its misuse and encourage people to seek out qualified instructors.

 

A side note: I would also suggest that any beginner be taught the basics and stay under close supervision while “making a kata”. I have personal opinions as to how wise this teaching method is but I will keep them to myself. (*still shaking head*)

 

-Paul Holsinger

[ninelivesarentenough]

why do ppl who take a martial art think that no one else can pick up a bo and not injure themself with it? if anything, i have had more injuries since i started karate than after, and i have been 'using' bo for about 4 years. (i've only been in karate for six months. you seem to forget that there was a time in (fill in where your martial art originated) when NO ONE knew how to use a weapon and they had to figure it out themselves, if anything, it helps to get used to the feel of a weapon by creating your own techiniques and kata.

[aefibird]

It is an interesting challange to do some of your empty hand forms with a weapon.

 

I agree!

[battousai16]

ach, i see. can you drive, 9 lives? when you learned, did you just hop in a car and "try it out" for awhile? try to get a feel for it? someone had to figure it out on there own, right? or did someone teach you?

 

why risk it when you have a perfectly good and available instructor right there?

 

not that i'll give you any techniques, of course

 

also, one might want to point out that the staff wasn't all worked out by one person on a sunny afternoon. i assume it's been refined to what it is now over several hundred years.

Edited August 29, 2004 by battousai16

[aefibird]

Before we were taught the first bong (korean for bo staff ) hyung, our instructor wanted to see how we thought it would look. We'd spent the last three classes doing the techniques in the form, and he was curious to see how WE'D put them together.

 

As it turns out, we made a hyung (korean for 'kata form') that looked more like the third form, but still much more complex than what was required.

 

Sounds like fun, and a great experience!

[ninelivesarentenough]

do i really have to point this out? i thought it would be obvious. tell me how many bo related deaths you see on the news, then tell me how many car related deaths you see... ah. why don't you compare learning to write the alphabet to becoming the next picasso? according to you, it seems learning one thing by yourself is similar to learning everything that way. eh, it's probably important that i clarify that i'm not trying to be mean, it's hard to demonstrate 'tone of voice' online, i'm reading over what i'm writing and it says like i'm yelling but i'm not so... don't get mad at me ppl.

[Shorin Ryuu]

I think the issue isn't just related to safety, although that is important.

 

I have seen many "self-taught" bo practitioners...and they were terrible...

 

What people are trying to tell you is that if you have the opportunity to learn from someone better (instructor), then take full advantage of it. There are a lot of common mistakes that beginners make because they are not familiar with the weapon. Why not do your best to avoid them by having someone help you? In Asian culture, the teacher is traditionally a person that was highly respected, and for good reason. That person spends their time helping others. Why not take them up on it?

[harleyt26]

My instructor has trained in kobudo for over forty years,his instructor trained for seventy years and his instructor trained for about the same,these people have spent lifetimes practicing and perfecting the weapons.I am glad I have the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.As I progress thru our kobudo system it becomes more and more obvious that it just is not possible to learn a weapon effectively without knowlegeable instruction,and totally imposible by video.If you want to look cool and win shiny trophies then we are not talking about the same thing.If you want to learn how the weapon could have been used properly in a combat situation then you need a knowlegeable instructor.It says weapons an the top of my page not baton twirling. Just my opinion.

[battousai16]

well, of course, i'm using extremes but i think shorin ryu summed up my point nicely.