I've often laughed at friends for using 'alternative' weapons for practising kata with, i.e. Broom handles, umbrellas, bananas , etc. Has anyone else got amusing examples of 'making do' without the real thing?
I've used combs, brushes, pens, pencils, spoons, cell phone, etc. to practice knife work. Bascially, when I pick up anything, I start moving it like a weapon. But I don't think of it as a "poor man's alternative." I think of it as training to think of and use everything as a potential weapon. Mike
Re: Re: Poor man's alternative... Good point. Didn't all the Okinawan weapons start off as farm implements- rice flails, etc? Maybe people will be doing kata with tin-openers and x-box handsets in 200 years time!
Re: Re: Re: Poor man's alternative... Exactly. Tin openers can be particularly nasty and the handsets can be used as flexible weapons or impact weapons - always nice to have options Mike
Y'know, I do tend to do modified balisong openings with my can opener, and try to switch fluidly between fencer grip and reverse grip all the time, when holding a spoon. I hadn't thought about it like that 'til I read this, though.
These things aren't "Poor man's alternatives" - they are the REAL weapons. What's the likelyhood of you having a nice set of Eskrima sticks, a bokken, a pair of Sai with you when attacked outside the Pub? (Not likely I hope LOL!)
In class a few months ago, we were all going through a pole form. I had brought four poles with me (one a broomstick handle) and I leant them out to others so they could get into the form. I was going to practice with an imaginary one but noticed a vacuum cleaner in the corner. I used the straight metal tube as a pole. It kept coming apart in the middle and the sucking end wouldn't come off at all. Made everyone laugh while I trained seriously Rgds, David
ive actually seen a small piece on can openers as a weapon. I mnot sure if it was serious or a joke. Ill try to hun tit down if any one wants to see it. Beware my air hammer
Haha! The air hammer, now that's no poor man's weapon--that classes right up there with the grappling hook and BFG, really.
My wife's peanut butter spreader (yes, there really is such a thing) makes great slicing noises when I practice silat knife techniques with it. It scares her.
how about using frozen fruit tubes [aka ice lollies in a plastic tube for those who dont have them] as bo or sticks! my 10yo son dreamt this one up and is a dab hand at doing single & double sinawali and redondo with fruit tubes... LOL! you should see it! AND he does his bo kata with them too.... usually I use whatever is at hand and have been known to do air bo and ruler bo and pencil bo... I have done redondo using nunchakus too... quite a lethal move!
I think a hockey stick would make a pretty mean weapon. It already is one pretty much. Plus they're normally pretty tough, my old one was some aluminium alloy and my current one is wood/carbon fibre.
