weapon training

[Doug]

What sort of weapon training regimens do various members here do (other than use heavier weapons for power or antiques for accuracy)? In other words, are there any other methods employed here that members do to assist their weapon-handling ability?

Doug M

[Tak]

What, specifically, are you looking for?

Staff:
We do plenty of conditioning drills - hold the staff by one end with one hand, far tip resting on the floor a few feet in front of you, arm relaxed but fairly straight. Using only the wrist/forearm (don't move the elbow or shoulder), raise the pole until it's vertical.
Hold the staff by one end, so that it's pointing horizontally straight out in front of you at shoulder level. Using only the wrist, move the far tip of the staff to the left so that the staff is now about 45 degrees to the left (still at shoulder level), then 45 degrees to the right.
Stand two people facing each other, each holding a staff by one end in front of them at shoulder level, so that the ends of their staffs overlap by just a few inches. Then, each person, using just the wrist, causes the tip of the staff to describe a circle a few inches in diameter.

We also do technique and combination drills.

[Liokault]

All we do is the very rare form ( I mean we dont do them ofton not that the form is rare), the odd 2 man set, the circle walking thing with jian v jian and when ever some guy comes who has done a weapon or fenced sparr.

[Ford Prefect]

I use a leverage bar that is a lot similar to old indian clubs and the newer "Clubbells" (but cheaper and adjustable) that are really good for improving shoulder strength and strength in the shoulder girdle as well as forearm and grip strength. All would be great attributes for weilding weapons. My old ba gua school actually had very similar implements except they were made out of wood and concrete and not adjustable.

[Ford Prefect]

Holy crap. If you look in that new Japanese strength training thread by SunTzu, you can see almost exactly what I'm talking about. It's 3rd down from the top.

[Doug]

I am not looking for anything. I actually wanted to post a thread that could possibly benefit others on this forum. Perhaps, I should say, those of us who train differently for weapon training could post information here to help boost the ability of beginners or ourselves with varying methods.

I suppose I was initially thinking about sword training, but any kind of weapon training with Chinese weapons is fine.

For instance, when I was going to perform with my sifu's school at Dodger Stadium, I was one person using a tiger fork. It was on a Sunday, and I found out about it on Friday. To practice, I used the heavy fork sold through martialartmart.com to give me a better edge when I used the wushu fork that my sifu wanted me to use. It turned out that I did not perform, but my form was much better (although my hands were torn up from all of the form work that Saturday).

Had I known about another method, I might have used it. Oh well...

Doug M

[Thundermudd]

My favorite to train w/ has always been a big fat heavy combat-steel Kwan Dao - that'l give you a work out!

[BlueTravesty]

I've got an unusual way of training for bokken/bokuto. I've got this thing I found at the local wal-mart called a "chest flexor." Which is basically a beefy metal coil situated between two handles (they can adjust to be closer or further away from the coil for increased or reduced resistance.) It weighs easily more than 3 times a standard bokken.

One day (and I'm still now sure how inspiration struck me on this) I went through a couple of cuts with it, and though it had a bit of spring to it on each cut, it really helped me with my speed. Even my "Heavy" bokken (I have 3... a shoto, a daito, and one I found that's a bit heavier than the daito) felt feather-light in my hands after working out with only the chest flexor for a couple days

It only cost me 10 dollars, and it really does give your chest and shoulders a good workout if you use it the way it was meant to be used. You can bend it, and if you want to amaze (ie: annoy) your friends, just say "HULK SMASH!!" every time you bend it!

[Kristoffer]

If your in to staff training. Pick up a long heavy steel bar and do your forms and techs with it.

[SanSoo Student]

Other than just using a heavy weapon, I switch up the type of "staff", I train with variations so I can get a board base of technique. The variations of the staff that I use are: Monk Spade for Hung Gar forms, 7' toothpick staff for Dragon Pole Wing Chun, and Three Sectional to perfect my twirling/ figure 8.

[No_Know]

Tossing gloves/sock balled-up. Two or three gloves/socks in one hand, Toss them up. Catch them. They go in different directions or you can switch order of catching. This frees-up coordination so that weapon movements can be more easily done~.

Hand-free-from-th-wall stand and hand stand walking, feet in the air. Whatever to get you to more easily move your body (not equivilant weight, actual body~ might help in training/using weapons.

Wringing out a cloth/towel. Wet a cloth/towel. Squeeze out as much water as you can use ways that are grabs you might find useful.