Ancient Weapons
in Modern Times
Gino Belfiore - Hung Gar and Shaolin Instructor, Wing
Lam Kung Fu School, Ohio Alva Ervin - Shaolin Instructor,
Wing Lam Kung Fu School, Ohio
Why do we learn traditional weapons? What purpose(s)
does it serve? I've heard some students ask - why bother
learning weapons when most people carry guns? Who is going
to walk down today's streets with a sword in their hand
(except the Highlander)? Tradition however, warrants many
reasons to learn weapons. A thousand years ago there were
no firearms. All warfare took place on the battlefield
with wood and metal weapons such as the sword, staff,
ax and spear. Everyone had to become familiar with a weapon
or you would be at a great disadvantage. For example,
Shaolin monks carried staffs, Chinese ground soldiers
carried the broadsword, and Chinese army generals carried
straight swords or kwan daos (a large ax-like blade on
a long staff).
Most people chose a specific weapon in which to become
proficient. Practice was essential so the weapon and the
person became one unit. An efficient way to practice was
by performing "sets" or "forms" for
each of the weapons used. These forms were designed to
contain all of the movements and practical application
of the system; thus while practicing, you could learn
to wield the weapon without injuring your fellow students
or training brothers.
For centuries, the skills in weaponry practice has been
passed down from teacher to student or from parent to
child. Illiteracy was prevalent, therefore, passing on
knowledge was accomplished through memorization or devising
poems or songs about the system. Passing on the knowledge
you accumulated was essential if traditions were to remain
and for the survival of the system.
An important reason to learn the weapons of your system
is to continue the traditions that have been handed down
from generation to generation. Without the continued training
with weapons, tradition will be lost. That would resemble
if we stopped giving gifts at Christmas or if mother's
decided not to make Thanksgiving dinner. There are forms
and drills that are indigenous to your system, thus weapons
offer another dimension to help preserve the art. Within
the traditions of the system lies the survival of the
complete system.
Self defense applications should always be practices from
your weapon sets. Just doing sets alone have no meaning
if you don't seek out the truth behind the movements.
There are those of you who may ask, "in what situations
can you use these skills"? If you have paid attention
in class, there are weapons all around us on a daily basis.
A great martial artist will make use of anything at hand.
In a self defense situation, a broom or mop can be wielded
like a staff. A tire iron or walking stick are similar
to a sword. Scissors of a pen may be used like daggers.
A scarf or sweater are excellent defenses against someone
brandishing a knife. Long ago, farmers used whatever they
had available to defend themselves including: rakes, hoes
of spades. Most anything you pick up can be used as a
weapon.
There are physical reasons to learn traditional weapons
- it builds coordination skills and builds muscles strength.
Coordination skills are developed between the hands and
feet . The spinning, jumping and twirling with weapons
in hand required in some sets, help the mind coordinate
difficult actions your body might make during an actual
fight. Likewise, two person weapons sets help build your
timing and coordination skills. Trust me, if your timing
is off, you will get whacked (we've been whacked a few
times). Two person sets also give you an opportunity to
see first hand what it is like to defend against someone
with a weapon. Weapons are an extension of your body,
therefore, coordination is essential.
Additionally, training with weapons also builds muscle
strength in the shoulders and arms. Like lifting weights,
weapon training can increase endurance and speed in your
self defense techniques. The weight of heavier weapons
can help you root in your stances, develop leg strength
and better balance. Legend tells of men wielding kwan
daos weighing 20 to 50 pounds. Just think of the strength
it took to hold such weapons.
Still many learn weapons specifically for tournament competition.
Most of us are competitive by nature, and that's good.
Weapon training for a tournament forces a student to practice
diligently. This brings the student closer to the true
nature of their weapon(s); The martial spirit is brought
our in all of us. Tournaments also bring spectators to
watch and enjoy the competition and spread the word of
your style.
Tradition and knowledge is never-ending, it is continually
spread from person to person, as it should. If you here
someone say that traditional weapon training is worthless,
you can tell them the still have a lot to learn about
kung fu. Remember a wealth of tradition and knowledge
lies in your weapon training.
