I'm about halfway finished making six sets, four small ones and two adult sized ones. Sanding 12 dowels takes a bit of time, especially when you use old tool handles which are painted and weathered on the surface of the wood. I'll post pics of the build when I have some time (I don't get much time... which is also why I'm not doing MA yet, and why they Nunchaku are not finished yet). I do enjoy building these kinds of things - wish I had more time. Once we finish moving out of and selling or renting our old house I will hopefully have a lot more time.
I never made a set, usually, esp back then, I ordered them from mail order catalogs. They were cheap. I started to collect all types of woods, colors, patterns, etc.
Nice. My wife would not be happy if I collected that much. We moved to a smaller house, and I had a 36 x 36 "Laboratory" at the other house, so finding space for what we have is already a problem. I'm going to teach the kids woodworking by letting them make their own staves (Bo?). Their instructor doesn't teach Nuchaku, but does teach Bo (and other weapons). Woodworking by hand is a good way to start - it gives a feel for the way wood behaves. I'll have them star by planing a square into an octagon with a hand plane. If I ever get a barn, like we had in Alabama, i will be able to collect stuff again. (If I had one as big as we did back then, I could have a nice gym for practice) BTW, their teacher keeps trying to talk me into taking the adult class...
I found another video: (No idea if he knows what he's talking about or not - it looks like it to me) [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdFKPjw1sew"]YouTube - Nunchaku Intro.wmv[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg_ILTyfjyc"]YouTube - Nunchaku basics[/ame] Anyone want to post (a link) a nice simple beginner how to video? It's one thing to be critical of a video, but that doesn't get me much closer to finding one that is good.
He looks quite proficient. Stances are good and as he has said most of the power of the weapon comes from the hip and proper body alignment. I would join your adults class and get some proper instruction. Nunchaku are not easy to learn without first having good basics in stances & learning all the open handed work as well as working with other weapons. The main thing with working with all jointed weapons is to learn how to make them go dead after a move - otherwise the other end will come back and bite you in the head! Then its just a case of constant practice and more practice to get so familiar with the weapon that it all comes naturally. And along the way have some fun! I enjoy working with weapons, they help improve the open handed skills which in turn are helped by the weapons skills.... and so it goes on!
I gave more away to many students then shown in the pics. My wife allows me to have these, but they have to be in a separate area of the house
The chappie pictured in those vids knows what he is talking about for martial use of nunchaku (although how his student holds the knife is highly unrealistic), I particularly liked his analogy of pulling them back on impact (to avoid hitting your own hand) being like using a sword where you pull back to slice (this was in another of his vids I followed the links to). Reiki is right in saying that learning how to make them go 'dead' after the move is very important. Following the links from those videos you can clearly see the difference between what is designed for fighting and what is purely baton twirling with no regard to balance or defence (eg [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j45hTIEE9tg&feature=related"]YouTube - nunchaku ( Drolet ) 2[/ame] - looks pretty so long as you don't call it martial arts^^) Mark my missus is the same not bothered what I have so long as it's not in her way (which of course it frequently is, oh well need a bigger house I guess)
In Alabama we had a 6,000 sq ft barn - I was planning to put a go kart track in it someday. I probably would make an indoor archery range if I had it here in Seattle. It was great - Nothing ever had to sit outside in the rain! And I could work on anything indoors. You can imagine how much junk I collected... "Hey Mark, want his old broken motorcycle?" "SURE!" We need a bigger house - and a barn! :bang: I really liked this video (I have to admit - the motions look purposeful) [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJkjtHXCfTA"]YouTube - Nunchaku no Kata[/ame]
Oh, I see... I wasn't sure of your meaning. Unfortunately, We have downsized to live in the city... I have very little space. My sidecar rig fills up the 1-car garage, and stuff is everywhere - even after discarding a lot and putting a bunch in storage This video looks "Authentic" (to me) [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFmKjxvF9KM"]YouTube - Rick Tew Nunchaku 14 Angles of Attack[/ame]
Ok vid for posting here. Seen this before from one of my teachers... The BIG difference, he had us hit on actual objects. The RECOIL of the loose part had to be controlled after impact
All I can suggest is to find somewhere that will teach you properly & train hard otherwise you may end up either in the Casualty ward or just baton twirling.... I don't like recommending video training for people who aren't already in training in the martial arts and have some idea of correct stances and also have a helpful instructor standing by to correct them. Talking of the Casualty ward, I am by no means an expert with Nunchaku, however I've done many hours worth of practice with them over the years and I am getting reasonably proficient now. I have a fairly interesting kata to do for my next grading [Nidan], involving many of the spins and other moves you've probably already seen. I was just having a wee practice outside and for some reason must have been day dreaming and CRACK! I whacked myself on the head with the end of them doing an overhead helicopter spin with my left hand held a bit too low. :bang: So even us instructors get caught sometimes with them! My head is still throbbing but there's nothing majorly damaged so will go back outside and do some more practice in a moment. Go and have fun learning some martial arts, its good for you and you can enjoy working with your kids too!
Thanks. I do hope to take classes, but can't right now (story is complicated) I gave my daughter some foam Chucks for her birthday... My son spent most of the weekend out on the lawn practicing. My kids were impressed with how fast I could do some of the moves - previous juggling experience helps some with timing and accuracy. But it's a good thing they weren't made of wood I don't think their Sensei teaches Nunchaku. The Rick Tew series actually does include strikes later on: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_VcHaxviqY"]YouTube - Rick Tew Nunchaku Practice Part 2[/ame] I was mostly curious if his technique looks clean and correct. To me, it looks like he uses his hips & has good control, but I'm far from being knowledgeable. I checked a DVD out from our public library, it looked very much like a Tae Kwan Do driven technique (I guess I'm starting to see some things). The teacher spoke of how the moves could be used in a weapon mode, but to me it looked more like an attempt to justify the existence of a flashy move which was of limited practical application value. Not that I would ever wish to spar with him! Here is the DVD description, from the Library Catalog Entry:
I found the Library DVD on YouTube I found some of the DVD material on YouTube: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL_WsMmeoNc"]YouTube - Song Young Kil nunchaku techniques[/ame]
I know a couple of jugglers who can do nunchucks flash pizaz well also. This doesn't mean they are martial artists or know how to "use" them, but juggling helps with the coordination. There were no plastic or foam in "my day" or starting for me. You used wood and learn to "respect" these sooner. I would "almost" tend to think that the plastic or foam ones could make someone too complacent. Many teachers don't as they tend to look upon the main instruction of their art. The moves in the vids look good. But, I forgot to add, we not only did we strike a bag, we struck at a outdoor grade "mu ren zhuang", or wooden dummy with wooden appendages. In other words, the nunchakus behave quite differently striking at a bag or post without limbs. One of my instructors had us whack at a few trees with branches, limbs and that was as if someone was trying to catch the lose one (flail). You speak of limited practical application value. Nunchakus are banned in many places, so there is such a thing as limited practical application value. One would be better off practicing with a Jo-Bo- (or even a sword) as these can be used in conjunction with a common stick which is easier found, obtained, and defense practicality
I had just remembered; When in High School "Wood Working Class", I had made a set of nunchakus, tonfas, and sword. (These were just something to do to pass time in class after our assigned projects were competed) But my prized martial art wood craft was my "Defense Chair"
