Help with nunchakus!!

[Garma]

I just recently bought some nunchakus, but I don't know quite what to do with the practice ones. The real one I have a heavier, but if I make a mistake in training with them, it could be pretty bad. Then again, the foam-padded practice nunchakus are very light and are not quite as heavy as the real ones, which could be a problem with switching to real ones later. However, the foam ones do offer a good protection against mishaps.

I was also wondering if any one particular style best goes with the nunchakus, better than karate. I would like to use that style to throw in blocks, fast kicks, and fierce uppercuts. Could anyone suggest a Martial Arts style to use while maintaining balance with the nunchakus?

Thank you all for your time.

[Bigfoot]

Don't worry about switching from light to heavy. There is no problem at all in doing this. The opposite is not true, though. It is very difficult to train with a light nunchaku when you are accustomed to using a heavy one.

[Garma]

Thank you for the information. Could the length of a nunchaku be a problem though, say if you are accustomed to using one with a longer chain, or shorter bars?

[kobudo_tob]

We generally say that the when you hold the nunchaku by your side, they shouldn't touch the floor.

Of course, thats us - many other people have longer ropes/chains.

For the record, I/we use hexangonal wood with a short rope, for choking.

[Wearing Grey]

I have been working the them for the past 9 months or so. At first I used the foam padded ones.

Then after about 4 months I switched to metal ones. Just use your foam ones until you feel like you can switch to the heavy ones w/o hurting yourself.

Even when you get good at them, you will still hurt yourself every once and a while. Just the other day I hit myself with them and brought blood in my left arm. (Of course this is a very rare thing) But it still happens.

I prefer my nunchucks to be light and fast (metal) so i can move them quickly. Rattan chucks are about medium weight so you can get them spinning fairly quick and plus they are cheap.

Also, most chains/rope are about the same length (some differ slightly), unless you have built your own from a kit.

As far as a style to go with them, I integrate TKD in with mine. It is my own personal preference. It really looks cool when your do a spinning-jump-inside cresant and then when you have just moved your leg to throw the cresant you strike sideways and down with the chucks opposite side the leg you have just kicked with. (I hope that made sense).

As far as my chucks, I do not like the hex ones. The 12" round, slinder ones fits me the best. Again, that is personal preference and no one chuck is better than the other (except maybe in quality). It is just what your prefer and take a liking to.

Regards,

WG

[kobudo_tob]

I prefer my nunchucks to be light and fast (metal) so i can move them quickly

Where in the blue hell did you find light metal? My metal nunchaku are extremely heavy - but there are just for ornimental purposes anyway ;)

I was also wondering if any one particular style best goes with the nunchakus

Nunchaku-jutsu :)

[Wearing Grey]

I bought a set of Aluminum (hollowed out ones) at my old school. They were very very thin aluminum with plastic rings attached at each end. Then it had some decorations on the outside of it to make it flashy. They worked great for about 5 months, then when i went to visit my Grandparents 2 weeks ago they broke (chain broke). I think I am going to give my old Grandmaster a call to see if he can tell me where he bought them because they are definately the best chucks I have ever seen.

I have never seen them anywhere else, even though I have looked for a 2nd pair on the net.

I did, however, find a set of Graphite chucks on the net. I bought two pairs of them to try them out but I have not gotten them yet. They are supposed to be super light and really really fast.

Thanks!

Sean

[kobudo_tob]

Ah.....aluminium.....thanks for enlightening me :)

[Andrew Green]

Tob, they are likely showy ones, not traditional ;)

I think Century has some Aluminium ones.

[kobudo_tob]

Tob, they are likely showy ones, not traditional

Who said I wanted any ;)

[nunchaku8587]

Originally posted by Bigfoot
Don't worry about switching from light to heavy. There is no problem at all in doing this. The opposite is not true, though. It is very difficult to train with a light nunchaku when you are accustomed to using a heavy one.


very true

[Chris J.]

Hi,
Interesting. Here is some historical information on the weapon. While some have written that the Nunchaku was used to smash grain, which was then tossed in the wind to remove the chaff, this is not accurate. It actually was a horse bridal. This would have required it to be of variable length, quite heavy by the standards of what some folks are using these days, and irregularly shaped.

If what you are looking for is a hoby that you can 'look good' at, use light weapons that would serve no purpose in actual combat.

