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Intermal Martial Arts Force

2013-02-17 11:56:00 (читать в оригинале)

Over several years now it’s been important to myself to gain an awareness of the rules underlying physique usage throughout martial arts : the following is an accumulation models who have come from that will study — some viewed from explanations given to us by lecturers and others via my own findings – nevertheless they are all merely attempts to identify what I have seen of an time tested practice, in manners that can support training. They aren’t new rules – merely descriptions associated with old ones. As a result it should be appreciated that these designs are not distinctive but every can be considered in order to represent another facet of a similar real physique operation so that you can illustrate your concepts required.

These are specifically western types in the main and therefore are predominantly mechanised in nature a style the western thoughts seems to be confident with in comparison to the Chinese language models that are offered. Unfortunately these types of Chinese designs can be fairly inaccessible in order to westerners without 1st taking on-board a large amount of the Chinese language culture to allow us to comprehend them. These are generally only simplified models designed to convey concepts – individually I have found that will in order to learn how to operate in by doing this it has verified necessary to really change my figure in terms of flexibility, connectedness, flexibility, staying relaxed along with developing “springy” lower limbs. Perhaps the 6 ways to use these designs is to carry them at heart when watching the practitioner/player and also any time practicing on your own to learn how you can link the particular observation in your own inner feeling over the model. As an example it took me quite a while to understand any time my educators say “use your Tan Tien” — they imply it virtually!

The Five Springs

- (from Chinese language internal techniques)

Energy (chi will be transmitted as waves associated with muscular shrinkage. This employs the sound ground as being a base to affect our challenger.

The Crank

Hydraulic design

- when each side hits together then the impact is of your expanding strong rod.

The Slinky

Explosive actions at the centre develops a trend in each path. When every wave visitors simultaneously then your effect is actually of a sound expanding thing. Also the say then boards from the sound ground and provide a second heartbeat to the original strike. Your opponent can feel as if he’s been struck “from the floor”.

Connectivity with the muscles/tendons is needed, so the energy may be transferred through the body. This calls for a particular organization, resilient however relaxed framework and muscle tone since muscles become a mix or a reptile striking.

Stable Program

- the idea getting to maintain the particular pelvis being a stable system whatever happens towards the rest of the system – comparable to an essential oil rig in order that the motion with the lower body’s isolated through the upper body. The top of body may thus continue to be relaxed. Which means the concepts involving tucking the coccyx beneath and maintaining degree hips.

Traditional fashionable rotation- from Nakayama Sensei : Shotakan Karate product.

Hip rotation accustomed to twist shoulders by working on the trunk. And also this requires great mid-section connection for max torque exchange.

Too much cool rotation affects the pelvic balance. Use of stomach rotation is usually to be favored with merely slight fashionable rotation inside constraints of proper structure. Hence the original easy model needs additional aspects in the mid-section.

The “Hara” or even Dan Tien”

The straight muscle bedding can be set to contract inside a circular movement thus transferring the pulling around the belly – this may then be employed to move the top of body by simply pulling about the pelvic girdle – similarly by tugging the hips up in the front it is possible to trigger leg elevating very rapidly.

The Dan Tien becomes a actual centre regarding action experienced at the front nevertheless augmented simply by extension in the sides and also at the rear providing an effective center of actions slightly inside trunk.

These very same muscles may be programmed to take action in a horizontally fashion as a result generating a highly effective waist rotators, which supersedes lower leg driven stylish action.

The mix of waist and also hip turn offers more energy, more control along with greater stability and level of sensitivity than fashionable action on it’s own.

By using the level laminated sheets involving diagonal muscle mass in this way all of us create a powerful but adaptable connection between the top and lower physiques. Actions started by during sex in a very little way are able to be spread outward over the limbs and also converted to much bigger actions.

Operation in the internal types from the core Hara or Suntan Tien requires the ab mid-section muscles to function in an lively fashion. It’s not a natural issue and requires the muscles become developed and also programmed to operate this way.

