Wide Weapons

Wide Weapons

Typical Weapons For Self Defense

Today we're going to be talking about lots of different martial arts weapons. We're not going to go through all of them…we're just going to try to go over the most popular ones that you'll see and how they were used and what styles they're used in. Keep in mind these are traditional weapons, and not improvised weapons.

China also pioneered a lot of great weapons such as waxwood staff, the spear, and the one handed broad sword. These were Chinese martial arts arms that were used in kung fu. The straight sword was a very long one-handed sword used mainly for stabbing, the broad sword is generally more of a wide slashing type one-handed sword . The waxwood staff was a flexible, almost whip-like staff that was used generally in kung-fu. A popular modification was to add a spear tip to the waxwood staff and then it becomes a kung fu spear. So, those are some of the martial arts weapons on the Asian side. If you want to learn more self defense moves click the link in blue.

One of the most standard weapons, the katana. The Katana is the sword you probably think of when you think of a samurai wielding a sword . It's held with two hands and it has a long curved blade. A lot of people give these a generic name such as a Samurai weapon .. However, this is the wrong term. That's just where they were commonly used. Sometimes the samurai would also carry two less traditional blades called the wakazashi and the tanto.

Most fully armed Samurai would be equipped with all 3 weapons, the katana, the wakazashi and the tanto. These were the main martial arts tools and they would use them for different ranges. For example, if they were fighting at a longer range, they would probably have a katana because it's the longest weapon. But, if they got caught in close combat they would typically rely on the shorter wakazashi or the even shorter tanto. If you want to learn how to use improvised self defense weapons, click the blue link.

Some other Japanese tools -- these are more for popular people, like the farmers and such. Back in feudal Japan, the Island of Okinawa was being attacked by Samurai. The farmers had to defend their own lives, but all they had were traditional farming tools.. A lot of tools originated from these Japanese farmers, including nun-chucks and kamas. At the time, kamas and nun-chucks were only farm instruments. However, they were eventually adapted as improvised weapons for the farmers.

Generally Kamas were used for cutting the wheat and nun-chucks were for beating the wheat. One common mistake people generally make is the pronunciation. Despite what Napolean Dynamite might tell you, they are pronounced "nun-chucks," not numb-chucks. The Okinawans also defended there home land with more standard arms such as the bowstaff. Again, these were popular arms. They generally did not have access to weapons forgeries capable of making Katana's to the quality the Samurai had. These were really farm tools and sticks that they would find, because they were just farmers and they were revolting -- this was the best they could usually find and use as improvised weapons .

About the Author

Improvised Weapons lover, and practioner of all things lethal.

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Check out my favorite site for self defense techniques by clicking the blue link.

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Photographic Prints of Hilt of hanger (sword) from National Maritime Museum
Sale Price: $15.99

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Photographic Prints of Hanger (sword) from National Maritime Museum
Sale Price: $15.99

Eligible for free shipping!
Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days