Hi Ya'll, Im doing a bo staff demo in a few months but i need ya'lls help. the some that im doing it to is slow & soft for the first half of the song & thats here i need help at. I need slow flowing movements that are cool lookin. any suggestions or advice ??? thanks Mz Lu
Try doing a combination of spinning the staff over your head and around your back (i.e. staff spinning technique #6 or #7, coupled with #11 and/or #10). EDIT: I know you're a *relative* beginner, Princess, and so I didn't mention something else which might be better suited, depending on exactly how slow the music is. In addition to the basic 15 staff spinning techniques, there are 3 moving techniques. The first one is a combination of #4 & #10, the second utilizes #8, and the third combines #12 & #13 in incorporating a stepping pattern while keeping the staff spinning. The way I see it, the 2nd moving technique offers the most control to go as slowly as you'd like, just in case you find my original suggestion won't work.
Excellent advice, Ratty, but be advised that everything suggested so far is well within the limits of what is *usually* taught in the MA of kuk-sool (note that I did claim ignorance as to how far along the OP might have been taken in her training, since teaching the staff/bo/gon-bong is typically reserved for higher rank than she claims to have achieved). The first 2 replies even rely on terminology consistent with most teaching methods utilized in this particular MA. And while the video selection in the 3rd reply is not as typical, I find it relevant in the same sense that twirling a handgun on your finger isn't usually taught when learning marksmanship with such a side-arm, but IS often associated with people who are highly skilled and familiar with how to properly use a handgun. Likewise, showing that you can control a staff due to knowing its center-of-gravity does come into play for using it as a weapon, and why I view the 3rd reply as pertinent. And while your *advice* is something that shouldn't be ignored, I don't feel as if it's the sort of thing that the OP was necessarily looking for. :dunno: Furthermore, Ratty, if my stating the "obvious" has rubbed you the *wrong way* then I apologize, but understand that I'm the sort of fellow who's not afraid to throw my POV out there (it's what public forums are for, right?), even if it does step on a few toes in the process. :yeleyes:
Without wanting to put words in Ratty's mouth, long term posters here such as he and myself are about functionality. Other posters who have responded to the OPs other thread on this topic (myself and Shootodog for example) actually FIGHT with staffs. We find this type of circus to be a dilution of the arts. Whilst it is very difficult, and I do respect the skills involved, it is not martial. Nonsense such as spinning a staff in your palm is not combative, you would be better spending your time learning how to hold it properly and not offering up a position which would have an opponent disarming you with a hard fart in your direction.
Oh, I agree with pretty much your entire post, KJN. It was my backhanded sort of way of saying that if she doesn't have any training in the bo, she doesn't need to be doing anything concrete with it, much less any kind of demo in front of people. This sort of thing has done pretty impressive damage to the quality of local level kata competiton, and while the judges may reward it, that doesn't mean it's something I can in good conscience encourage. Both because of the distraction from and corruption of solid martial arts fundamentals, and because of the danger to any bystanders to an event where people are winging weapons at around at speed after picking cool moves off the internet. I mean if you've got a passable base in bo work, you can pick this stuff up yourself. If you don't, you need to get one before moving onto dramatic techniques, much less performing. Really, who here would want someone with no basic understanding of and skill with bo going out after picking some cool stuff off of the internet and representing your school? For the record, tricking is cool. I got no problem with it if it's done honestly, but it's not kata, and it's not martial arts demo. You'd be better off with some wild chain made of glo-sticks or something. That or joining the professional gymnasts.
Honesty! This is the word I've been banging on about for years! You have to be honest with yourself, your students and the public with what you are doing and why. Tricking is an art, just not a martial one. This is not to knock the skill needed to do it, I can't do it, but it isn't martial. To call it such is lacking in honesty, most likely towards yourself.
In the OP's defence - they are being honest as far as I can see. They've posted this in the kuk sool forum, where posts are expected to relate to the practices of kuk sool. She's made it clear that she's doing a musical performance and wants it to look cool - no mention of fighting anyone or being effective.
Did you even read post #6? Or to put it another way... Nonsense such as spinning a handgun on your finger is not productive [to enhancing marksmanship]. However, should you ever watch a "wild west" show, you're bound to see at least one of the cast members do this stunt. As Ratty stated (and you quoted), "tricking is cool." And while I agree with your sentiment that MA demos should exhibit more realism and less Hollywood inspired *smoke & mirrors*, the fact remains that some folks are bound to tread the waters of (excessive?) *showmanship* when plunked down in front of an audience. So my advice to you, is to learn to live with it. Moosey's post (#10) says it all IMO, but I have to ask you why you think how long someone has participated on MAP is relevant to the discussion? Of the last several posters on this thread, I'm the newest, but seeing as how 2011 is now more than halfway gone, it's not as though I'd be considered a newbie. Also, let's not forget that I would probably never have ventured on here in the first place if it hadn't been for the Kuk Sool section, and IIRC, it's one of the latter sections to be added to MAP. Besides, if you want to play that card I feel as though one's MA experience is much more relevant, and if your posted age is correct then here's some news for you: I've been doing MA almost as long as you've been on this earth! Just realize, Freeform, that while experience is often a factor in how well one performs/executes MA moves, and it certainly plays a role in how well one comprehends what it is they're doing, it doesn't really matter (once you get to a certain point) when discussing the merits of MA with others. :bow1:
Ah, I see, so us old posters are all about functionality and practicality? I'm glad to hear that, obviously I'll have to reform. Nonsense such as flourishing a flag isn't combative - except of course that it demonstrates and uses many of the same skills and strengths as fighting longsword or rapier, and helps to develop those skills and strengths through a visually pleasing demonstration. As to twirling, sometimes (on rare occasions) such 'tricks' come in handy. I've scored plenty of times with a quick rapier flourish to get my blade around someone's guard. Plus they're fun, and require strength, speed, technique and accuracy - strangely these things tie very nicely to more 'practical' techniques.
Lets not forget that although many of the staff spins aren't something you might execute in a fight, doing a good set of them provide great exercise for your arms and hands.
For all of ya'lls info i have been taught all 15 bo staff forms. Just a little FYI ya'll. Oh & yeah my PSBN saw my possiblities / abilities & potential with the bo staff after just teaching me a few bo staff forms & seeing how fast i picked up on it & was doing it correctly too!!!
maybe it was for a little ingenuity training, but on more than 3 occasions master yang has told us that the second staff form is a stringing together of staff fighting 1-4 offense. the next form is defense sewn together, and so forth. i've meddled with it a little, but the boss always chuckles at me when i try. maybe you can come up with something cool using staff fighting as a framework. on a sidenote, im not sure how seriously to take weapons training in the self defense department. guns, machetes, and clubs do wonders, but offer little in developing the dexterity that society values in traditional martial artists.
People involved in the Filipino Martial Arts who learn to use a Balisong (butterfly handles) knife, often practice flipping open the handles, and other such fancy stuff. When it comes to using any kind of knife in a real fight, that kind of stuff pretty much goes out of the window of course. So I found myself smiling a bit at post 7, as I see a knife as being a far more likely weapon to be used and accessed in a real fight, than a broom handle! So when you're on your own, Princess, and with no one else available to "...actually FIGHT with staffs..." I personally see no problem in twirling it around in order to gain a better knowledge and skill of handling it, for when you do have to.