The outcome is that from the stable pelvic girdle the structure regarding abdominal muscles is actually generated which could initiate movements radially. This gives 360° rounded action as well as control which enable it to feel almost as much as if there is any ball associated with muscle suspended in the pelvic serving.

Opening/Closing

Opening/closing in this way creates “natural” belly getting a bellows variety fashion and also goes a considerable ways to releasing our measures from the should coincide by having an in or perhaps out breathing. By simply carrying out actions depending on opening/closing, then co-incidental inhaling and exhaling occurs normally. It also enables a certain amount of capability to be sent on in-breath as well as the out-breath.

These designs apply to every part of the entire body at all times. As a result dropping the extra weight by twisting the thighs and also final the front, provides a strong down component of drive.

Equally, maintaining a somewhat closed top and beginning the upper again adds forwards power to any punch.

This design may be observed also sideways, diagonally across the entire body, within particular person limits, within generating a head butt, and many others. etc.

Thus we are able to rotate midsection and body while shutting the front to get power down, beginning the upper back again generates get up.

The Plyometric Model

The plyometric impact – a quick term (parts of a subsequent) muscular recurring – may combine with these kind of models to be able to “load” muscle groups which in turn discharge in the middle activated whip-like trend described in other places. In-fact the muscle tissues and the muscles should be considered with each other as it is frequently considered that it’s the elasticity from the tendons over the muscle tissue, which can make this strength. A watch given support by the power many casually muscled Tai Chi authorities.

Thus, by allowing the weight to be able to sink we are able to pre-load our shoulder, lower back along with leg muscles. Tucking the foot of the spinal column under we all stretch the low back, folding the hip and legs briefly pre-loads calves. When completed quickly it has an almost imperceptible shedding motion which usually serves for you to stretch each of the lower system and back again muscles : this is then immediately released along with augmented through normal buff contraction to present a powerful mind blowing action, rippling dunes of carved contraction facing outward from the middle and broadening (opening) one’s body while limited from beginning too far through the abdominal muscles necessary to connect the top and lower limbs so that electrical power can be moved.

In operation by having an opponent if we are pushed the actual force of the push is actually added to our own weight decline and went back pliometrically. Thus, we all absorb a selection of their power, neutralise the remaining by the activity of our approach and go back the consumed power with your own power added.

If sent on the biceps for example, chances are they and the chest also respond pliometrically so that each of our opponents drive is kept in the whole weight and delivered.

Essentially, a short-range influence for one muscle mass, the range can certainly become very useful via fractions inch to many inches wide when utilised over the entire body – these types of small closings and also openings, with the other designs, generate energy smoothly more than a variety of preventing distances.

The Back as a Bow

- or because two bows upper and lower.

The back muscles could be loaded to release into the thighs, this involves enabling the hips to idea up in the front but not excessive or the balance of the pelvic podium structure is going to be destroyed. The top back muscle groups may be packed so that while released they will fire shoulders forward. Whenever programmed to work from the Hara/Dan Tien the low part of the ribbon fires 1st, then the second part. This kind of generates a new wave just like whip, driving the rear knee back then shoulders forward.

The Mid-Foot

The principle the following is that there ought to be an mid-foot ( arch ) from floorboards to point involving contact with the actual opponent no part of the entire body should be guiding the ft . transferring strength – usually rear ft . but it would be the front foot. Is generally whatever section of the body is in touch with the adversary but can be most very easily seen using the fist as well as foot : the principle is similar for the neck, elbow, joint or mind – getting back together the Chinese seven stars.

As having a flying buttress that has weight earlier mentioned to secure it, your body in quitting should be previously mentioned or a little in front of the ft . on the floor. A good arch which has a kink in it can’t transfer power. Effectively which means the cool should be in-front in the foot and the entire body leaning a bit forward.

This mixes with center (Hara or Suntan Tien) activated fashionable movement to generate an development in the centre in the arch i.e. with regard to kicking as well as punching cool rotation produced by the waistline gives the closing explosive energy by increasing the posture from the immovable floorboards into our own opponent.

