I found these two on YouTube: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5MdJXRSRfY"]YouTube - Bruce Lee's nunchukus for beginners[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZQbb2M1NSM"]YouTube - Bruce Lee's nunchaku training film[/ame]
I thought Dan Inosanto was supposed to be a reputable technician. Found a few other interesting videos (Looks like there is a whole series): [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJPO9HaHvuo"]YouTube - Rick Tew How To Choose Nunchaku[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa8w8ASgblc"]YouTube - Rick Tew Nunchuku Figure 8[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuMaoQn29p4"]YouTube - Rick Tew Nunchuku Practice Part 1[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_VcHaxviqY"]YouTube - Rick Tew Nunchaku Practice Part 2[/ame]
Personally I dislike foam nunchucks as they move differently to real ones and can give a false sense of confidence. I would start with real ones and do everything real slow for a few weeks/until you are more than confidant you know how they behave. Self inflicted nunchuck injuries are common (and deaths are not unkown), I would say much more dangerous than juggling - even doing everything slow while learning you can expect bruised elbows and once you start speeding up you can expect to whack yourself in the back of the head a couple of times - so go even slower than you might think is safe! Sounds like you want different things out of them from me, I have been using nunchucks for 11 years and have never been interested in anything I can't see the point of in a martial context, eg through the legs, throwing up in the air and catching, wrist spins etc. I get the feeling some of these activities are even more dangerous to yourself but have no real experience with them so can't advise how to be safe if this sort of circus stuff is what you want. One more thing - nunchucks behave very differently practise striking into open space (or missing a strike against a target) to when they make contact with a target at high speed. When you actually hit something with a nunchuck it will often rebound, potentially hitting your hand or even head/body if you are in close. It takes a lot of instinct training to react to this and manage the rebounds without hitting yourself (easy enough if you are expecting it against a stationary target but if you don't know wether you will hit and how the target will react, ie hard or soft, you have to be able to react accordingly without time for conscious thought). All that said they are great fun just don't overreach yourself while learning unless you are going for a darwin award^^
My son's instructor let him "Test drive" a pair of foam chucks on Monday... I think he did say that move isn't his favorite either (IIRC). My son said it was a bit painful. I think that way as well... it might not be a bad way to start for a short while, but I plan to transition quickly if I do start with foam (I'm secretly making six sets of wooden ones in my basement - 4 small sets and 2 regular ones). I bought my daughter a set of foam ones for her birthday (tomorrow), but she has a bit more of a coordination challenge than a lot of kids do (as did I when young) As far as I'm concerned, whenever your hand is not on the handle of any weapon, you are not really in control of it (handle meaning an area of grip which can be used for striking, slicing, choking, etc). When it's in the air, or spinning off the back of the hand (I see staff done like a baton rather than like a drummer does a drum stick) your opponent can take control away from you (either by skill or luck). For my daughter and for myself I would like to use them to improve timing, coordination and overall dexterity. Also a mild workout (we are both pretty sedentary). My son may want to learn the real Martial Arts techniques. The video that has "Part 2" in the title shows practice at striking. I plan to make my kids a kicking dummy with rolled up carpet in a heavy duty duffel bag. My son practices kicking a folded up workout mattress, which is too soft IMHO. Hopefully I'll catch it on video if I get hurt When Sensei handed my son the foam chucks in the Dojo on Monday, he looked at me like "Is it okay, dad?). I said "Go ahead, knock yourself out!" Sensei did make him "Bow them in" as he entered the mat to try them. I have been trying to stall my son from buying any because no one in the family knows that I already bought some for my daughter, and I'm making wooden ones for all of us (don't worry, I'm an engineer and a craftsman - they won't break any more easily than professionally made ones) I'll post pictures when I get them done.
I am not a bit distracted but get amused when they miss which causes me to focus more (without distraction) upon them laughing at their "pain of shame".
Really? You were told this by a skilled instructor? Let me tell you what this achieves - suki - to give the opponent a nice fat opportunity to hand you your **** on a plate. It serves zero martial purpose. It is for flash's sake.
Start with proper wooden nunchaku and if you are worried about hitting your head you can wear a safety helmet. Be prepared to hit yourself a few times, you will learn how to manage them fairly quickly. Foam ones have a different balance and just feel wrong when you are beginning. But go ahead & use foam ones if you don't fancy having the odd bruise or 2 from real ones. The foam ones can be a good training tool once you have already mastered the nunchaku - it means you can increase the power you put into them [which you need to do anyway because of their light weight] and when you switch back to your normal ones you will find you will be able to get higher speeds and more power through them.
I gave my daughter two sets of the foam chucks for her birthday yesterday (My son was thrilled!) I gave them a try, and felt really awkward - whacked the back of my head once (not very hard). I'll mix practice with hers and with the wooden ones I am making.
Heh, a 50 yr-old non-practicing martial artist making nunchaku. Makes a change from 13 yr-olds I suppose.
They aren't that complicated. Why are you trolling? Engineering, woodworking, and building mechanical things is my Bailiwick. Making a set of Nunchaku is not very challenging. Your elitism is pretty obvious now... Because I am not a Martial Artist you assume I can't even make a device as simple as nunchaku.
