All About Martial Arts Weapons

In the hands of a skilled martial artist, everything can be martial arts weapons. Take for instance the martial artists themselves. Their whole body is a martial arts weapon. But some of the things that the martial artist might use as a weapon might seem strange to some of us.

Things like chop sticks, which most may think of as just eating utensils, can be used as deadly weapons by the skilled martial artist. Miniature swords disguised as tobacco pipes can be a deadly surprise to an unsuspecting victim or even a fan with razor-sharp edges can be counted among the unconventional martial arts weapons that are used.

Many martial arts schools have training to learn to use martial arts weapons, especially those that teach Japanese karate and Chinese kung fu. Some of the popular weapons from karate are the bo staff, kama, sai, sword, nunchaku and tonfa. Chinese kung fu styles uses broadsword, 3 section staff, kwan do, whip chain, butterfly knives and their own versions of staff.

Of all the stick martial arts weapons, the 3-section staff has to be the most difficult to master. With three sections to control this weapon takes years of training just to get basic control of it.

There is a guy who is called Stickman from the Alex Wilkie Martial Arts Academy, who has mastered the 3-section staff as well as other hard to master stick martial arts weapons. To see Stickman work with the 3-section staff leaves you in awe and wonder. Even if you're not a martial arts fan you will be amazed at Stickman's skills with martial arts weapons like the 3-section staff and the Nunchaku.

There are some YouTube videos that demonstrate just how masterful Stickman is with these weapons. In one video he shows speed, control, and accuracy with the Nunchaku by smashing an apple, with a full speed strike, off the hand of his martial arts instructor, Alex Wilkie. It will amaze you.

There are many other types of martial arts weapons, but the ones I mentioned are the most common ones taught. Some of the more exotic weapons include the fan, rope dart and the hook swords.

Martial arts weapons are considered an extension of a martial artist's body. Strikes with a weapon are really extended hand strikes. Blocks with weapons are modeled after traditional martial art blocking techniques. It is important for martial arts students to be pretty proficient with martial arts techniques using their own bodies first before learning to use martial arts weapons.