We can put the strike or stop on our own opponent rapidly by a final process. This kind of fast supply system is next followed by a good explosive opening up and the influence has the experience of a punch-push or perhaps kick-push with a lot greater rate and penetration than typically experienced.

The Stabilisers and also the Mobilisers (from Karel Koskuba : Chinese Inner Arts Organization)

Stabiliser muscles are generally short activity slow have a nervous tic fibre muscle groups near to the joint parts and our bones and are the people used by “statue” musicians and totally free climbers to maintain interferance positions, mobilisers will be the large quickly twitch muscle groups that electrical power movement. Typically it is ideal if we can easily isolate these kinds of somewhat to ensure our situation is stored by stabilisers, which resist outer action. Thus giving a calm but ready condition (“Sung” inside Chinese) in a way that the mobilisers are usually relaxed and properly extended together with “slack taken up” to ensure when the right ones are generally fired their own action is incredibly rapid and robust.

Use of the Dan Tien/Hara to start this shooting in an facing outward propagation leads to Fa-jing, which permits us to create a direct link from the flooring to our challenger.

The Structural Design

Non-linear alignment : stabilisers hold the framework to allow your force to travel round most, but might require some other drive, e.g. weight, to be sure the force remains transmitted within the direction needed.

This model will be akin to driving a bicycle string. If all of the links are usually exactly aimed then the archipelago may be sent, e.h. on a desktop. But one imbalance will create any kink, which simply receives bigger the greater one shoves.

The stabilisers serve to locking mechanism this url in place then it can still broadcast force. Nevertheless the better aimed we can obtain all these hyperlinks, then the much more force the dwelling can carry.

Thus we have a requirement for skeletal alignment, which incorporates a must be dynamically positioned so that the mobilisers possess maximum control when required. we.e. your muscular composition then must be arranged in ways that each muscle tissue is in the greatest position in order to contract incredibly. Exact straight line alignment thus remains not ideal. 45º angles are usually nearer energetic optimum regarding initiation associated with action. Similarly, of course, bones at +90º have been in their lowest position. Particularly we should obviously pay stringent attention to combined orientation * such as with all the knees that will always work in a totally one perspective hinge manner – watchful “in-line” alignment from the hip-knee-foot being essential when wanting to transfer electrical power through the leg.

Body usage determined by these designs is not “natural”, however neither will be upright position which is why we have to learn specialist ways of shifting. They do allow us to make use of our bodies in the lightly crammed (low strain) way and also to maximise motion and strength. Greater effectiveness from a comfortable body after that enables our bodies to keep going longer and stay cellular and healthful for longer. The key being if we find the simplest way of functioning then it requires less work and create much less deterioration.

The Mental Model

In to achieve the problem implied through these designs, we also should address the particular controls applied on our bodies by simply our psychological states.

Tense mental states, dread, anxiety, and so forth. feed to our mobiliser muscle tissue in low/high stage fight/flight/freeze reaction. So that you can maintain a accommodating connected issue, it is important to have a relaxed psychological state coordinating the state of willingness we attempt to maintain within our muscles.

There are lots of ways to handle this dread reaction : how it is carried out is perhaps a smaller amount important compared to that it ought to be done at all, because without it improvement soon grows to a physical threshold. Processes for example meditation as well as psychotherapy can help with this. Similarly, gaining self-confidence in our strategy will help. In fact, the simple procedure for frequently saying bodily activities has a comforting effect.

Each pupil therefore must find a way to strategy their fundamental primal concerns not just regarding confrontation nevertheless of simple things like falling around.

Implications in Fighting Applications

The body problem implied from all of these models can be thus in a position to resist outdoors action using minimal hard work (by utilization of stabilisers and excellent structure) and also to operate in wherein is quick, light, based and centred, capable of generate electrical power very rapidly more than short ranges by unifying the complete body to begin action. Your opponent can’t feel this particular movement very easily because it is lighting and hypersensitive, he is not really prepared consciously and also sub-consciously – he or she literally won’t know what struck him.

