Bo Staff

Bo Staff | A long karate weapon

A staff weapon. Usually measuring 1.8 meters (71 inches) in length, bō are employed in Okinawan martial arts before being incorporated into Japanese martial arts, specifically bōjutsu. The jō, which is 1.2 m (47 in) long, and the hanbō (half bō), which is 90 cm (35 in) long, are other weapons used by staff.

Bo Staff | Martial Arts Long Arm

Although bamboo and pine wood have been used, unpolished (no varnish, stain, etc.) hard wood or a flexible wood, such red or white oak, are typically used to make the bō. Rattan wood is even more popular because of its flexibility. The modern bō is often round or circular (maru-bo) and may be tapered, with the center (chukon-bu) being thicker than the ends (kontei) . Some bō are used for XMA and competitions/demonstrations; they are very light and have metallic sides, stripes, and a grip. Earlier forms of bō were octagonal (hakkaku-bo), round (maru-bo), square (kaku-bo), or rokkaku-bo. A bō can reach a length of 9 feet (2.7 meters), although its normal size is 6 shaku, or about 6 feet (1.8 meters). (Bō-kyu-shaku)

In more recent years, rattan has been utilized, either for training or for a different look. For added robustness, some were banded or inlaid with strips of iron or other metal. From basic bits of wood gathered from the side of the road to elaborately carved works of art, Bō can be heavy or light, stiff or extremely flexible.

The Bo Staff | Types of Moves

In order to allow the staff to rotate and secure the weapon when blocking, the bō is usually held in thirds, with one palm facing the opposite way of the other. The front hand is used for direction, and the back hand generates power by drawing the staff. A vast range of blocks, strikes, sweeps, and entrapments are all part of the Bō method.

Bo Staff | My Take

The Bo Staff has always been my favorite weapon right behind the Katana. This is because it's something that you could find yourself using in every day life. For example while hiking you may have a hiking stick, and use it for self defense. It's also, not as lethal as a sword which is great for not having to worry so much about the legality of using it. Be sure to check out your local state laws on self defense. They vary greatly, especially in a state like New Jersey as opposed to Oklahoma, Florida, and Texas.

Author Bio:

Joseph Fanning studied at Harvard. He runs Coding