Can anyone tell me what martial arts actually use bo's, better yet are there any martial arts which are entirely based around bo's?
Do you mean Bo's as in 6 foot Japanese staff or just staffs in general. Many Filipino arts include staff - it's an area im working on in particular myself at the moment.
Thanx yoda, actually i was suppost to go to your class for martial arts against cancer at heriot watt but i was called into work. Are there any places in central scotland where staff techniques are taught?
If you are able to find any traditional Okinawan based art near you, you'll probably find that they teach traditional Okinawan weapons too. It is also known as Okinawan Kobudo which covers the bo, nunchuks, sai, kama, and eku(oar). You may even want to look into some of the Chinese arts, as they too have weapons training in their curriculum, one being the bo as well as other countless weapons. The difference will be in how the weapons are manipulated.
What are your goals with the Bo? Are you interested in it from a historical perspctive - do you want to learn to fight with a staff? Both?
I guess its just one of those things that look pretty cool and could be a very practicle thing to be able to use. Im much more interested in being able to fight with a staff than the historical views though.
Ninjutsu uses the Bo but my instructors tended to focus on the hanbo (3 ft Staff) as you are more likely to have a modern equivalent to hand i.e. walking stick, large umbrella etc Hope that helps Solane
One thing you must do Craig IMHO is not get fixated on a standard length or weight of staff. I consider any impact weapon (non flexible) that is easier to use two handed rather than one handed to be a staff. This could be a snapped-off broom (light and pointy), a piece of scaffolding pole, a piece of 4x2, whatever. You need to be familiar with a wide array of sizes & weights - for familiar read "train & spar with". Don't get caught up in cultural issues either - Japanese, Filipino, Chinese, European - all have their strengths & weakneses - research them all.
I agree whole heartedly yoda. I myself am very interested in furthering my fledgling interest and practice with the bokan (bo). i share my sensei and your sentiments. there is no such thing as a superior martial art, only superior martial artists. it's too bad all over you are across the pond. i've only been studying for a year and a half and i'd be terribly intimidated. but i could learn a grand amount from all of you i'm sure.
Woah, YODA show down........its too much for me to take in. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to attend my meeting to discuss the Sun revolving around the Earth.
Ninjitsu (Taijitsu) These guys use it and use it well. There are a few good clubs in scotland- good style for weapons all round and worth a look. SONSHU
bo staff newb hey since you guys are on the topic of bos i just bought a 6' tapered ash staff. i would like to make it my primary focus, but also incorporate 5 years of kicking martial arts into technique (taequando). realistic to incorporate kicking into bo form or no? also, online recources that anyone knows of for instruction? thx.