If what you would like to do is learn the traditional use of the weapon, use 14" nunchaku made of oak or some similar wood. These are somewhat heavy and will strengthen you while used.

As far as harming yourself, this need not be a problem with proper instruction using real weapons (i.e. heavy, etc.) You should be able to use light, heavy, short strung or relatively long strung interchangeably. This is a part of learning the necessary control of the weapon. The shorter is most practical, which I will explain below.

The weapon was primarily used in grappling which was punctuated at need by flailing techniques; today the flailing is just about all you see anyone do. Any grappling move you can do without nunchaku can also be adapted for use with one; the techniques are very painful that way of course. Modern martial arts split into grappling, striking, weapons, etc. The older arts had all of this in them already.

Also, there were no katas handed down using the nunchaku; what you see today have been recently fashioned. Part of them come from relatively ignorant people who barely understood the weapon, while a few have been created with the intent of preserving the old methods (i.e. Matoyoshi Kobujitsu).

The string should be short enough that the opponent's wrist may be painfully squeezed between the sticks when they are wrapped around it. Also the octagonal cut has a purpose both in grappling and also in flailing.

In grappling as you trap the opponent's arm or wrist you can tighten and twist the stick, causing tremendous pain.

In flailing the tips of the octagonal cut are not beveled off and are sharp, and these tear the skin when slashed, and following through with the edges of the flutes dragging by also can cut. Actual contact is best done in a glancing blow (with some exceptions of course), pulling downward sharply upon contact to true out the weapon and prevent it from springing back in your face.

My advice- use the heaviest nunchacu you can get to train with 75% of the time, and also train 25% of the time using a standard oak octagonal nunchaku with a 1.5 - 2 inch string length on both. Don't bother with a light weapon; use a real one of don't even bother.

-Chris J.

[kobudo_tob]

(i.e. Matoyoshi Kobujitsu).

C'est moi :D

actually was a horse bridal.

One plausible theory amongst many others.

[fallout]

hi,

any experienced people with the nunchuks, would you recommend the foam nunchuka for beginners though? I have a pair but I dont know anywhere to get tutition ( live in Glasgow), I presume you would not recommend learning from books or films? are there seminars e.t.c?

[nunchaku8587]

definitly start with a foam pair

[gojuman]

Originally posted by nunchaku8587
definitly start with a foam pair

Foam? Nunchaku are not toys. So, in my opinion use real nunchaku and practice slowly until you build confidence. You need to fully respect the nunchaku's power and by playing with foam toys you may not learn appreciate them for what they really are. One of my pet peeves are the schools out there that teach weapons in a way that demeans their true power. Like rubber chucks, plastic swords,and sai. Kubudo needs to be taught with the highest respect for the weapon and what the capabilities are of each weapon.

[tai-gip]

i agree use real nunchucks better weight and ballance
and if you want them realy smooth and fast remove the cord and join them using fishing line:)

[Reiki]

Use real ones. The heavier the better IMHO. I have a lovely pair of speedchucks, love em.

Wear a hard hat if necessary. Try to avoid dropping them on your toes!

[SSJ1_Katrina]

i thought the point of them was to trap the opponents weapon, hence it really ought to be made of strong leather to prevent it slipping, but everyine is talking about chains, am i wrong ?
weapons aren't something i have fully investigated yet.

[aikijudo]

I agree with Chris, a lot of good points made.

You might also consider a couple of other training methods, such as pyramid training with 3 different weighted nunchucks, training with 2 pair at the same time to help with ambidexterity, learning distraction techniques, and learn to take them away from someone using them against you.

Back in the day, I had 4 pair of nunchucks. All were 14" octagonal with string, and from the same Mfr. Two pair were pine painted black, another African Rosewood, and another was Cocobolo (sp?) - VERY heavy and tough. I worked out with the pine first, both hands, for 5 minutes, then switched to the African Rosewood for 5 minutes, then the Cocobolo wood for five minutes, than back down to the African Rosewood another 5 minutes, than pine for another 5 minutes. You should find that your speed is much quicker on the 5th set. So be careful and not loose your concentration.

I also trained with both 14” octagonal pine at the same time. This most definitely helped with my ambidexterity, but the figure-eights can be dangerous, so be very careful and go slow at first. I also learned to take each pair a different direction (different directions at the same time). Kind of like rubbing your head and patting your stomach, or visa/versa. This was definitely a challenge, but it was fun and good, I think, for my coordination.