The types can be used to identify output of strength at any point in the body. Typically this will be by simply connection to the floor (via a Peng Way – which line of force/connectivity jogging through the entire body from opposition to ground) but it may also be used when not coupled to the floor throughout generating energy from the middle against system inertia.

Thus, for example, towards a impact one supply may be used to obstruct in a peaceful way * taking the power through the stabiliser-supported composition. Energy might be fed in to the mobilisers of the obstructing arm, pliometrically provided down to the actual abdominal muscles from the waist and also into the hip and legs pliometrically. The energy will be returned with the legs and also by the opposite provide in the form of any punch. The particular block along with punch take place almost instantaneously employing energy from your opponent’s boxing techinque absorbed pliometrically, neutralised through the stabilised structure as well as the waist motion, then went back to the adversary with the “centre fired” beat like activity of the mobilisers.

In training a consequence of these types of models is the fact that in order to totally use their own principles within a conflict scenario, we find it will become important to talk with the opposition in such a way they can be able to take in some of their electricity. This means we must meet their own attack within a resilient means as it involves us : in fact emotionally we want to meet up with it, because that gives people the best possibility of effective result. This requires that people address as well as deal with the fears concerning these scenarios since that will fear of achieving an attack may prevent us utilizing the best chance of survival — it is not smart to eliminate the concern – that may after all provide you with the energy for your response * but it is important to keep it through taking over in order that we can employ our instruction to good impact. The old Tai Ch saying involving “he moves — I have shifted first” can be applied in this our body should be moving in house in preparation regarding his strike even before he or she makes it actual physical, for example through putting one’s body in a state associated with connected potentiality. For many people this is a mindful process yet at large levels it could be possible to sustain this express continuously — the prior actions taking place in a long time of training.

Development of an body in keeping with these types seems to enhance practise of the art and also to enable people to be powerful in stances that initially sight show up weak. We are able to then run from no matter what position look for ourselves in.

Training to accomplish physical entire body usage in accordance with these hypotheses

These models aren’t new — they are produced by study of assorted martial arts, especially Chinese inside systems for example Tai Chi. There are several training methods already set up such as Man made fibre Reeling workouts, Qigong, relaxed stretching out using the away breath or anything else. Ultimately, this indicates we must alter our bodies whenever we wish to produce. They should turn out to be springy, relaxed, agency and sturdy. Fortunately this particular theoretical model of ideal body utilization also seems to become healthy strategy to be, thus promoting range of motion into senior years.

The models proven are automatically simplified directly into two sizes, their mixture into 3d with lover interaction and also dynamic motion is a advanced process codified within the “internal” martial arts — such as Tai Chi, but similarly applicable on the external disciplines such as martial art where this procedure can help to sustain ability straight into old age.

Wider Paradiagms

The models defined are every bit as applicable in sports/leisure activities while various since dance, archery, roller skating, skiing, kayaking etc. wherever we can understand the athletes displaying many of the aspects described to regulate their acrobatics, or perhaps the equipment they will use. Crucial to our own martial arts meaning however will be the development of treatments for an opponent as well as transmission associated with power, mostly from the floor – one factor which brings significantly towards the demands put on any improvement model we might use website traffic models should allow for the connection with another person wanting to attack as well as control all of us.

Whatever the theory were still focused on two pets fighting — we neglect that from our risk.

Thanks for reading the article. And please, do come back again.

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The Elements of Martial Arts Training

2013-02-17 11:56:00 (читать в оригинале)

 

 

The Elements of Martial Arts Training

Submitted by: William F. Gabriel

Martial arts training and self defense tactics are comprised of three essential elements. These universals apply to everyone, male or female, young or old. They are relevant whether you study close combat training styles or competitive sport styles.


