use of weapons in martial arts?

Question

ok me personally i like the idea of using weapons like the staff or arnis,it has practical uses. but what is your opinions of training with weapons. shouldn't we spend more time training our bodies, since no one walks around with katanas any more?

Answer 1

When I was a teenager (I'm 36 now), I witnessed huge fights (rumbles). Out came the pipes, chains, sticks, knifes, you name it. One of the most badass people that I have ever known had his cheek torn off with a chain. You could see the muscles, and bones in his skull. He had numerous weapon injuries. This guy took great pride in being able to take a strike from anyone. He was absolutely destroyed by one man with a weapon. In any really bad scenario, weapons are a given. The thing I like about my teacher is that he always tries to imitate real world scenarios (i.e. multiple attackers, with weapons). Not how most people imagine Tai-Chi, now is it? I don't want to fight anyway, I would rather walk my dog.

Answer 2

Well truthfully... one has nothing to do with the other. Two completely different systems. Kobudo is an art all to itself. However, most schools have a very inferior weapons program where they have a bastardized system of flipping, twirling, and swinging some sort of "weapon." It's good to note this is usually accompanied by some outlandish screaming, and when on public display a musical arrangement.

Kobudo has value just like karate has value. Shouldn't we spend more time training our bodies?? Why?? No one walks around with katana's anymore... I agree. Know what else.. bandits and thieves don't roam the country side unchecked either. We don't "throw down" in the streets like they did back then either. Training your hands is almost as useless a weapon as anything else. If that's all your getting out of your training, take up music, art, basketweaving.. something else that will offer you more value.

The alternative is to see the real reason behind traditional arts, and grow as a person.. mind, body and spirit. In that sense, Kobudo has every bit as much to offer as anything else. Two different rocks from the same river.. either both have merit, or both are useless.

Answer 3

In my martial art, weapons are used as an extension of the body. Everything you can do with your hands and feet can be done with weapons. But weapons also can help with your body. Case in point, part of my training dealt with stick fighting in which we compared the strikes of the sticks with certain hand strikes. After practicing with the sticks for a given amount of time, using your hands to make those similar strikes was faster.
Another point that I like to point out to my friends is that you may be allowed to carry a concealed weapon within your town or city but not every place within that area will allow weapons at all. So what if it comes down to you without a weapon against someone with a weapon. Well, I don't know about you but things like brooms and mops can be used in place of Bos. Umbrellas, rolled up newspapers or magazines, pretty much anything i can think of will be used against my assailant should I not have a proper weapon on me.

Answer 4

Weapons training if done with an instructor that knows his art and truly knows weapons will be able to teach you some concepts and ideas that may not be so obvious to empty hand training. Also many key concepts in weapons training parallel those of empty hand training like turning the hand and wrist over on a thrust with your staff just like you do on a punch for better speed and power. Thirdly if you actually learn how to work a weapon to a high degree of skill rather than just twirl ling it you will also be developing your body. Learning to work the weapon takes much longer than just twirl ling it and it then becomes an extension of you. Most legetimate martial artists that can work a weapon are equally skilled at empty hand for this reason.

Answer 5

Maybe .... but on a side note there is a Martial Art that teaches the use of a 4 leged bar stool as a weapon, I always thought that would be a fun thing to learn. I also think the training of weapons also teaches how to defend against them so the knife or stick type always seemed to make sence to me. I think plenty of people still use knives and bats of one form or another. I don't think it makes much sence to learn a weapon you will never carry, another reason I like the small knife. Not that I carry one anymore but I would have never carried a staff for example. And the answer to your question is No ..... we should spend more time trainig our mind than our weapon skill or our body.

Answer 6

well...they have done studies and have found that even if someone has a gun, someone who is 100 feet away can still get to them and kill them before a shot is fired, especially if the gun is still in its holster. Guns can only do as much damage as the accuracy and skill of the wielder allows.

Training in multiple weapons can be very avantageous, and many hand held, easily-available, tools can be be used in place of the weapons trained with in martial arts. A shovel can be used like a Kwan dao, a meat cleaver like an axe or scimitar, a broom like a staff, and whatever else you can think of. THere are so many items that are commonly in use that can be used in place of a formal weapon.

Also, each weapon you train with has a different dynamic that needs to be mastered. A knife doesn't have much difference from fighting bare handed, but a staff, or longer weapon, requires you to adjust for its size. A kwan dao, although like a staff, requires you to hold it differently and adjust for the new center of gravity. Each weapon discipline is unique and interesting to master

Answer 7

most weapons in martial arts where just everyday tools back in the day. like the staff was used for walking, a kama was used for cutting grain, and so forth and so on. i agree that it's kinda tough to carry around a katana still expect to have to use it. however it's not impractical to learn how to use things like the staff, knifes, etc because there are so many things that are found in our environment that can be used the same way as the weapons back in ancient times.

Answer 8

Katana is a personal favorite of mine and I've got some miles in training with them however in today's world you won't find someone walking down the street with a sword anymore. I also have experience with a bow staff and it's more practical in a fight for protection a big stick could be used or a walking stick or cane but I'd say a bow staff and the Arnis sticks are what I mastered out of the many weapons I use

Answer 9

It really depends on your Martial Art. I practice Iaido (the way of the sword) and do all my training with an Iaito (practice sword). If a weapon is not part of your national bodies cirriculum then there is no need to train with a weapon.

It amazies me to see XMA Martial Artists swining a sword around as if it was a cheerleaders baton, weapons have no part in this.

Answer 10

I don't let my students train with weapons until they reach purple belt. Learning to use your body as a self defense tool is hard enough without confusing it with weapons. Although, once they reach a certain level, it is time. Weapons training improves your hand to eye coordination, strengthens your muscles, and improves your concentration. As far as a gun goes, any idiot can pull a trigger, take a gun disarming class. I'd rather have the knowledge and not need it, than to need it and not have it.