I also realized that it often takes a lot of concentration to spin nunchucks. I learned this is the best method for taking them away from someone; throw something towards their face. Take off your shoe, keys or coins in your pocket, anything handy – just throw it in their face and they will slow down, if not stop. And you should train against this. Have a friend throw small pillows or something benign like an eraser or something at you. NOT HARD either, just enough to try and distract you. Realize these things won’t hurt you and keep spinning the chucks. Dodge them, block them, whatever you feel like doing, but don’t stop.

You should also consider learning to take them from someone directly while they are spinning. This is very dangerous, so you will need to work with someone who knows how to do this, and use the rubber ones, at first, if possible. This technique is usually performed while the attacker is doing a figure-eight.

Another pointer my sensei gave was to always start with your bad hand, and never do more with your good hand than you can do with your bad hand. Ambidexterity is important with nunchucks, and if practiced sincerely, your ambidexterity will increase tremendously aiding in your other techniques.

Be careful and have fun!!!

[nunchaku8587]

yeah, you could start with the real ones, but it's alot easier to get hurt if you dont have proper training and aren't careful. gojuman is right, nunchakus aren't toys, so why risk hurting yourself when you're just starting?

[#1 Stutta]

Originally posted by fallout
hi,

any experienced people with the nunchuks, would you recommend the foam nunchuka for beginners though? I have a pair but I dont know anywhere to get tutition ( live in Glasgow), I presume you would not recommend learning from books or films? are there seminars e.t.c?

Yes, you should use the foam chucks when you first start out. Always remember to practice w/ BOTH hands. That is very important. Practicing w/ both hands will increase your ambidexterity (skill in both hands).

Once you have got a feel of the spinning and swinging motion of the chucks, switch to real ones. Try to switch pretty quickly, so that you can get used to the real ones. It's always better to practice w/ real ones.

When you practice w/ one, do different motions in BOTH hands:

1) Figure-eights -- up AND down

2) Spin the chucks in front of you clockwise

3) Spin them in front of you counterclockwise

4) Spin them on either side of you -- clockwise and counterclockwise

5) Spin them w/ your right hand on your left side both ways and vice versa -- spin them w/ your arm across in front of your stomach and behind your back

6) Spin them above your head like a lasso -- both ways

The above seven are what you should begin with. They will improve your control and wrist movement. Start slowly and then work up your speed. It will take some time, so don't rush yourself.

Repetition is the key to success in everything you do. Keep on repeating these motions and you'll build your speed and control pretty quickly.

To answer your question about films and books, I know for sure that books won't help, but there is a series of videos that I've heard about. There's a man who makes videos that are supposed to train you in nunchuks. He's supposed to be really good. I've heard a lot of good things about him. I can't remeber his name right now, but I'll get it to you soon.

If you have any other questions or if you want some more instruction once you've mastered these motions just PM me.

[Greg-VT]

Originally posted by gojuman
Foam? Nunchaku are not toys.


Which is exactly why a complete beginner should start with foam.

The foam nunchaku are not made completely of foam, they have a solid bar in the center. They are just covered in foam to reduce impact.

[Greg-VT]

Originally posted by SSJ1_Katrina
i thought the point of them was to trap the opponents weapon, hence it really ought to be made of strong leather to prevent it slipping, but everyine is talking about chains, am i wrong ?
weapons aren't something i have fully investigated yet.

Not exactly.

They were first used as a farming tool, until some sort of invasion somewhere, and then started to be used a weapon.

I have not heard of them being used purely to capture weapons... But as an impact weapon.

If used corectly they can smash a face/skull open and kill in one blow. The power they have within one motion is amazing, and scary.

Many people don't realise just how dangerous they are when used correctly by an expert (or incorrectly in the case of self damage).

[Andy Murray]

Start young with proper heavy (Mahogany) Chucks.

http://www.martialartsplanet.com/photos/data/500/13chukchick-med.jpg

My daughter aged two. :D

[Greg-VT]

lol..
...I feel showed up now.

*goes to find 14* stainless steel set to start with*

[tai-gip]

ohhhh Andy she looks just like you without the horns and red skin

strong will in those eyes Andy dont dominate it teach her everything you can but make her think and come to her own conclusions and i bet by 12 she will be kicking your butt:)

[Andy Murray]

Originally posted by tai-gip
i bet by 12 she will be kicking your butt:)

She's set her sights on kicking your butt next year Tai Gip ;) LOL

You're right about the will though.