Total Awareness Is All You Need


You need to be self-aware and aware of your surroundings at every moment. Even if you are just walking down the street or walking through the parking lot to your car, keep these things in mind and you will be able to prevent a confrontation before it ever begins:


?Look around. Keep your head up, your eyes open, and your hands free.


?Check out the terrain. Is the sidewalk even? Are the potholes or other obstacles on the pavement?


?Is the area remote? Are there other people around?


?Is the neighborhood populated with residential homes and business or vacant lots and abandoned buildings?


?Are your doors locked?


?Is the area well let?


?Are you distracted by your cell phone or looking for your keys?


?Can you hear what?s going on around you? Turn your iPod off and listen for other voices or footsteps.


Skills and Abilities You Need


Despite your best efforts to keep yourself from becoming a target, there may come a time when you will have no choice but to act. You can only act if you have been trained in self defense tactics. The kind of instruction you receive will determine your ability to protect yourself. You have several choices when it comes to self defense or martial arts training.


?One-day self defense workshop


?Short-term course hosted by women?s group or community organization


?Long-term training across multiple levels with a credentialed instructor


One-day and short-term courses can teach you valuable skills in a short amount of time. However, it might be a good idea to repeat these courses or go over the elements of the instruction from time to time as it can be easy to forget the techniques and maneuvers you learn in such a brief period.


Attitude in Self Defense


Your attitude may be the most important part of your self defense plan. If you live as though you are immune to violent situations, you could be caught by surprise ? compete unprepared for the world?s dangers. While no one expects you to live in constant fear, you can have some assurance that you could handle yourself in the event that someone did try to cause you physical harm.


As you continue with martial arts training, you will notice that your attitude changes, your awareness is sharpened, and your skills and abilities constantly improve. For most people who dedicate themselves to training, these three elements become second nature, and they are able to act quickly the moment danger strikes.


Self defense training is not about learning how to harm someone else. The goal of training is always to equip students with the tools they need to protect themselves from physical harm.


About the Author: For more information about martial arts training, please check out self defense tactics.


Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=573915&ca=Sports 

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The Essence of the Modern Martial Arts

2013-02-17 11:56:00 (читать в оригинале)

 

 

The Essence of the Modern Martial Arts

Submitted by: James Liu

Having an affiliation to tradition is something that is missing in the martial arts. With the recent advent of MMA, the traditions of the martial arts have largely been ignored for the value of ?fighting?.


Many MMA facilities pride themselves on having a stable of fighters, yet they find that many of these fighters, go their own way, without any type of appreciation of where they trained. With this in mind, you have to wonder if you can continue the tradition of any type of art in this environment.


One of the ways to cure this ailment is to institute a belt ranking program. From there, you can start changing the culture of the school where the coach is recognized as the sensei or instructor. Having students bow before the start of class, and after, is another way to inject traditional martial arts within the culture.


The rules do not have to be so egregious where the student must call the instructor ?Master?. In fact, that title should never be used in any sense, since it condones a subservient behavior that is not needed in today?s society. Having the student just call the instructor by the appropriate title is sufficient to keep a distance where respect is needed.


Unruly students need to be talked to, and if there is not a good solution, cut from the school. One bad apple can ruin the barrel, and it is true within a martial arts school. Would you have an unruly customer in your store every day? If the answer is no, then you should take the appropriate steps to have the student removed by cancelling their contracts.


At OC Jiu-Jitsu and MMA, we have a culture that has gone through changes, and has broken free of the hazards of a fighting school. Our orange county MMA program is the most respected in the area, due to the fact, that we have taken steps to keep the culture stable. Having the right instructors is also essential in this endeavor, to help shape the culture of the school. Unruly instructors maybe worse than unruly students, and this is something that management has to consider.


Having a fighter teach the class can be a hindrance, since many students are more interested in training then fighting. There are a very percentage of students who want to become professional fighters, and the ones who do, are often not the bet paying students. Ever wonder why the local karate schools are full of students?


