The History of The Bo Staff

By Paul Hill


Martial artists make use of a wide variety of weaponry. Some are weapons of choice which are unaligned with a specific form of combat. Others have direct lines to the techniques being used. The nunchaku, sometimes known as a nunchuk, is a popular device. Escrima sticks and kamas, with their scythe like blades, are other considerably well known fighting instruments. The origins of the Bo, a stick like apparatus, go back almost as far as history itself.

One of the main martial arts forms is the Art of the Empty Hand. This style emphasizes tactics that do not rely on weaponry. The limbs are regarded as ample to fend off and or reply to any sort of attack. Bojutsu incorporates this belief with a staff known as the Bo. This instrument is considered part of the body of the individual who holds it. Thus, it is thought of as increased length to the arm of its user, rather than as just a stick for fighting.

Masters of Bojutsu disagree about where the weapon which is symbolic of their sport originated. A few insist it was initially used in mainland China. Other practitioners assert that the island of Okinawa was the birth place of the staff. The precise specifications of the stick also vary.

In fact, few things about The Origins of the Bo can be pinned down with guarantee. More than likely it derived from the primitive weaponry which were used as defense all over Asian countries. The staff is usually about 6 feet long, although it does not have any rigid dimensions. In the past it may have been thicker and rounder than most current renditions. Today's appliance generally measures a little less than two inches in width with a comparable circumference.

The precise make up of a fighting stick is determined by the martial artist who carries it. Many prefer a staff that does not have any flex to it when it hits an opponent. Others want a weapon which has increased flexibility. In order to achieve the preferred bend, various types of wood are used in production. Many are made from hard woods, whilst bamboo appliances suit many individuals.

The innocent appearance of the weapon is a result of its original use. It served a dual purpose. Peasants placed the stick across their shoulders and counter balanced hefty loads on either side. Thus, its true function was hidden from the overseers and soldiers who might take the staff away from them.

Techniques produced for the use of the staff based on both the philosophy of Bojutsu and the ways it was used by peasants. Following the precepts of the Art of the Empty Hand, the staff was applied as an extended element of the arm. Movements were fluid and reminiscent of the limbs themselves. Similarly, the grip used embodied the rapid change in purpose from labor saving devise to lethal weapon.

Over the centuries, numerous weapons have evolved for usage in the martial arts. Many promote their combative purposes. The Origins of the Bo conceal its menace until the staff is positioned in the hands of a experienced Bojutsu practitioner.




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