Good weapon for a beginner?

[NickDanzinger]

I do judo and also some Muay Thai but I was wondering about some weapons fighting, do any of you have some fun suggestions for a beginner?

I was thinking a Bo staff, since it's fairly cheap and simple..

Thanks for all replies.

[Poop-Loops]

Most styles teach you how to use a Bo staff first, since if you konk yourself on the head with it, you won't die. :)

PL

[Redhotdragon]

Yup first weapon i learnt was the Bo staff...

[Shaolin Dragon]

That or the short stick(s)

[quartermaster]

or even a longer stick, say 7'

[Reiki]

Bo or arnis would be my pick for your first weapons.

As a matter of interest we start teaching arnis from the very first [at white belt level - and even the little kids get to learn it], so that by the time you reach blue belt and higher you are pretty competant with them.

You can practice sticks and bo by yourself which is good so that you wont get hurt by hitting yourself!

[47Ronin]

The best weapon to use is the one you are instructed in, you know, by your teacher................

[Mig]

Yes, I learnt the bo first and found it real ungainly and hard to move with. However I can now use it without having to stick my tongue out in concentration and have evev gained a liking for the weapon. Besides which I've never heard of anyone not starting with a bo. I'd have thought there's gotta be something in that.

[Anth]

i started learning nunchaku first this time last year and im only starting to learn the bo now after nunchaku and sai. maybe im just backwards :D

[Darren]

Yeah the staff is safest to learn first.

I started with a nunchaku too... nice wooden pair so you knew when you muffed up. *rubs back of head and elbows*

9 section chain whip is fun... if you have no regard for your knees, ankles, head, elbows, face... :D

[The Kestrel]

i started with staff, and continued with spear(with blade).

[Guerilla Fists]

The mind! (sorry had to say it)

[Brad Ellin]

The hanbo or jo. Easier to find similiar size items around the house (umbrella, golf club, bat). But that's just my preference.

[nicolo]

get a kubotan

[Darkflames21]

Try the sai. These are my first weapon and still learning, but it depends on what you like and what your teacher think is ready for you. Try the sai.

[Cudgel]

I started with shinai for my swordsmanship. They are cheap and dont hurt to terribly much when you get hit without armor.

[Goju]

I started with the tanbo/escrima/kali 3' stick. It is simpler training than nunchaku for instance, and the stick can be applied to almost anything. Im starting the bo staff training as soon as my bo gets here

[shonuff]

Any blunt weapon except flailing weapons like chains, nunchuks and three section staves. Any length stick is good.


examples:

pocket sticks
staves
escrima sticks
bokkens/suburito
wood mockup weapons (wood tantos, wood taichi swords)

[small guy]

hmm foam nunchaku or tonfa?

[JediMasterChris]

I started with shinai for my swordsmanship. They are cheap and dont hurt to terribly much when you get hit without armor.


Huh?! Sorry Cudgel, but I would have to disagree from experience... mabey when SCA guys hit you it doesn't hurt, but when an experienced kendoka wacks you on the head with one hard enough it can put you into a concussion, and it hurts...badly.

[Cudgel]

WEll I dont know pain is relative Ive left bruised and welted from shinai before. Sometimes it hurts alot and shinai can break bones like the collar bones and your wrists and ankles. I have high pain tolerance.

[badbeat]

ASP Baton :)

[Goju]

I have one of those as well as a huge night stick (parents are both police officers). You cant begin training with one tho.

[Spikedude]

what style you take?

[shonuff]

He does Muay Thai. He should ask his instructor if he knows anyone who does krabi krabong. He can learn traditional thai weapons to accompany his muay thai.

[heat1012000]

the first weapon that i learnt with was nunchucka. nice foam padded ones so if you **** it up then it doesn't hurt too much. once i was competant with them i moved on to the sai. Their great to learn with cause there are so many ways of using them and we are all still learnin

[Furikuchan]

Oh, come on. Pain is the best teacher! You learn nunchaku much faster when you keep whacking your elbow with it. (We all know the exact spot I'm talking about.)
However, the nunchaku would not be the best thing to start with. This method or progression is what my karate system usually uses. Start with the bo or escrima to build your coordination first. From there, the tonfa or nunchaku will help you learn how to use weapons in both hands. After that, the sai are a good progression from the tonfa. From there, after you've learned not to hit yourself in the elbow, arm, head, or sides, then you can pick up the flashy blades. Kama. (However, as my former sensei said, you have to hit yourself at least once before you can begin learning the kama. Once you stop being afraid of nicking yourself, you will learn faster.)
Just my humble opinion.

[White Raven]

The first couple weapons I used were staff and nunchaku. I suppose that tonfas, shinai, or bokken wouldn't hurt you that much though. O, and Goju... Go goju! Ow my head hurts :bang: ... Hehe

[RYO9]

Definately sticks, they aren't a real "deadly" weapon but it get the job done. also if you find yourself in a fight on the street odds are a stick 36" and under will be around, not a 6 foot bo staff.

Mullins

[shootodog]

how about two sticks. maybe arount 29" to 31" long. made of rattan.

[tekkengod]

You can't really go wrong with a pair of sticks.

mine are about 24 inches long each. great length and weapon.

[Stolenbjorn]

Try the one you like the best. Stay away from "difficult" weapons, like the nunchaku. Allso note that 90% of all weapon instructors use wooden replicas of the real thing, so it's most likely going to be some sort of staff you'll be practicing no matter what you choose :p

[Talyn]

Twin double-ended lightsabres. Jump in the deep end :D

Staff, either by an instructor or yourself, I spent four years practicing with one before I did Kung Fu, and I found that everything I learnt at Kung Fu was incredibly similar to what I had taught myself. The staff itself is an impressive weapon for combat and displays, and it teaches the basics of weapon control, and it is very valuable to learn how to use a staff before anything else like a rope dart, because you need to learn how to control something that is not actually a part of your body.