For the MMA and BJJ owner, the challenges of having a traditional school coupled with having a profitable one is essential to keep the school growing. Making the mistake of having a pure fighting school will only cause problems within the culture, and possibly outside of the school. The techniques that we show our students can never be used for purposes other than self-defense. But, tell that to a teenager who dreams about becoming a fighter, yet barely understand the laws of society.


About the Author: OC Jiu-Jitsu and MMA is the premier martial arts academy in Orange County California.


Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=398535&ca=Sports 

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Martial Arts Equipment – Progress In Martial Arts

2013-02-17 11:56:00 (читать в оригинале)

 

 

Martial Arts Equipment – Progress In Martial Arts

By Phil Burney

The first and last thing you need to remember about martial arts is that it is a field of discipline that is supposed to prepare you for combat. It is not simply a set of movements that look great to spectators. Every movement, every breath done by the martial artist is meant to accomplish something during a combat encounter. If you are ready for the idea of using your martial arts skills for combat situations, then you are ready to train and progress in martial arts.


Inasmuch as the term “Martial Arts” literally means “the art of Mars” (Mars being the god of war in Roman mythology), you should be prepared to invest in martial arts equipment to train for highly combative situations. Though some cultures frown upon women taking part in martial arts, there are other cultures that expect women to learn martial arts too – like in ancient Japan, wives of samurai warriors were expected to defend the home if attacked in the absence of their husbands.


Martial arts can be subdivided as to what skills they seem to prioritize – this will tell you what types of martial arts equipment you need to use. For striking, you may need the “wooden dummy” that is used as Chinese martial arts equipment – this type of Chinese martial arts equipment tries to train your mind to anticipate where angles of attack would come from. For kicking sports like Taekwondo, the necessary martial arts equipment to use would be a mouth-guard and a head-guard (for both male and female jins or fighters.) Male jins need other martial arts equipment like a crotch guard or sport cup so that their groin is not exposed to injury. Chest protectors are standard martial arts equipment for amateur matches and Olympic-level matches. However, in real life you should expect such protective martial arts equipment to be absent so some sparring matches involve absence of any protective gear, so you get used to being in real-life combat situations.


Uniforms are standard martial arts equipment for nearly all martial arts nowadays. Often, you can distinguish what type of martial arts is being done based on what the fighters are wearing. But uniforms are not just pleasant to look at – since they are made of thick material, they are pretty durable so that they can withstand constant strikes and friction during combat situations. Uniforms nowadays are also made of breathable material like thick cotton so that fighters don’t overheat or feel too uncomfortable in the heat of a match.


Since martial arts were developed for combat, often fighters or martial artists might be members of the military. In the Western context then, it may be necessary to have access to important martial arts equipment such as strength training equipment. Though in the past, the weight of your opponent may have been enough to workout with, nowadays many martial arts recognize that strength training is quite important too. So if you can find a way to buy your own gym equipment (as your investment into necessary martial arts equipment) or at least rent them by the hour, that would help you develop strength and power for your matches.


In many Chinese martial arts, there are other forms of martial arts equipment that Western martial arts do not require. Some Chinese disciplines will require you to break wooden blocks or planks with your fist. This simple yet staple among Chinese martial arts equipment tests your power, focus, and ability to marshal your chi (energy) into your fist where it meets the wood. Another type of necessary martial arts equipment for the Chinese martial arts would be concrete blocks. Some instructors may ask you to break these concrete blocks with your fist, feet, or even your head.


As you can see, the Chinese martial arts require a different set of martial arts equipment compared to the Western type of martial arts. Do invest in the type of martial arts equipment appropriate for your discipline. Martial arts equipment will help you be a stronger, better and more confident fighter in the end.


About the Author: http://www.Prokarate.com offers a full online catalog of MMA supplies, Boxing Equipment, and Martial Arts weapons.


Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=239131&ca=Sports 

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The Bo And Other Long Wooden Staff Martial Arts Weapons

2013-02-17 11:56:00 (читать в оригинале)

 

 

The Bo And Other Long Wooden Staff Martial Arts Weapons

Submitted by: Clint Leung

Besides rocks, one of the most basic of all weapons throughout mankind’s history across most cultures has been the long wooden stick. This makes sense since sticks were always readily available in the forests or could be easily made. The Asian martial arts took the long wooden staff into an art form as many martial art styles include the long staff in their systems. Some styles even have traditional weapons forms or katas featuring the long staff. Some systems of martial arts train with weapons such as the staff through practical techniques only without the use of set forms.


Unlike many martial art weapons such as swords, knives, kamas and sais which are short range, staffs are long range weapons with superior reach. This enables the user to attack and defend from a distance which can be frustrating from the point of view of an opponent who has a short range weapon. Long range weapons are also useful in keeping multiple opponents out of reach too. Of course, long weapons such as the staff cannot be easily concealed like short range weapons so they can be cumbersome to carry around.


One of the most popular martial arts weapons from the Japanese karate styles is the bo. Even today, the bo is usually the first weapon taught at karate schools and is the most common weapon seen at tournaments. The bo staff comes in different variations. There are heavy bo staffs which resemble thick poles which are considered more traditional and there are lighter versions which are tapered at both ends. There are also multi-sided bo staffs such as octagonal but these are much less common than the usual round, circular versions.


Although there are one handed swings, most bo techniques involve both hands holding the weapon. Various strikes and blocks can be performed with either end of the bo as well as the sides and middle. Bo users take advantage of the entire weapon as techniques can be executed with any part of the bo. For the majority of techniques involving the bo, the user holds the staff near the middle with both ends protruding out equally. Traditionally, the lead hand (furthest away from the body) has been the right hand.


Contemporary weapons forms competitions have caused the bo to evolve where competitors now use extremely lightweight bo’s and some even have reflective finishes giving a more flashy visual appearance when the user is performing a bo form. Unlike traditional bo forms, contemporary creative open forms with the bo involve more complex spins and even tosses. Some martial artists do not consider some of the modern bo forms observed in the competition circuits to be true weapons forms as some competitors emphasize too much baton-like twirling action rather than actual combative techniques. It could very well be a matter of personal taste. This is why in most of the large open martial arts tournaments, weapons divisions are split into traditional and creative.


Chinese kung fu styles also utilize the long staff although there are some differences in techniques when compared to Japanese karate styles. Instead of holding the weapon in the middle most of the time like a bo is held, Chinese staffs are usually held near one end which has the effect of elongating the weapon even more. Taditionally, the lead hand is the left hand with the right holding the bottom end of the staff. However, there are techniques which involve switching sides as well as using the bottom end to strike too. In addition to strikes executed while holding the weapon with both hands, there are more single handed techniques with Chinese staffs than with Japanese bo staffs. Like their empty hand kung fu forms, Chinese staff forms have more circular, swinging techniques than in Japanese karate styles.


Contemporary wushu forms use a much lighter weapon than in traditional kung fu staff forms. Wushu stylists also use staffs or cudgels that are made of a unique white wax wood from trees that are grown only in China. Staffs made of this type of wood are not made with precision like Japanese bo’s. The wushu staffs are naturally tapered with a thicker bottom and thinner top. The white wax wood is extremely resilient as users of this type of Chinese staff perform techniques which involve smashing the entire weapon on the floor at full force.


Korean kuk sul won also has the long staff in their system and the techniques used are like a blend of Chinese and Japanese moves. Although all martial arts styles that utilize weaponry have more complex and possibly more impressive looking weapons, the long staff has remained to be a favorite for many martial artists.


About the Author: Clint Leung is a lifelong martial artist with over 32 years of training experience in kung fu, tae kwon do, karate, kickboxing and martial arts weaponry. He has won Canadian and world championship titles (NASKA, NBL and WSKF). He is also owner of Free Spirit Activewear (http://www.FreeSpiritActivewear.com) , an online retailer and designer of premium martial arts activewear. Free Spirit Activewear has martial arts info articles.


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