Reflections

Aside from whatever inherent usefulness the weapon arts may have in and of themselves, they provide many valuable insights in our on-going martial arts education.

They provide:

1. An insight in the history of the martial arts, especially those from Okinawa.

2. They train balance, strength, and reaction time.

3. Give some practical insight about what to do if attacked by some analog weapon, for example, a pool cue, shovel, or baseball bat.

4. Give the opportunity to acquire new tools/toys.

Given the limitations of space and time there are many aspects of weapons arts that are not covered or merely alluded to in this short essay. Of particular interest and subject to future study are the stylistic differences between kobudo traditions. While most apparent between, say some of the softer Chinese styles and the harder Japanese styles, there are style differences between the various ryus of Okinawan tradition. Some emphasis power, some use lighter, quicker moves. Some aim to finish the opponent off. Some emphasis defense, or the infliction of small amounts of cumulative damage. These elements are not easily seen. There is not a lot of cross pollination among the ryus and even less documentation. For example, it's difficult to find any extensive archive of forms on video tape. Now, there's an idea for a project. All we need is time, a way to make a living, and endless connections. It would be wonderful to get a video record of the traditional and modern kobudo kata. But that's a project for another day. Wishing you all the best.

Winston Stableford
October 20, 1999