Which weapon is the best for forms competitions in your opinion?

Answer 1

Why practice Martial Arts? Is it for Self-Defense or for showing off?

Answer 2

Which ever one you're best at obviously. But for judging purposes, you should pick the ones that seem "flashy" where your techniques can be seen but seem very sophisticated due to light reflecting off the weapon/visability of the weapon movements by the judges. Nunchaku, Katana and Sai are very flashy with the nunchaku moves being very flashy and blurry yet still understandable. The katana is also nice when your techniques require spins while slicing. The Sai doesn't have the "showy" effect other weapons do because they are too small to be noticed and the techniques being so fast are hard to notice differences. If you could use a staff or a 3 sectional staff, those are rated highly due to the complexity and diversity of the moves changing so rapidly while the technique is easy to see by the judges.

Assuming you are an expert with all these weapons and others I would suggest either the nunchaku or Staff/Bo. These weapons are very visible and are the easist to see what you are doing as well as viewing the complexity of the techniques.

Answer 3

I tend to agree with wildhair there except there is one other aspect that sometimes becomes a factor in weapons competition. While it is true that the weapons that seem to dominate competition are staff and kama sometimes the judges like to see and can respect something that is not so common. Many of the top weapons competitors for this reason usually have several weapons that they can chose from to present in competition and will sometimes change from on competition to the next. For this reason you will sometimes see some of the less common ones like the short spear, oar, and other lesser known weapons presented which when done well can all be very dynamic and entertaining.

Answer 4

Much depends on your skills, the experience of the judges, and the type of event you expect to compete in.

In our games, we allow anything to be used in a creative forms division which frequently includes many different types of weapons, as well as some common items you would not expect, but could use as a weapon. One competitor used a skate board to extremely good effect.

If the judges are experienced and smart, you need to be technically proficient and system knowledgable to score well. If this is simply for demonstration with an untrained audience, then as others have said, go for something familiar, flashy, and exciting.

Ken C
9th Dan HapMoosaKi-Do
8th Dan TaeKwon-Do
7th Dan YongChul-Do

Answer 5

I don't really know which is best. It is all a matter of which weapon you are most familiar with. A weapon is an extension of your body, so unless someone has absolute control over it as they would their own limb I am not impressed. So, I enjoy watching forms when the practitioner has 100% control of the weapon otherwise I loose interest.
Personally, I enjoy watching bo kata best, but that is just a personal preference.

Answer 6

That depends very much on the art.
I had a friend who made 3rd in weapons for Tai Chi North America and it was all Swords.
Another did 2nd USA with Bo staff.
What do you feel is comfortable and right for you?
If you are doing Tai Chi it is not just about force but about style too.
If Kendo then it is all about smacking your oponent down before he can strike and style means nothing.
Whatever you like.
Lances are pretty.

Answer 7

cleverness
made strange boms
chilli
courageous