Deep Sai: why you should NOT study kobudo

Whilst watching Youtube videos the other day on my new cable package, I came across a video of a gentleman demonstrating application for sai. The techniqes followed more or less those that you would see in many of the Ryukyu kobudo sai kata – a mid guard/ high guard kamae in shiko , shifting into a double gedan barai in zenkutsu, a rechamber and coil followed by a tsuri ashi and a double tsuki.

I had to stop, shake my head and watch it again.

At that point, I had to go have a shower. I felt dirty for watching.

Ya see, I am a bit of a purist. For as much as people joke about bringing a knife to a gun fight, I have a challenge with people who bring guns to knife fights. Or fist fights. Or anything other than a gun fight. It is… for lack of a better word… overkill.

I have been taught that kobudo weapons are an extension of your body, of your karate. Blocks, punches, strikes – the techniques are generally the same (save for difference in impact, etc). I also like the challenges that come with using weapons. But are our kobudo weapons street-ready? Yeh, I don’t think so.

But you say, hey, law enforcement has plenty of adapted weapons – nunchaku, yawara, tonfa, etc I have had the pleasure of using some adapted weapons that are typically used in enforcement. But they are not, I say again NOT used exactly the same way as their Okinawan counterparts. And I know a bit of what I speak on here.

Take for example the PR-24. A 24-inch side-handled weapon derived from the Okinawan tonfa, they are a distinctly different weapon from the tonfa. The weapon is both defensive and offensive, as is the tonfa. Being a bit longer than the tonfa, force generation is different from the tonfa. As I found out when I attended a seminar in Montréal some 28 or so years ago. Very different. Tonfa come in pairs- one for each hand. The PR-24 is a single baton that can be used with one hand or both. Strikes work very differently. Swings are not generally done to the head; those are restricted for limbs. The natural V created by the baton can be used as a choke – but you better know how to apply quickly.

PR-24: this is definitely not your sensei's weapon!

The Pr-24's older brother - tonfa

 I thought I was going to show my knowledge and skills. I had some game, our instructor told me, but I ain’t seen nothing yet. And I was about to find out. For a visual, think stubby pool cue to the stomach. I dropped like a fricking stone. And I shut up and waited for the fine folks at the front to show us what they wanted to show us.

The PR-24 can also be used improperly as I and many around the world would learn a scant few months later.

Sai are an amazing weapon. But would you really bring them to a fist fight?

So, back to the application used. It was a hook of a punch coupled with a truncheon hooked behind the neck. The move suggested would be painful if not debilitating for the unarmed person. And unless you were super skilled using the sai, it would be next to impossible to pull off, given all the variables - timing, arm length of attacker, amount of clothing, etc. The truncheons of the sai can be used as hooks, for example. No question. But should they be applied to areas like the neck or spine?

I dunno. Depends on how badly you want to maim or kill someone who is trying to punch. And how badly you wish to taste prison food.

There’s likely a reason why nunchaku are unlawful to use, carry and own in many parts of North America, including here in Canada. They can inflict an unimaginable amount of damage to an opponent if used properly. Moreso if used improperly. And in our twirl-and-catch world, guess how many folks know how to use them properly?

So should we teach these techniques to people as application? I’d have to say nope. Hard pass on that idea. Weapon vs weapon? Sure.  In fact, that was likely the context under which they were refined and used.

Okinawan nunchaku

Police nunchaku

You’ve likely all heard the story that interest in an Okinawan street fight in the old days was based on whether or not the opponents were fighting closed or open hand. More fun if the folks were fighting open hand as then everyone knew they were adepts throwing down. I doubt many people would go running to see what would happen if one of them pulled out kama. Someone is going home a winner. And someone is going home with at least one stump – and that is the best case scenario. Look at Jesse-san’s #5 on this list.

The risk of harm from using kama exists for practitioners
 of all  levels. It takes little for the blade to cut through skin and tissue.
Yep, it'll surely leave a mark!

I’ll say it again: weapons are an extension of your body. If you want to understand the applications of unarmed combat, look to and analyze your kata. Intensely. There’s plenty there. But if you purpose for kobudo is to defend yourself, best you locate Mr. Peabody and avail yourself of his wayback machine.

Theoretically, kobudo practice will improve your karate. It should strengthen your techniques and put you more in tune with your own body – when you have a nunchaku swinging near your face, you will find yourself becoming ‘aware’ very quickly. It will help you understand force generation (e.g. hip rotation) and understanding of various methods to apply that force.

Now, back to the weapon vs weapon thing, you will also understand that, as Kenny Rogers sang, you gotta know when to hold ‘em, when to walk away and when to run. The PR-24 is wonderful against a bat or a knife. Not so much against a gun. I would not want to try using a tonfa against those same weapons. But a bo, maybe? Sure. Why not. Sai. Perhaps. Nunchaku? What? Are you nuts?

Stick to the basics - bo and kumi bo

The other thing that kobudo practice should teach you is to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of each weapon – both against itself and/ or against all the other weapons in the system. And you have a pretty broad choice – edged, impact, edged-impact, etc. I refer you to the aforementioned gun to knife fight – not great at close range. But it becomes quite useful if your opponent runs out of ammo and you still have all (or most) of your red stuff in your tank.

So if you’re learning kobudo to defend yourself, stop. Stop now. While some of the techniques will apply to non-kobudo weapons, not all will work. Don’t get me wrong: damn near every society in the world throughout history had a long stick weapon.  And we have all sortsa things in our environments that we could use as a long weapon (rebar, dowel, etc). Will they work exactly the same? Nope, but if you need it, it’s better than nothing. There are other things you can use that reinforce your empty hand techniques (a roll of pennies or nickles balled up in your fist, for example) or others you can adapt as needed (a leather belt rolled up around your fist or used as a flail).

There are plenty of viable and practical reasons to study kobudo. Tamayose Sensei promotes kobudo for older folks to simply keep active and develop and maintain body skills and abilities. (it's all in the hips!)  Or maybe you like kobudo because of the cool ninja turtle weapons - fair enough. But if you practice as a complement for your karate, well, my friend, kobudo would be the right place for you.