[tekkengod]

if only i had 2 lightsabers, i'd kill everyone.

[Spikedude]

if only i had 2 lightsabers, i'd kill everyone.

Remind me to stay on your good side once you get them in the mail.

[RYO9]

the only way you could beat 2 double-ended lightsabers is if we have more than 2 hands.

Mullins

[shaolin_hendrix]

A great weapon for a beginner is the nunchaku. They're simple, and they teach you to do the moves right, because if you don't do the moves right you get hit.

[TheCount]

I do judo and also some Muay Thai but I was wondering about some weapons fighting, do any of you have some fun suggestions for a beginner?

I was thinking a Bo staff, since it's fairly cheap and simple..

Thanks for all replies.

Anything blunt and heavy. Less chance of you killing someone and it strengthens you up a bit

[inteq9]

So basically your answer to this question is anything you think is cool.

[Natswoo]

Much easier to learn on a single two handed weapon. Also starting weapons you really want to looking for something without a blade, so personally i'd say Bo really.

[Nevada_MO_Guy]

get a kubotan
That's what I started with.

A pen can be used in place once some techniques are known.

[Natswoo]

Anything blunt and heavy. Less chance of you killing someone and it strengthens you up a bit
/agree with that 100%

[TheCount]

Also useful is something where it provides a basis for another weapon. Ie a bo staff could be related to a spear and boken to a katana

[Sh4d0wS0ul]

The first i did was a Bo, then a Hanbo, and last week i did Nunchakus :D .

[Jesh]

Eskrima, Kali or Arnis... short sticks and two weapon training for added coordination...

[Tank Gurl]

I do judo and also some Muay Thai but I was wondering about some weapons fighting, do any of you have some fun suggestions for a beginner?

I was thinking a Bo staff, since it's fairly cheap and simple..

Thanks for all replies.


Use BaiKaiGuy, he's the best weapon going... just ask him. :D

[TheDarkJester]

Started with two hardwood 'chucks --> then 6 ft. Staff --> then 3 sectional staff --> Rope Dart.

I will be progressing to 3 or 9 section chain whips next. Preferably dual.

[karate P.belt 2]

I say bo hands down it is very simple and you won't kill yourself when you hit yourself in the head

[dtrip]

An advantage of the nunchakus is that you can practice in your bedroom

(destroying much of it in the process :D )

[Fighter4Higher]

Started with the Bokken and added the manrikigusari a few months ago. Bokken is one that you really do need, or should really consider instruction for later on. PAINFUL to look back and see myself using it like a damn baseball bat. -_-

[Davey Bones]

start with the bo...simplest weapon to learn

[TheCount]

The Bo I must agree is the simplest weapon to use and is basically idiot proof to use as a quarterstaff without training and maybe a bit of foam-bo sparring. Tonfa however are good if you do an open hand striking art becaus eyou can easily integrate them.

Twin weapons are not recommended mainly because you probably won't be able to use both effectively at once.
I dont recommend anything 'skillful' like a bokken, Jo, twin weapons and generally most weapons because what you do with it without training will be the hollywood bastard child of true MA and will probably be a bit dos.

[galorin]

I've spoken to two weapons instructors about the order they teach weapons in.

The instructor at the school I'm trying out (karate) teaches the tonfa first, then sai, then bo, sticking to the katas he knows. He also will start teaching a seperate class in an art related to Kendo, can't remember the name of it though. He's learning a few more weapons to introduce into his main syllabus, but that'll probably take some time.

Another instructor, who is moving back to the US soon :-(, starts students training with twin 26" Escrima sticks. Coordination drills, then strikes/blocks, then something similar to WC chi sau drills, but with the sticks. He then moves on to longer weapons, jo staff, shinai, bo, and shorter ones, butterfly knives, sai etc. Not sure about what order though. He runs the Escrima coordination drills for at least a month before even talking about strikes and blocks. He's run me through a couple coordination drills so far, but will be gone before I can learn any of the more fun things.

I think the bo is a good starter, and a good one to come back to for difficult techniques. Plenty of oppritunities to hit yourself with it too.

[Illonos]

if you plan just to train with the weapon, i'd say Bo staff or foamed nuncaku. both are easy to learn...

[Shokku]

This has probably been covered, but I would say some sort of blunt weapon. Bos, fighting sticks, etc are all good. The reason is that if you should hit yourself you won't impale yourself and die, as with a bladed weapon (though I'd hope your training weapon isn't sharpened). And chained weapons are a great deal harder to control, especially the sectional weapons.

[ultimasword9999]

i would have to say either a hanbo or tonfa, both are fairly easy to use and they help learn how move your feet and transfer your wiehgt properly

[Stolenbjorn]

The best weapon for a beginner.... It's impossible.

First you should learn some basic body coordination-related MA Then you should choose a weapon that fits easily into what you just have learned. If you first learn boxing/karate, I guess a short ranged bashing-devise is a good beginnerweapon, whereas a dagger/knife could bee more relevant if your basic stuff is wresteling/aikido, etc.

-Because a stick get's it's power from punch-techniques and knives hones your wresteling-abilities (one mistake, and you BLEEEED :eek: )

[Tetsujin]

why not try the filipino weapon arnis..it's cheaper than Bo staff..

[Lord Spooky]

why not try the filipino weapon arnis..it's cheaper than Bo staff..


My Bo only cost me ten quid!!

[johndoch]

I nicked my neighbours washing pole for my bo cost me nowt :)

[speeddemon316]

I would suggest the Staff, btw is there a difference between bo staff and staff, or r they just the same?