It's a wonder I wasn't drowned at birth.

[tai-gip]

NEXT YEAR ???hmmm maybee Andy maybee dont give her limits tell her she can do things others cant and because she dosnt know she cant she will then you can learn from her

my view on children is that they are like putty they can be anything the shame of it is parents often place the limitations they have for there own lives onto the children limiting them..sometimes not even realizing it..... teach them they can do and achieve anything and they can

the most joy i had from the ma was teaching kids show them a kick bang they do it and sometimes better than you there the kids to watch... try the same with adults and they are telling themselves they cant do that and arnt sure how to get near that

i love kids and animals :) they dont fear you if you dont fear them mcuh more relaxed and relaxing companionship than adults

actualy i love pretty much everything and everyone i just get on better with kids and animals we just have an unspoken bond

[Reiki]

they look the same as my chucks, nice & heavy.... :D

[Reiki]

Originally posted by tai-gip
i love kids and animals :)

I love teaching the kids, their speed of improvement is incredible when they really try hard!

:love:

[SSJ1_Katrina]

they were used in farming?
how?
what is the history to this weapon then- you can't just say that and finnish!
i want to know more! :D

Please?

[johndoch]

I hate watching some folk with the chucks. Especially the twirl merchants.

I think some people forget that they are a weapon and IMO should be trained as such. Whats the point of twirling the stick into different stances and grips if you cant knock throw them full power at full speed with the intention to actually hit something.

[Greg-VT]

Hi Katrina.

They were orginally used in Rice fields by the people of Okinawa. They were used to brush rice stalks to garther the grains in the fields. The rice grains would fall off the stalk for collection after the the Nunchaku had brushed or swung along the stalks.

When Japan invaded Okinawa, they confiscated all the weapons. So then the people of Okinawa had to make do with what they had, ie. farming tools. One of which was the very effective Nunchaku.

They learnt to use the Nunchaku as a weapon, as it is being used today.

[SSJ1_Katrina]

hey Ving Tsun,
thanks for that info, i find the history of the weapons really interesting, much appreciated. :)
-Katrina

[Greg-VT]

No worries.

I soooo wish we could get them here. It's a Stupid law. People are able to get a hold on guns but yet no-one can get a set of Nunchaku...

Might make my own one day. :(

[peacfulwarrior]

Originally posted by gojuman
Foam? Nunchaku are not toys. So, in my opinion use real nunchaku and practice slowly until you build confidence. You need to fully respect the nunchaku's power and by playing with foam toys you may not learn appreciate them for what they really are. One of my pet peeves are the schools out there that teach weapons in a way that demeans their true power. Like rubber chucks, plastic swords,and sai. Kubudo needs to be taught with the highest respect for the weapon and what the capabilities are of each weapon.

I agree about using the real deal. When I first strarted training with nunchakus I played around with a rubber pair that a friend of mine had just swinging em around not knowing anything about how to swirl. I bought a pair of wooden chuks and started slowly building speed with practice and became good at it. So I say used wood and start slow.

[Bobtob]

Originally posted by nunchaku8587
definitly start with a foam pair

I completely agree. If i wouldn't have started out with a foam pair i wouldv'e killed myself 100 times over. The foam pair will help you learn the basics safely.

[Anth]

i started using foam nunchakus a year ago for 2 reasons: so i didnt hurt myself and because my sensei told me to. i progressed onto the heavy metal and rubber nunchakus i have now and train with them all the time. i try and use these as fast as i can so when i go in competitions and demos and use a pair of wooden nunchaku, my speed is incredible. my advice is: use foam nunchaku when you are first starting out to build up your confidence and speed as they dont hurt anywhere near as much as the others i use (ouch), then when your sensei thinks that you are good enough, get some wooden or metal ones.

[Cloud-uk]

Mmmm, I started with wooden ones. I didn't have any problems, hit myself a few times, hurt a bit, but it hardly bruised. For me getting the foam ones would have been a waste of money. Still, its all down to you really, you can go on about how they're a weapon and you need to be careful - a very valid point- and if thats how YOU think get a foam pair first. I just happen to put my cash reserves in front of my safety...heh heh, not really, but I just didn't feel that the risk was too great.

Just do what you want, it'll hardly bankrupt you me's thinks.