Junior Student’s Corner
by Sifu Charlie Romeo
Fu For You Spring 2024
When you start to use weapons in your training, it’s imperative that you first understand this most important rule: weapons are not toys. You must adopt the mindset that focuses on effectively wielding and controlling a weapon, rather than playing with it. Even within our safe and controlled environment, accidents can happen. Therefore, each of us bear the responsibility to use our weapons with the intended purpose, minimizing the risk of harm to others or ourselves. While there is room for enjoyment in learning the use of weapons, you still must have the correct mindset. Learning a new weapon is an exciting milestone in your Kung Fu journey but it should not be taken for granted – just like driving, it’s a privilege, not a right.
Once you understand the proper motivation for using weapons, you need to practice with it… a lot. Picking up your first weapon in Kung Fu is comparable to your first ever Kung Fu class; it’s an entirely new dimension of training that your body isn’t used to. To begin, find an open space that offers minimal risk of damage to anyone or anything, and allow your movements to flow naturally. Or better yet, your instructors can guide you through drills tailored to your specific weapon which will enhance your learning.
You will often hear instructors say that a weapon should be an extension of your body; what does that mean? Think of how you throw a punch or a kick. Using your weapon should be just as seamless as that, with the same accuracy, fluidity, and intent. Much like the symbolic relationship between a cyclist and their bike, ample practice with a weapon allows you to utilize all aspects of it with comfort and control, as if it were a part of your physicality. Next time you use any of your weapons, visualize them as a literal extension of your body. If this is challenging, dedicate more time to practicing until this unity is seamless.
We work with many different weapons in our style of Kung Fu. This includes the staff, tonfa, double daggers, sais, single broadsword, double broadswords, and butterfly swords. These are the weapons that you will learn to utilize on your journey to black sash, which can be sorted into two categories: close range and long range. Close range weapons are those whose optimal range is generally within your typical punching and kicking range. Long range weapons are those that extend past that range. Take the time to consider how each of your weapons are used and try to sort them into the two categories on your own.
It’s natural to be excited about using weapons in Kung Fu, but treating them as toys reveals a misguided mindset (if you still don’t know what that means, start rereading from the beginning). I hope this article is useful in understanding how to achieve the correct mindset for weapons use, and that you can still have (serious) fun with the learning process.
See all of the articles about Kung-Fu Weapons.